The new fries are cut skin-on from Russet potatoes and seasoned with sea salt which tends to cost a little more than regular table salt. They are cooked in a new oil formulation which is purported to contain no allergens and 0 grams of trans fat per serving.
The new fries are touted as "hotter, crispier, and tastier" and were tested in three U.S. cities before the decision to launch them nationwide.
So what's the hubbub on sea salt? Sea salt, like kosher salt comes in a larger, more irregular grind them table salt does creating a difference in texture and, for some, taste. Additionally, sea salt retains minerals from the sea which color and flavor the salt slightly (again, some people can't taste the difference). The taste tends to be more muted than table salt and less, well, salty.
It looks like Wendy's is turning to adding more salt to their fries to counteract the more muted flavor. Check out the nutritional information of the two fries to see the difference:
Nutritional Info - Wendy's Natural-Cut Fries - Medium
Calories - 420 (from Fat - 180)
Fat - 20g (Saturated Fat - 3.5g)
Sodium - 500mg
Carbs - 54g (Sugar - 0g)
Protein - 5g
Nutritional Info - Wendy's French Fries - Medium
Calories - 410 (from Fat - 170)
Fat - 19g (Saturated Fat - 3.5g)
Sodium - 350mg
Carbs - 56g (Sugar - 0g)
Protein - 4g
