View this email in your browser   

Maskot/Getty Images

The battle behind your $14 side of fries

The story of how french fries got to be ridiculously expensive starts really small, before making you scratch your head about the way the whole world works. 

The short version is that there’s possibly an algorithm-driven conspiracy in which a literal potato cartel has been colluding to raise the price of all of our french fries.

The long version goes like this: Plaintiffs have alleged in a set of lawsuits that the largest potato product manufacturers in the country — the four that have cornered nearly the entire frozen potato market — all put their sensitive market data into the same third-party software, which uses that aggregate data to spit out recommendations about how they should price their products. And that software has essentially been giving each company the same recommendations. 

If the CEOs of these four companies got in a room, and while they were all chomping on cigars, said, “Hey, let's all set the price of our french fries at the exact same amount,” that would be illegal. What’s allegedly happening is these companies are using this software in the same way they’d use that room. And there are plenty of people out there — including people in the US government — who say that's illegal. The question is whether they’re right. 

And it turns out the business practice at the heart of this case is happening all over the place.  

There have been big lawsuits and government investigations into how this is happening with our rent. Many landlords use a third-party app called RealPage, which takes landlord data and recommends rents. And renters have seen an increase in rental prices as a result. Meatpackers are doing a similar thing, as are hotels. 

Congressional legislation has been introduced to tackle some of this stuff head-on. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) co-sponsored a bill in 2024 that tried to combat landlords using third-party rental software to set prices. Recently, she introduced legislation that specifically targets algorithmic pricing practices.

Those bills aren’t yet law and have a lot of congressional hurdles to overcome. In the meantime, there are class action lawsuits going on around this. In the event that they do come to some resolution, maybe you'll see a notification along the lines of, “Have you paid too much for french fries? You may be owed money,” and you’ll get 92 cents in the mail. And then you can go buy, maybe, a quarter of a french fry.

For more, check out Today, Explained’s full episode on french fries and the battle against algorithmic pricing, dropping today.

Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Court constraints: Trump has faced some early setbacks in the courts this week. Andrew Prokop examines whether what the courts say will matter to Trump at all.

AI therapy: California is trying to crack down on AI posing as human therapists, Sigal Samuel reports.

Courting season: There’s been a flurry of activity in the courts over Trump’s policies. Ian Millhiser breaks down what all that legal action means.

Bribe away: The Trump administration is halting prosecutions of people or businesses found to have paid bribes to foreign officials, supposedly while it figures out new bribery rules. [Guardian] 

Tates accused again: Andrew and Tristian Tate, misogynist influencers accused of a variety of sex and human trafficking crimes, face new accusations from an American woman. [New York Times]

Spare the Rod: Trump pardoned my old governor, Rod Blagojevich, for his corruption crimes. And now he might be our next ambassador to Serbia? [Block Club Chicago]

Scott Olson/Getty Images

The publishing industry loves a blurb — you know, those short quotes from authors on the covers of books, showering a book’s author with praise. Or, at least it did. Constance Grady explains how some publishers are starting to rethink the practice, and it’s causing great consternation.

Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

Are you enjoying the Today, Explained newsletter? Forward it to a friend; they can sign up for it right here. 

And as always, we want to know what you think. Specifically: If there is a topic you want us to explain or a story you’re curious to learn more about, let us know by filling out this form or just replying to this email. 

Today’s edition was produced and edited by me, news editor Sean Collins. Have an absolutely fantastic day!

Become a member to support fearless, independent journalism.

This email was sent to you. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution.

View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service.

Vox Media, 1701 Rhode Island. NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved.