<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Today's Business Week has an article in which it appears that Burger King has already made the decision to introduce them. On page 8 of the Sept. 16, 1996 issue: America's Fry-Mesiters Go To War Fast-food chains are out to take on McDonald's vaunted fries. Burger King, the No. 2 burger biggie, aims to unveil its upgraded fries in 1997. Smaller chains - Arby's A&W, and Jack in the Box - have brought out their offerings over the past year. Fries bring big bucks, with profit margins at around 75% says A&W. And folks are eating more of them. Last year, the average American devoured 30 pounds of fries - five pounds more than in 1990, says the Agriculture Dept. The new fries' starch-based coating makes them crisper and hotter. Invented by a ConAgra subsidiary, the process adds a dime to the cost (up to $0.75) per pound of potatoes, to buy and prepare fries. But the chains figure the expense, which they haven't passed along to the public, is worthwhile. Since it started using the coating, A&W says french fry sales have surged nearly 30%. Jack in the Box has launched an in-store fries promotion: "Jack's are better than Mac's." Many fast foodies puzzle over what makes McDonald's fries so special. But the leader won't divulge its recipe or comment on the upstart potato pushers. Don Wiss.