The furor began yesterday when word broke that, horror of horrors, McDonald's cut a pretty standard food industry deal to keep its competitors away from one of its most popular products. Problem is, this time, it's about feeding millions of people at the 2012 Olympics.

The move prompted an outcry of Olympic proportions. Many people took to Twitter to muse about just what was going on.

Some embraced the move with national pride.

Others took it as a sign that the Olympics food scene would be mocked for its rigidity and American-centric offerings.

Top chef Eric Ripert ratcheted up the alarm bells.

And let's not forget, the games are being held in London, where people take fried foods even more seriously than we do in the U.S.

Here's a primer on the whole U.S. fries v. U.K. chips thing. It's written by a Canadian, but it's still a good reference.

For a deeper dive into the cultural and physical differences between the two, take this excerpt from Panjandrum, a frequent contributor to the language forum message board Word Reference.com:

"Proper British Chips are essentially potato, not like French Fries, which thanks to USfastfoodchains are thin fingers of crisp.

Real chips are made with real potatoes, peeled (badly) and cut into half-inch fingers then fried at least twice in beef dripping. They have a flavour that is a universe apart from French Fries. They should, of course, be wrapped in newspaper.

Eaten fresh, chips have a crisp outside that cracks open to reveal a steaming, starchy, glistening white inside. Eaten normally (soused in salt and vinegar and nestling in the newspaper) they rapidly develop a truly, uniquely, wonderfully greasy sogginess that must be experienced to be appreciated.

For preference, the experience should be on the long walk home with the young lady of your choice, late in the evening after a visit to the cinema"

Given the outcry, organizers backtracked, just a bit, and allowed chips to go back on the menu if they were served as part of a fish and chips plate.
One self-described frustrated media and software pro from the U.K. had another idea:

So then, organizers decided to let the workers have their chips, but not regular people attending the games. Unless of course, they were made by McDonald's.

Even before this brouhaha began, a British cardiologist posted a video asking why McDonald's and Coca Cola and other major food companies were allowed to peddle junk food at an event celebrating healthy athletes. The companies quickly responded, touting their healthier options and their emphasis on moderation and exercise.