In the spring of 2003, diplomatic tension between the United States and France shifted from the United Nations Security Council to the cafeteria menus of the U.S. House of Representatives. As the United States prepared for the invasion of Iraq, France declared its opposition to the military action.
This refusal to support the coalition sparked a wave of anti-French sentiment across America. The most famous result of this geopolitical rift was not a sanction or a treaty, but a culinary rebranding that turned a common side dish into a subject of international debate.
The Spark in North Carolina
The movement began in a small restaurant called Cubbie’s in Beaufort, North Carolina. The owner, Neal Rowland, decided he could no longer sell items named after a country that refused to stand with the United States. He took inspiration from World War I history, specifically the anti-German sentiment that led to sauerkraut being renamed “liberty cabbage.”
Rowland placed stickers over his menus. He taped over the word “French” and replaced it with “Freedom.” His customers supported the change. The local story caught the attention of Walter B. Jones Jr., a Republican congressman representing North Carolina. Jones decided to take the idea to Washington, D.C.
A New Menu for Congress
Congressman Jones wrote a letter to Representative Bob Ney, the Chairman of the Committee on House Administration. Ney had the authority to oversee the operations of the House cafeterias. The letter suggested that the House should remove references to France from its menus. Ney agreed immediately. On March 11, 2003, he issued a directive to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House.
He ordered the menu to be updated in all three House office buildings. The change was implemented without a vote. Staff members physically replaced the signs at the food stations. “French fries” became “Freedom fries,” and “French toast” became “Freedom toast.” Ney issued a press release stating that the action was a small but significant effort to show displeasure with France’s lack of support.
The Diplomatic Reaction
The French government responded to the menu change with a mix of confusion and detachment. The French Embassy in Washington, D.C., issued a statement noting that French fries actually originated in Belgium.
An embassy spokeswoman stated that they did not focus on such matters and that their position on the serious issue of war remained unchanged. The French public largely viewed the renaming as a humorous curiosity rather than a genuine insult.
The Quiet Reversal
The new names remained on the congressional menus for three years. However, the political landscape shifted. Public support for the war waned, and the intense anti-French sentiment faded. In 2006, Bob Ney faced legal troubles and resigned from his chairmanship.
His successor, Vern Ehlers of Michigan, decided it was time to return to normalcy. Without a press release or a fanfare, Ehlers ordered the cafeteria staff to revert the names. The signs were quietly changed back. “French fries” returned to the menu, and the brief culinary conflict officially ended.
In 2003, anger over the Iraq War didn’t just cause diplomatic tension.
It changed lunch.
When France refused to back the invasion, US politicians retaliated in a bizarre way.
They didn’t issue sanctions. Instead, they declared war on the name of a side dish…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/ROX8tin15D
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) December 1, 2025