Battle Of The Fries: We Tried Almost Every Fast Food French Fry

Here’s the thing folks, I think far too often when considering which fast food place to grab a quick meal from we forget to consider the fry. I mean, if you’re like me, fries are half the meal and half the fun. As a ceaseless French fry enthusiast, I must say this question has dawned on me for quite some time: which fast food chain has the best fries?

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Well, today, that’s what we’re here to uncover. No matter my predispositions, we were going to get to the bottom of who in the fast food game is doing fries the best. And you just might want to stay tuned because the final ranking surprised us and we think it’ll surprise you, too.

Chick-fil-A: Chick-fil-A fries are the only waffle fries here in our lineup, and where some people find that disappointing, I find it distinctly charming. Especially since they are incredibly well-executed. Unless you’re there at a particularly bad time, they’re well seasoned and very hot and crisp. The thing I love about a waffle fry is the way it doesn’t get crunchy but just crisp enough to juxtapose the tender and fluffy potato inside.

Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Taco Bell: Taco Bell’s fries aren’t your typical fry by any means. They’re nacho fries, so they’re heavily seasoned and served with nacho cheese. The fries on their own are crispy and taste great―like a warm blend of paprika and garlic and onion powder. They are lacking a bit of salt on their own, but when dipped into the cheese sauce it comes with, it’s a very balanced bite. The spices on the fries also help mellow out the nacho cheese. Plus, any fast food chain that makes the extra effort of having a dedicated fry sauce gets extra points, even if the dip is just roller rink-style nacho cheese.

Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
McDonald’s: When fresh, hot, and properly salted, a McDonald’s fry is among the most satisfying bites. They’re incredibly crispy and make me drool just at the thought of them. They’re kind of like a crispier, thinner, and saltier version of the Burger King fries. To me, they are perfect… when they’re done right. My caveat that I will include here is that it’s kind of like drawing straws in that you never know if it’s going to be that combo of qualities that make them perfect. It’s a game of chance. McDonald’s fries have the highest highs and lowest lows. And frankly, I think that has to be considered in this taste test.

Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Burger King: Burger King fries are among the most underrated fries in the fast food space to me, at least the new ones. Since changing their fries, they’ve become consistently crispy and well-seasoned. The main note I have about them is that since they’re thicker they have a distinct potato flavor. Some could even go so far as to say they’re potato-forward. So if that’s not your thing, then these fries probably aren’t going to be your favorite. Burger King fries also usually vary a lot store-by-store.

Rating:
7/10
Sporks
Del Taco: Del Taco fries were a new one for me and honestly I was surprised to see that they were crinkle fries. But something about it really works. The chipotle sauce they offer with the fries is also among the best and freshest tasting fast food sauces I’ve tried. The fries themselves are well-seasoned, and they make sure you’re getting them hot and fresh. Because of that, they’re nice and crispy unlike a lot of crinkle cut fries. They’re also not dry and fragile either. Of the crinkle cut fries, these are probably my new favorite. But I can’t say I’d seek them out again unless I was already planning on eating from Del Taco.

Rating:
6.5/10
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Arby’s: As much as I find it troubling that Arby’s fries are basically just cafeteria food, they are pretty good. They’re incredibly well seasoned and, generally, pretty moist. My main issue with Arby’s curly fries are that I can’t tell you the last time I got a curly one. They’re at best circles at this point, and I can’t say I’d distinctly remember a time when that was not the case at all. There used to be ringlet curls and now we just get little nubbins. Plus, they really just don’t feel fresh.

Rating:
6/10
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Wendy’s: These were entirely different from every other fry we tasted. They are the only fries I’d intentionally avoid getting again. They were the only ones I would even consider calling bad. There was no seasoning and they tasted distinctly stale. For as similar as they were in theory to the Burger King fries, they couldn’t have been more disappointing. They didn’t even really taste like potato.

Rating:
4/10
Sporks