McDonald’s Whips Out 5-Step ‘Kung Fries’ Practice Crafted By Martial Arts Master

By Mikelle Leow, 03 Sep 2025

Image courtesy of Publicis Groupe and featured with permission

Few things unite people more than the silent theft of McDonald’s fries. One moment they’re stacked high in the carton, the next they’ve mysteriously migrated into someone else’s hands. In Taiwan, McDonald’s is leaning into the problem with a tongue-in-cheek fix: a martial art created to defend your fries.

The fast-food chain enlisted Master Hung, a choreographer renowned for shaping Taiwan’s martial arts cinema, to devise a set of defensive maneuvers aimed at safeguarding snacks called Kung Fries.

Master Hung designed five playful defensive maneuvers with names that sound as if they came straight from a kung fu script: Hold Your Horses; Soft as a Breeze, Strong as a Storm; Divine Finger Flick; Buddha’s Palm of Fries; and Now You See It, Now You Don’t.

Image courtesy of Publicis Groupe and featured with permission

To demonstrate them, McDonald’s produced a short comedy film directed by Leo Wang, featuring actor Man-Si Ho and set to music by Golden Horse Award–winning composer Chris Hou. The choreography was overseen by Master Hung himself, also a Golden Horse honoree, blending slapstick with action-movie flair. The three-minute clip has been rolled out on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram Reels, aiming to give martial arts a lighthearted revival among younger audiences.

Despite Taiwan’s long history of martial arts, interest among Gen Z has waned in recent years. By framing kung fu around the relatable struggle of guarding fries, McDonald’s hopes to spark new appreciation while delivering a dose of humor. Tray mats in Taiwan outlets now double as training manuals, offering a crash course in Kung Fries with every meal.

As Kung Fries takes its first bow, customers are invited to share their own fry-defense stories online. Submissions come with the chance to win a novelty prize: a single fry coated in 24-karat gold. It just gets more and more theatrical.