Fast Food French Fries Ranked From Worst To Best

Though burgers and burritos are the most likely suspects when you think of fast food, where would those all stars be without their supporting cast? Sure, a burger is great — but a burger and fries? That's legendary. So which fast food establishment is slinging the very best fries on the market?

Before I get started with this definitive ranking, let's revisit the historical context behind our favorite fast food side dish. While fries are often preceded by the word "french," it's a common assumption that they came to America by way of France. While it's true that fried potatoes were prolific in French cuisine, Belgium is also credited for introducing American soldiers to this simple delicacy.

Over the years, fries made their way into the fast food market as the perfect side dish for the ubiquitous drive-through hamburger. Dozens of fast food restaurants have fries on their menu–some of them have been there for decades, others are relatively new to the scene. So, without further delay, here is my current ranking of fast food fries on the market today.

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15. Dairy Queen

On the fast food spectrum, it's pretty common to avoid Dairy Queen unless you're craving a Peanut Buster Parfait. That said, it shouldn't come as a huge surprise to find DQ's fries at the bottom of this list.

There's nothing inherently offensive about Dairy Queen's fries. They arrive in a cute little DQ box looking golden and crispy, but something strange happens during your first few bites. Expecting a crunch, my teeth simply cut through the fried tuber as if it was a strip of butter. Expecting a smack of salty savor, my tongue lolled around inside my mouth searching for something — anything — resembling flavor.

While there are other examples on this list that don't hit the mark, they are at least memorable for their failure. However, Dairy Queen fries fit wholly within the "forgettable" category, which is a fate worse than failure.

14. In-N-Out Burger

If this was a fast food burger competition, In-N-Out would most definitely be a top five contender. When it comes to fries, however, In-N-Out just whiffs it. As respectable as it is to have its fries julienned and fried right before your eyes, the sum total is a box of dismal, mealy-textured sprigs.

The main issue with In-N-Out Burger's fries is textural. Since the fries are tossed into the fryer right after the potato has been sliced into straws, the frying process is altered by the potato's remaining moisture. Most fries are double fried, which imparts the crispy texture that fry aficionados crave. Though you can order your In-N-Out fries well done to circumvent this issue, it doesn't do a whole lot to help the problem. Perhaps In-N-Out Burger's fries are so mediocre because its burgers are so good — it wouldn't be very fair if the fries left everyone else in the dust.

13. Jack In The Box

With such a wide variety of deep fried snacks on the menu, I was surprised that Jack In the Box wasn't a little higher on the list. Since the menu includes traditional fries and curly fries, it was necessary to pick a "store winner" of sorts and evaluate that version for the list. In this case, the Jack In the Box curly fries are superior, so they're on the chopping block.

In contrast to traditional fries, curly fries imply that a more smoky, paprika-forward barbecue flavor profile will be thrown into the mix. This is definitely the case with Jack In the Box, but the flavors were a bit on the muted side. Texturally, the Jack In the Box fries are on the level — they are lightly breaded which makes for a nice, crispy texture. That said, the flavors of the seasoning and the potato didn't really show up. Over the years, the Jack In the Box snack menu has evolved to include mini tacos, egg rolls, and chicken tenders, so maybe the lack of attention to its fries has resulted in the quality dropping a little bit.

12. Kentucky Fried Chicken

Considering the variety of different — and better — sides that KFC offers, it's honestly surprising that its fries weren't a bit lower on the list. On the other hand, I'd think that KFC would be a bit more adept at working with a deep fryer, so it makes sense to see a few deep-fried trade secrets to be applied here.

One thing Colonel Sanders does get right is the breading — like Jack In the Box, KFC fries get tossed in some seasoned flour before getting dunked into the fryer. This process helps ramp up the texture while preserving the potato flavor. KFC edges out Jack In the Box because its seasoned flour keeps its flavor by the time the fries reach your tray. The interior potato texture leaned a bit toward the mealy side, which was an odd contrast considering the exterior remained crispy. Maybe it was just a bad spud to begin with.

11. Del Taco

As Del Taco is primarily known for its economical tacos and burritos, I was surprised to see its fries beat out its parent company Jack In the Box. Del Taco's fries are of the crinkle cut variety, and though some people swear to the superiority of this preparation, they are notoriously difficult to make well.

Though crinkle cut fries are prone to sogginess, the fries at Del Taco had a nice crispness to them, and it persisted until well after the fries were no longer piping hot. One benefit of crinkle cut fries will always be the amount of potato that the fry is working with. If you can get the texture right like Del Taco does, it's a very satisfying bite.

One thing that was evident during this taste test was a slight bitterness left over from fryer oil that should have been replaced. Even though the flavors and textures were solid on this pack of fries, the bitter tang of overextended vegetable oil was enough to take it down a few pegs.

10. Five Guys

Beneath the menu marquee inside Five Guys, I noticed some signage informing diners that today's potatoes came directly from Idaho. While it's great to see a fast food place work some pro-sustainability messaging into their backsplash, it also sets a pretty high standard. On top of that, Five Guys has already established itself as a favorite among fry connoisseurs because of the emphasis it has placed on stellar fries.

All existing context aside, however, the contenders from Five Guys were a little disappointing. Generally speaking, the preparation of the Five Guys fries is right on the money for those who like their fries on the more tender side. Five Guys fries leave a lot of the potato skin on the fry, which adds more flavor and texture — nothing wrong with that. The biggest error here would have to be the liberal use of salt and a smack of exhausted peanut oil on the palate.

This is a good time to discuss the subjectivity of this process—sometimes you'll go to a place known for its fries and get a bad batch regardless. As it's possible that this was the case with Five Guys, it's actually quite a flex to beat out five other contenders on what could have very well been just a bad day.

9. Popeyes

Popeyes is always full of surprises. From its riot-inducing fried chicken sandwich to its delectable blackened ranch dipping sauce, there are plenty of things Popeyes is doing better than its contemporaries. While its fries don't quite reach the savory heights that some of its other menu items enjoy, they're really good for what they are.

Like Jack In the Box, Popeyes opts to add a bit more of a smoky kick to its fries — hence the name "Cajun Fries." These guys also get tossed with some seasoned flour for extra crispness, but it's the Popeyes blend of Cajun spices that do most of the work. There is plenty of spice to be had here — paprika and black pepper are most prominent — and they've got a nice crunch to them.

The reason Popeyes is a little lower on the list comes from a consistency standpoint. Cajun fries are good when you're really craving Cajun fries, but a french fry craving just creates a set of needs that Cajun fries are unprepared to meet.

8. Chick-Fil-A

This is the only instance of waffle fries on the list, which might mean it's time for the fast food industry to reconsider its long-standing traditions. They're not top five by any stretch, but Chick-fil-A's waffle fries do a whole lot right. Fans of getting the most potato for their buck are going to place these fries a little higher on the list, but even hardcore fry purists will find something to love here.

For starters, Chick-fil-A knows how to get a consistent texture on its fries. A traditional fry is typically rectangular, which means there are only for corners that crisp up in the frying process. Waffle fries increase the amount of crisp corners considerably, and they're almost always perfectly done. Additionally, the increased amount of potato in the fry creates perhaps the most pronounced potato flavor of any fry on this list. The small bits of potato skin on the outermost edges are both aesthetically pleasing and flavorful, so another win there.

The reason Chick-fil-A doesn't scoot its way higher up this list is similar to why Popeyes is where it is — a french fry craving is slightly different than a waffle fry craving. That said, it's hard for fans of waffle fries to do better than Chick-fil-A — especially when you try them with Chick-fil-A Sauce.

7. Arby's

Like Jack In the Box, Arby's also offers both crinkle cut and curly fries — but honestly, anyone who's been to Arby's more than once knows which option is superior. The appeal of curly fries comes from their corkscrew shape and peppery paprika seasoning, both of which are consistently present at Arby's. Even though each box of curly fries only ends up with around four truly curly fries — the rest are little hooks that somehow don't taste as good — they are delightful when you get them.

Curly fries do have a nice crispness to them, though this is not their strong suit. Something about the softened potato twisted in on itself and the barbecue flavor just makes for a really tasty bite. It's possible if every fry in an order of Arby's curly fries consisted entirely of the really twisty ones, they would be top five material for sure.

6. Burger King

Where In-N-Out Burger's disparity between the quality of its burgers and the quality of its fries is enormous, Burger King's is a bit more balanced. A flame-broiled Whopper is consistently a good bet for burger fans, and Burger King's fries definitely hold their own when they're on the same tray.

Visually, the fries at Burger King are uniform and sharp — a box of these fried taters looks like a finely-tuned infantry battalion standing at attention. There's nothing wrong with a box full of irregularly shaped fries, of course, but there is something attractive about fries that look ready for a GQ photoshoot.

Burger King opts for fries that are a bit larger than average, and there is some wisdom here. The more surface area you have, the easier it is to get a crisp finish while preserving that crucial remnant of potato flavor. These fries are very close to that elusive gold standard that fry fans have when a craving hits, but the fact of the matter is that the top five have managed to do what Burger King is doing at a slightly elevated level of execution.

5. Carl's Jr.

Carl's Jr. was a bit of a dark horse in this race. Since it's best known for its gigantic burgers, fries don't often come up in the Carl's Jr. discourse — but maybe it's high time they should. Quality-wise, they can definitely hang with some of the more eclectic burgers on the Carl's Jr. menu.

Unassuming in size and shape, the Carl's Jr. Fries are a bit smaller than their Burger King equivalents. This doesn't impact their flavor and texture, however. They excel on both components with a nice crisp bite and a good amount of potato flavor. Where Carl's Jr. truly hits the mark is with seasoning. These fries come out of the gate with the right amount of salt, and it does a lot to enhance the overall experience. While the saltiness of a box of fries is very subjective and this flavor can be adjusted based on the diner's tastes, these fries were doing everything right as soon as they came out of the gate.

4. Wendy's

Ever since Wendy's retooled its fry recipe, it's become a serious contender in the world of fast food fries. This updated fry design ditches the traditional square-shaped approach of its competitors. In an interview with Nation's Restaurant News, Wendy's Senior Culinary and Innovation Specialist Emily Kessler said, "One side is built with a thicker side, and it's built for heat retention while the other side is thinner and that's really to enhance crispiness."

Though making its fries more machete-shaped doesn't sound like it would make that big of a difference, this inspired bit of culinary engineering definitely works in Wendy's favor. Since the fries still have the skin on, they get that nice rustic flavor while enjoying a crisp snap at the bladed edge of each fry.

Wendy's has become known for taking a few creative risks when it comes to its menu, and maybe this is something other restaurants can learn from. Wendy's new and improved fries remain a good example of what can be achieved with a bit of creative innovation.

3. Taco Bell

Speaking of culinary innovation, let's talk about Taco Bell's nacho fries. This is one of those ideas that is so brilliant that I wonder why it took so long to manifest. Not only do nacho fries set a new bar for the variety of seasoned fry available at Arby's and Popeyes, but they represent a type of bridge between Taco Bell's signature menu and its fast food brethren.

Shape-wise, they're larger than average in size to ensure maximum surface area coverage for Taco Bell's house seasoning. Texture-wise, they are consistently crispy with enough potato on hand to preserve those earthy flavors. Seasoning-wise, they're coated with a blend of spices that hearken to legendary snack foods like Doritos. They are at their best when you dip them in a bit of Taco Bell's nacho cheese sauce, but even condiment-free these fries can stand proudly with the greats of fast food's deep-fried pantheon.

2. Shake Shack

As surprising as it is to have a crinkle cut fry take the silver medal, it just goes to show how exemplary Shake Shack's fries are. One of the flaws that Del Taco's crinkle cut flaws possess is that they don't take full advantage of the ridged shape that crinkle cut fries provide. When you consider the increased number of corners while leaving enough space for the potato flavor to stand out, you have something truly special. This is what Shake Shack has gotten right.

According to a Tasting Table interview with Shake Shack's VP of Culinary Innovation John Karangis, the restaurant achieves its near-perfect texture from a consistent exposure to heat during cooking and a good dose of salt. Karangis recommends eating Shake Shack fries with ketchup, which is never a bad idea, but they really don't need the condiment to stand on their own. Each bite of a Shake Shack fry yielded consistent results, which isn't easy to do with the crinkle cut variety.

1. McDonald's

Whether it's through constant commercial conditioning or simply some kind of culinary magic, McDonald's fries just can't be beat. In many ways, the restaurant simply got its recipe right the first time and simply let it cook until fast food consumers were left helpless against its powers.

Throughout the list, the concept of french fry craving has come up a few times. The fries at McDonald's embody this craving note for note. You've got the uniform presentation, you've got the crispy exterior texture followed by the soft interior texture, and you've got the ideal level of salty flavor. Even when you get a rogue fry that doesn't quite match up with the others, it has its own tasty profile going on.

It's rare to find a McDonald's fry that comes out the door soggy or bland. It has its fry assembly process down to a well-defined science, and each time one of those bright red boxes leaves a store, it's making someone's day a little brighter.

How I Ranked Fast Food Fries

Though I considered several different ranking factors, I decided to narrow it down to three: texture, flavor, and presentation. For texture, I evaluated each fry for that golden brown crispness that sets it apart from other sides. Fries that struck a nice balance between crispy and outright crunchy ranked a little higher on the scale. When considering flavor, I evaluated each order of fries for its potato flavor along with how well it was seasoned. For presentation, I was looking for fries to present themselves in a uniform fashion or show that they were visually related according to shape, color, or preparation style. I weighed flavor and texture slightly higher than presentation, as the former two are more important factors to consider.

In an attempt to make sure all contenders could present peak quality, I tried each one onsite right after I received my order. I evaluated flavors without an accompanying condiment. I also tried to remain as objective as possible and mention any instances where common missteps could have taken place — preparing the perfect fry is hard work, and I understand that it even the pros can have a bad day.

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