The term French Fries which referrs to deep fried strips or slices of potato came upon the culinary scene probably sometime in the 1700's. Though potatoes arrived in Europe in the late 1600s they didn't really become accepted as food for a century.

So who invented the French Fry?

There is no absolute proof , but while the French were known to perfect the art of deep fat frying, the Belgians most likely perfected this french fried potato snack. In Europe they were never known as French Fries but as Pomme de Terre Frittes latter shortened to "Pomme Frittes" and even just "Frittes". I know from personal experience don't try to tell a Belgian that they didn't invent "Pomme Frittes"

They are generally served in "cornets" or cones and catsup is not popular for dipping the standard choice is usually a good mayonnaise.

How did they come up with the idea of cutting a potato in a strip and frying it?

Most of our iconic foods have a folk story of how they were created usually out of necessity or by a blunder the French Fry Potato has one as well. According to a family manuscript by Joseph Gerard, the people of the Meuse Valley near Dinant, Belgium ate a lot of fish as they lived near the river. They loved to fry the fish in hot fat. When the rivers would freeze or when fishing was difficult they came up with the idea of cutting potatoes like small fish and frying them.

Another thought by historians is that cutting a food into a long strip while the French called it "Julienne" other folks referred to it as "Frenching", and perhaps that is why they were called French Fries

The Meuse River near Dinant, Belgium

Why did they call them "French Fries" if they were from Belgium?

A food historian will look for written records using the term.

	The French had popularized frying foods in deep fat and even selling them on street carts called "Frittes" as early as the late 1700's. Potatoes were cut in all kinds of shapes and fried. Thomas Jefferson who had spent a lot of time in France even had some served in a White House dinner in 1802. It is recorded that he called these "Potatoes served in the French manner".	State room in the White House in early 1800's
Obviously people in this area wouldn't call what they are making a French Fr y like they don't call it Canadian bacon in Canada and they don't call the smoky style of whiskey "Scotch" in Scotland.

However a British recipe book probably was not enough to make them mainstream in countries like the U.S. One thought is that WW1 soldiers stationed in the area of the Meuse Valley in Dinant, Belgium partook in the local fare and of course loved this comfort filled finger food of "Pommes Frittes" and brought the idea back with them and soon they became popular in restaurants in the U.S. Since the folks of Dinant spoke French the soldiers may have referred to them as "French Fries".

The same thing happened with Pizza after the second world war.

Fries became so popular you could by a special cutter to make them uniform and the process go quicker which was nice especially when large familes were popular.