Dairy Queen’s Disappointing Fries
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.
Dairy Queen does many things right — its soft serve is delicious, its Dilly Bar is iconic, and Blizzards are simply unmatched when it comes to frozen treats. That said, Dairy Queen’s food menu, which includes french fries, is a good example of something that no one asked for. Unsurprisingly, DQ’s fries are at the very bottom of this list. At their worst, the fries are limp, cold, and under-salted, and at their best, they’re forgettable. It’s safe to say that most people stick to the ice cream when they go to Dairy Queen, and if the fries are any signifier, it’s for good reason. 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.
KFC’s Problematic Potato Sticks
On the opposite end of the spectrum, KFC was rated the worst for fast-food fries, earning an average of 1.77 from 175 reviews across 50 locations. Despite its status as a fried chicken powerhouse, the chain’s side offering left much to be desired, according to customer feedback. It’s remarkable how a chain that masters the art of frying chicken can stumble so spectacularly when it comes to potatoes. The disconnect between their crispy eleven herbs and spices coating and these soggy disappointments is genuinely puzzling.
These fries seem to emerge from the kitchen already defeated, lacking the structural integrity needed to survive the journey from fryer to your tray. When a chain specializes in fried foods but can’t execute the most basic fried side dish, it raises serious questions about priorities. Maybe stick to what you know best — the chicken — and leave the potato game to someone else.
White Castle’s Limp Letdowns
Any fast foodie knows that White Castle can be pretty hit or miss regardless of what you order. Sometimes, a slider is the tastiest thing you could possibly put in your mouth, and other times, it’s lukewarm and feels like mush. Worse could be said about the fries, which are nearly always limp, saltless, and devoid of any crispiness. The inconsistency here is almost legendary among fast food enthusiasts.
White Castle’s fries seem to have given up before they even started. They emerge from the fryer looking defeated, as if they’ve already accepted their fate as the most forgettable part of your meal. The lack of seasoning is particularly baffling — how do you forget to add salt to french fries? It’s like serving a burger without the bun or attempting comedy without the punchline.
Shake Shack’s Greasy Misstep
We’re not sure if it’s the soybean oil itself that they use in the fryers or their cooking technique, but every single batch of Shake Shack fries tastes like rancid cooking grease. The same applies to their fried chicken. The gross greasy smell even emanates from the store itself. Hard pass. For a chain that prides itself on premium ingredients and upscale fast-casual dining, this is a shocking oversight.
Fans of crinkle-cut fries especially tend to enjoy Shake Shack’s fries, which are a little bit thicker than your typical crinkle-cut. These fries are tasty on their own, and they definitely pair well with a Shack Burger. That said, they can sometimes be under-salted and possibly even too crispy. No one wants to bite into a hard french fry, but when the fries are short and stout, they start to fry a little too close to the sun. We can easily forgive the chain, however, for gracing us with the option of cheese fries, which immediately make the whole dish much tastier and more memorable.
Sonic’s Underseasoned Disappointment
Sonic has an overwhelmingly large menu, so not everything is going to be the star of the show. Whereas the chili cheese coney and chicken tender dinner is worth getting, the fries definitely leave quite a bit to be desired. They’re nothing special, just your run-of-the-mill, standard-cut fries, that somehow are never fresh, no matter what time you’re pulling up to the drive-thru. It’s definitely best to opt for one of Sonic’s tastier sides, like the onion rings or tater tots, and skip any french fry disappointment.
Look, they’re pretty good, but I rarely find myself at a Sonic. And if I do, I’m there for mozzarella sticks and a Blast, not an order of fries. I have bigger fish to fry when I’m in a Sonic Drive-In than ordering a measly thing of fries. If these fries actually came with as much seasoning as this photo alludes to, they’d probably be higher on my list. But seriously, I just wish they weren’t so shy with the seasoning in real life. When your main selling point should be variety, delivering bland fries is particularly disappointing.
In-N-Out’s Fresh But Flawed Approach
In-N-Out Burger is highly regarded for a lot of things, but their fries aren’t one of them. The regional chain prides itself on making their fries from scratch from fresh potatoes (you can even see them cutting the spuds from the drive-thru!). But their commitment to freshness compromises the end product. In-N-Out fries are always limp and a little too soft. Sure, you can ask for them to be “well done” or served animal style. But we firmly believe a good fry should be delicious as ordered—that means no substitutions or alterations.
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. In-N-Out topped the list with an average rating of 3.86 out of 5, based on 7,595 reviews across 25 locations. The California-based chain’s fresh-cut fries, prepared in-store daily, garnered the highest praise from customers–despite its limited geographic footprint compared to national giants. The ratings tell a different story than the taste tests, showing how regional loyalty can influence perceptions.
Burger King’s Inconsistent Experience
Long gone are the days when a paper crown compensated for a subpar meal (thanks for the memories though, BK). These fries weren’t the freshest, but they were well-salted and had a simple, mild flavor. Their texture was inconsistent—some soggy, some crunchy—but that may be a plus for some of you. In a surprising result, McDonald’s–the brand long synonymous with fast-food French fries–ranked second to last with a 1.91 rating from 1,381 reviews. Burger King followed closely behind with a 1.92 average from 623 reviews, reinforcing ongoing criticism of its fries despite repeated recipe overhauls.
Sorry BK, you may be the king of burgers, but you’re not the king of fries. Hear me out — the fries are still tasty. All fries are tasty in SOME capacity. But these fries just can’t compete with their competitors. They’re fine. I’ll eat them, but they will never be my top choice. They’re just a little “meh.” The crown fits better on burgers than it does on potato preparation, it seems.
Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.’s Natural Cut Confusion
Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. Do you remember where you were the day they announced they were changing the fries at Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.? Because we do. The burger chain swapped out their classic fast-food style fries with a “natural cut” version, which are thicker and leave the potato skins intact. Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. initially advertised the natural cut fries as resembling the premium quality potatoes you can find at a sit-down restaurant. But they’re just less crispy and less satisfying.
These fries are the definition of just fine. There’s nothing really bad to say about them — they’re your standard natural-cut fry, so if that’s your thing, then you probably like these fries quite a bit. But there’s no pizzazz, and there’s no real redeeming quality that sets these fries apart from the endless sea of natural-cut fast food french fries, so Carls Jr. Sometimes trying to fix what isn’t broken creates a bigger problem than the original issue.
Taco Bell’s Limited-Time Experiment
Taco Bell first launched Nacho Fries as a limited-time side in 2018. Since then, they’ve been revived nearly a dozen times. Despite their spiced appearance, the seasoning is mild. The fries themselves were unevenly dusted and leaned soggy. They came with lightly jalapeño-y nacho cheese for dipping. Fun, but nothing to write home about. Taco Bell may not be slinging burgers, but they do offer their own rendition of French fries for limited stints for the past six years.
Credit where credit is due — Taco Bell doesn’t pretend to be a fries destination. These nacho fries are more of a novelty item, a fun experiment that adds variety to their Mexican-inspired menu. The cheese sauce is the real star here, transforming mediocre fries into something slightly more interesting. Still, you’re probably better off sticking with their core competencies like Crunchwraps and Quesadillas.
Jack in the Box’s Double Option Advantage
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.
Jack in the Box earns some serious points because it offers not one but two varieties of fries: thin, standard-cut fries and seasoned curly fries. Now, this chain certainly doesn’t do either fry the best of the best, but for what it’s worth, both varieties are pretty good here. Ohhh, double trouble! You can get regular OR curly fries at Jack in the Box. Gotta 👏 love 👏 those 👏 options. Both french fry varieties are perfectly crispy, which you know I love. You can’t really go wrong here. Though these fries aren’t my favorite of all time, they are headed in the right direction.
Arby’s Curly Fries Excellence
Last I checked, Arby’s was more a deli than a fast food joint, but nowadays it has *all* the meats, including burgers. I tried both the curly and crinkle-cut varieties (you know, for science). The box of crinkle-cut fries was barely half full, but the fries were fresh. They were a bit under-salted, tender and kid-friendly, like what you’d get at the snack bar at a community pool. I preferred the curly fries because they were more robustly seasoned and crispy, although they were small and inconsistently shaped.
Arby’s was included twice on the list, ranking last for its newer Crinkle Fries and third for its classic Curly Fries. It feels almost sacrilegious that Arby’s, a chain practically synonymous with curly fries, would dare to roll out a rival fry. But that’s precisely what it did a few years ago, and lo and behold, the other fries are still holding on, proving that there’s room for more than two spuds on one menu. (Or, in the case of Arby’s potato cakes, there’s room for multiple kinds of spuds.) When you’ve perfected something, why mess with the formula? Their curly fries have been a signature item for decades, and rightfully so.
Wendy’s Hot and Crispy Innovation
Wendy’s switched to a “Hot and Ready” fried back in 2021. They’re 6.5mm x 9.5mm which means that they’re oblong. This keeps them thin, but provides a little extra bulk for dipping. They were served fresh and still crispy. If anything they were oversalted, but I really enjoyed it. At $3.39 for a large this felt like a good value. I especially enjoyed the ghost pepper ranch for dipping. Served to me at 150 Fahrenheit. 1/20/2025 (video review) Score = 85.
Their flavor was similar to Wendy’s fries because the potatoes’ skin is partially left on. This alleviated some of their blandness, while the waffle cut ensured crunch in every bite. The upgrade to their fry formula shows that even established chains can innovate successfully. The slightly oblong shape isn’t just aesthetic — it creates more surface area for seasoning and provides better structural integrity for dipping sauces.
