It's a dagger. A long, crispy salty dagger designed to protect the Universe (read: local family dining establishment) from the squalls of disapproval from a restrained infant, toddler, or angry teenager.
Most of the general populace has done it. You probably have. I previously have. We've watched in horror as a mother or father handed their infant a french fry. A FRENCH FRY! How dare this parent feed this tiny little cherub something that could clog up their tender little arteries!
Trust when I say that 9 times out of 10 they're doing this for you. For the dining crowd. For the lobby. And for a tiny sliver of their own sanity. When that baby grasps that french fry with his tiny little dimpled fingers he has grasped the world. This french fry holds the key to the center of his bobble-headed universe. Momdukes isn't worried about that french fry, or the six subsequent others, damaging her precious babies body because she knows that 98.3487% of the french fries will end up on the floor. The floor that she will guiltily sweep with a napkin for the server because she feels horrible about the mess. Once her family is settled back home that evening she'll say to her partner, "Why do we do that? Never again!" Never again, that is, until the next long and stressful day where she just can't stand the sight of her own kitchen.
Once you've been that mother you don't even see it anymore. You want to run over and steal the embarrassment from the mother that is frantically trying to quiet her baby while side-eyeing her burger that's getting cold because she doesn't want to ruin the atmosphere for the other diners. This mother or father is putting the needs of the baby and fellow diners ahead of themselves when really, all they wanted was a hot meal. But that's what parenting is. It's sacrifice. It's hardship. It's worth it.
Trust me, and trust me hard. A fast food burger on your couch with a beer (or seven) after the baby is in bed is so, so much more rewarding.