# Beer-Battered Potato Side Dishes Brew City® Beer Battered Potato Waves are an Alternative to Fries By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2026-04-10 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beer-battered-potato-waves References: [source86](https://source86.com/mccain-beer-battered-potato-waves/) & [brewcityonline](https://brewcityonline.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooAO-mKkjICJiBaPvU25eAsZGokVqvKsndUaO2kAZrq_Wh6BIsm)  Brew City® Beer Battered Potato Waves have been announced by McCain Foods as its latest innovation for the foodservice category that's intended to offer consumers an alternative to traditional potato-based side dishes. The product consists of wave-cut potatoes that are covered in a beer-infused coating to achieve a crispy exterior with a soft interior. The potato product is targeted towards the casual dining industry and pubs where French fries reign supreme to offer diners an alternative option to enjoy on their own or as a side with their meal. Brew City® Beer Battered Potato Waves are launching now in the US and Canada, and will allow operators to expand their menu without having to deal with increased preparation times. The product can also be used in multiple ways to encourage operators to create something new. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.2/10 - Popularity: 39% | Activity: 45% | Freshness: 71% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Beer-battered Premiumization:** Beer-infused coatings and battering techniques are elevating common sides into perceived premium offerings that can command higher price points. - **Alternative Side-dish Innovation:** Casual diners are showing growing interest in novel potato formats that provide textural contrast to fries and diversify plate compositions. - **Menu-ready Convenience:** Pre-prepared, easy-to-deploy frozen side items are reducing back-of-house complexity while enabling rapid menu variety without added labor. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Casual Dining & Pubs:** Operators in this sector present a clear platform for specialty battered sides to shift diner expectations and reshape side-dish menus. - **Foodservice Suppliers:** Ingredient and coating innovators can influence kitchen adoption through formulations that balance flavor, texture and fry-time predictability. - **Frozen Food Manufacturers:** Producers of frozen convenience items have opportunities to integrate craft-inspired flavors and novel cuts into scalable, shelf-stable products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Beer-Branded Seafood Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sea-cuisine-and-guinness.md) - [Sauce-Inspired QSR Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chick-fil-a-8.md) - [Ingredient-Packed Jacket Potatoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/subway-big-breakwich-spud.md) - [Pickle-Seasoned Potato Side Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dill-pickle-potato-pillows.md) - [QSR Chicken Brand Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/waffle-potato-chips.md) - [Family-Friendly Air Fryer Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mccain-air-fryer-range.md) - [Popular QSR Menu Comebacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-spicy-wings1.md) - [Frozen Homemade-Inspired Potato Wedges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crispy-wedges.md) - [Customizable Potato Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fry-bags.md)