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Why McDonald's Is Only Selling Small Servings of Fries in Japan At McDonald's restaurants in Japan, medium and large fries have been taken off the menu.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Potato shortages are putting McDonald's customers in Japan on an unsolicited diet.

McDonald's is now only offering small servings of fries in Japan due to a fry shortage in the country, reports Kotaku. The shortage is due to ongoing labor contract disputes with dockworkers on the West Coast of the U.S.

Related: McDonald's Slashes Menu in Bid to Turn Around Sales

The shortage has been a months-long problem for the fry-loving country. One Japanese chain said it planned to fly in around 200 tons of fries to avoid running out, Business Insider reported earlier in December.

The shortage is coming at a particularly bad time for McDonald's, which is currently struggling to increase sales in Asia following an expired meat scandal in July. Last week, McDonald's reported that sales in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa were down 4 percent in November, with especially poor performance in Japan and China.

Related: This Movie About McDonald's Could Be 'The Social Network' for Fast-Food

Kate Taylor

Staff Writer. Covers franchise-related trends and topics.

Kate Taylor is a staff writer covering franchises for Entrepreneur.com. Related areas of interest include chain restaurants, franchisee profiles and food trends. Get in touch with tips and feedback via email at ktaylor@entrepreneur.com or on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

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