For about a decade now, August 1st has tickled the deep-rooted Belgian pride: this date is supposed to be International Belgian Fries Day. Really? Or maybe not! Or perhaps… Yes… perhaps! Yet no official source or founding document truly attests to its existence. In 2025, this myth with nebulous origins — apparently first launched “in English in the text” (International Belgian Fries Day) — is as amusing as it is puzzling. Behind the light-hearted homage, the operation seems to serve commercial interests rather than the fervent love of true Belgian fries…

Good to know before you read further! You can debate this and many other “frites” questions at the free open days, every first weekend of the month, at the Brussels Micro Fry Museum (Home Frit' Home, rue des Alliés 242, 1190 Brussels). As of this writing:

• Saturday, August 2 (1.30 pm – 6.30 pm);
• Sunday, August 3 (1.30 pm – 6 pm). But back to our story…

First comes the date: August 1st. Surprising, isn’t it? In the heart of summer, many gourmets are probably dreaming more of ice cream than of steaming cones of fries (even if, of course, Belgian fries are enjoyed all year round). Moreover, for the true lovers of fresh fries, it's actually the riskiest period: the fries are then made from the dregs of the last harvest, while everyone awaits the new potatoes... Let’s add to that the Belgian “Week of the Fry” celebrated at the end of the year (more on this later), and we see that the calendar was hardly the driving factor for creating an International Belgian Fries Day! The few available explanations suggest it was launched under the title International Belgian Fries Day, perhaps to relieve Belgians from the “injustice” of always having to say “French fries” — even when abroad.

An event without roots, but not without interests

Belgium proudly claims its fried heritage, but around August 1st there’s no sign of an official text, royal decree or founding document. International Belgian Fries Day is really a product of media myth rather than tradition. It’s above all a date amplified by marketing and social networks, letting certain businesses surf on national folklore and the worldwide success of our fries. But these communication campaigns seldom reflect the true spirit of the “fritkot”: rooted in daily life, tradition, and conviviality. They more often serve commercial interests that, however much they may hype up Belgian fries abroad, neither guarantee the authenticity of the product nor the defense of the popular culture born around Belgian “fritkots” (fries stalls). When asked, Bernard Lefèvre, President of the National Union of Fryers (UNAFRI; see below), summed it up: “Given my position and my decades-long career as a fryer, if this event came from Belgapom or any other Belgian association linked to the potato and fries sector, I would know about it!”

National French Fry Day in the USA: the same recipe?

This “international” Belgian day is reminiscent of its American cousin: National French Fry Day in July. Over there too, the initiative isn’t official: it gained momentum through fast food giants’ marketing (McDonald’s, Burger King, etc.), creating special offers to attract crowds. Such “days” are usually orchestrated not to celebrate culinary heritage, but to drive up sales of standardized products.

The real party: the Week of the Fry, heir to authenticity

Yet the true celebration of the Belgian fry – the one that embodies grassroots attachment and tradition – is the “Week of the Fry” (Week van de Friet), held in autumn. Behind this initiative are the historic defenders of “fritkot” culture: the National Union of Fryers (UNAFRI) — or Nationaal Verbond van Frituristen (NAVEFRI). These organisations have not only championed the quality of the profession, but also secured official recognition of “Fritkot Culture” as intangible heritage in Belgium. During the Week of the Fry — whether in Flanders, Wallonia or Brussels, depending on the year — the artisanal know-how, conviviality, and friturist diversity are front and centre, far from the industrial standards imposed by chains.

Between folklore and commercial ploys

International Belgian Fries Day on August 1st is thus more of a friendly mystification than a national tradition. Its story — or lack thereof — makes us smile, and question the construction of modern culinary myths and the commercial exploitation of popular symbols. Until the next “marketing moment,” purists can simply enjoy their paper cornet of fries year-round, especially during the real Week of the Fry, or with a convivial visit to the Brussels Micro Fry Museum , Home Frit’ Home (rue des Alliés 242, 1190 Brussels-Forest), which is open for free every first weekend of the month (or by appointment)!