There are few things people agree on in linguistically divided Belgium, but an effort to get Belgian fries recognized as a global cultural heritage and put it on a par with Peking opera and the Argentine tango may get unequivocal support.

Belgian fries are traditionally sold in a paper cone at a fritkot, generally a shack or trailer.

There are some 5,000 of these in Belgium, making them 10 times more common, per capita, than McDonald's restaurants in the United States.