Memes

Ding Fries Are Done: meme origins

I can fix him…ding fries are done!

Photo of Angela Andaloro

Angela Andaloro

Man wearing Santa hat with 'Ding! Fries are Done (Carol of the Bells)' and 'We Three Kings' captions

Ding Fries Are Done is the title of a parody music video—a take on “Carole of the Bells.” It was originally performed by a singer known as “Billy.” The song is a callback to the days of working fast food jobs in the early ’90s when the song first emerged.

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Meme origins

The Christmas parody about fast food work was released in 1993 as part of a collection called, “A Very Spastic Christmas.” Though commercials for the compilation album never aired, the album itself was released that holiday season. It was released on tape, but not widely. Listeners could only get a copy by mailing a check to a PO Box in Burbank, California.

'a very spastic christmas with billy'
@patrickmrhody/YouTube
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The following year, the song gained popularity when it was featured on the Dr. Demento radio show, as part of its Christmas slate. It would become a recurring play in years to follow, having played nearly 50 times in the years since.

Ding Fries Are Done lyrics

The lyrics to Ding Fries Are Done by Billy (later identified as Brent Calvin) are:

I work at Burger King making flame-broiled whoppers, I wear paper hats.
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Ding! Fries are done. Ding! Fries are done.
Ding! Fries are done. Ding! Fries are done.
I gotta run. I gotta run. I gotta run. I gotta run.
Don’t bob for fries in hot fat.
They hurt bad and so do skin grafts.
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Would you like an apple pie with that?
Where is the bell? Wait for the bell.
Can’t hear the bell. Where is the bell?

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The Burger King video

A Burger King-based flash video was made to look like it goes along with the song. It first appeared on AmericanAngst and later, eBaums World and The Onion.

The video features an adult, who they claim is developmentally challenged, made to mouth along to the words in a marionette style. While it clearly originated as a parody, early internet users believed this to be a real commercial for the fast food brand.

Ding Fries Are Done and Family Guy

family guy ding fries are done parodied
@Fan of Family Guy/YouTube
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The song was even parodied by Family Guy, which the internet jokes is a “kiss of death.” The moment was part of the episode called “Deep Throats,” which aired in 2006.

Meme examples

cartoon where parents blame guns while son watches ding fries are done video
@YourBoyAlucard/iFunny
ding fries are done in burger king logo style meme
@YourBoyAlucard/iFunny
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'Every Christmas season my stepdad still does the “ding fries are done” bit for the whole month and tbh somehow it gets funnier every year' tweet
@blakesley_/X
In Body Image
@blakesley_/X
In Body Image
@blakesley_/X
evil peter be like ding fries aren't done
@Control_Freak00/iFunny
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'Ding, fries are done ✅' tweet with vintage cartoon that says 'alexa end the federal reserve'
@Control_Freak00/iFunny
housewives fries are done cat meme
@jpiddy/IMGFLIP
plate of food with tweet reading 'ding fries are done'
@jpiddy/IMGFLIP
In Body Image
@jpiddy/IMGFLIP
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