There’s something almost magical about biting into a perfectly golden, crispy french fry. You know the feeling when you pull into a drive-thru, and that unmistakable aroma of fried potatoes hits you? I decided to settle a debate that’s probably started more arguments than politics: which fast-food chain actually serves the best fries. Armed with an appetite and a notebook, I embarked on a mission to sample fries from 12 major chains. Some results shocked me, others confirmed long-held suspicions. Grab some ketchup because we’re about to dive deep.
12. Dairy Queen: The Ice Cream Giant’s Forgettable Side
Let’s be real here. Nobody goes to Dairy Queen for fries. You go for Blizzards, maybe a burger if you’re feeling adventurous, but the fries? At their worst, they’re limp, cold, and under-salted, and at their best, they’re forgettable. My batch arrived looking decent enough, but the second I bit into one, I knew we had a problem. The texture was oddly soft, almost buttery in a bad way, lacking any semblance of crispiness. 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. The flavor profile? Practically nonexistent. These fries occupy the worst kind of space in the fast-food universe: completely forgettable.
11. White Castle: Slider Paradise, Fry Wasteland
White Castle has mastered the art of the slider. Those little steam-grilled beauties with onions? Pure heaven. The fries? Not so much. Worse could be said about the fries, which are nearly always limp, saltless, and devoid of any crispiness. I honestly wondered if they’d been cooked at all. They had this pale, sad appearance that screamed “we gave up.” The crinkle-cut shape promised so much potential for texture, yet delivered nothing but disappointment. Even drowning them in ketchup couldn’t save these soggy specimens. It’s genuinely baffling how a chain can nail burgers so spectacularly while completely whiffing on what should be a simple side dish.
10. Sonic: Drive-In Dreams Meet Fry Nightmares
Sonic has this massive menu that makes you feel like a kid in a candy store. Tater tots? Amazing. Onion rings? Solid choice. The regular fries, though, consistently underdeliver. 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. What bothered me most was the weird aftertaste that lingered. One customer I spoke with described it perfectly as tasting like chemicals. When your fries make people think of a laboratory instead of a potato, you’ve got serious issues to address.
9. In-N-Out: When Fresh Isn’t Always Best
This one might get me hate mail. In-N-Out inspires almost cult-like devotion, and their burgers genuinely deserve the hype. The fries, however, are a completely different story. 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. You can actually watch them cut fresh potatoes through the window, which sounds amazing in theory. In practice, it results in fries that lack the crispy exterior and fluffy interior we crave. In-N-Out fries are always limp and a little too soft. Even ordering them “well done” doesn’t really solve the fundamental problem.
8. Burger King: The King Without a Crown
Burger King’s flame-broiled burgers have their fans, but the fries? They’re stuck in mediocrity limbo. Burger King fries are fine. They’re crispy enough, salty enough, and taste good enough. We’re certainly not going to be upset when we roll up to the BK drive-thru, but we’re also not going specifically to eat their fries. My batch was thick-cut and had decent structural integrity, I’ll give them that. The problem is they taste like every other generic fast-food fry you’ve ever had. There’s nothing memorable, nothing that makes you think about them hours later. They exist purely to accompany your Whopper, never to shine on their own. Honestly, that’s just sad for a chain this massive.
7. Five Guys: The Overhyped Overload
Here’s where I’m going to lose some friends. Five Guys fries have this reputation as being exceptional, probably because they give you enough to feed a small army. 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. The biggest error here would have to be the liberal use of salt and a smack of exhausted peanut oil on the palate. They’re incredibly greasy, almost uncomfortably so. The bag practically disintegrates from oil saturation. While the potato flavor comes through strong, they’re rarely crispy enough to satisfy that textural craving.
6. Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s: Natural Cut, Naturally Forgettable
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. I remember when they made this switch years ago, and customers were not happy. Tasting them now, I understand why. They have decent potato flavor, sure, but they lack the satisfying crunch that makes fries addictive. 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. Maybe I just got a better batch, because the salt level was actually spot-on.
5. Wendy’s: The Comeback Kid
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. The skin-on approach gives these fries character. They’re not trying to be perfect little golden sticks; they’re embracing their potato-ness. Normally, we’re skeptical of skin-on fries. More often than not they’re cut too large and never achieve the right amount of crispiness. The fries at Wendy’s are by no means perfect, but they were the most solid skin-on offering in our taste test. My order arrived hot and properly seasoned with sea salt. The natural-cut style means some fries are crispier than others, creating this nice variety in each handful. They pair beautifully with a Frosty, if you’re into that sweet-and-salty combination.
4. Chick-fil-A: Waffle Wonders with One Catch
Introduced in 1985, 18 years after the opening of the first Chick-fil-A in Atlanta, the waffle fries are one of the top-selling items on the chain’s menu. That’s impressive when you consider their chicken sandwich built the empire. The waffle-cut design is brilliant for holding sauces, and Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries are always nicely salted and actually taste like potato instead of stale fryer oil. My only complaint? Consistency. Sometimes you get a batch that’s absolutely perfect, crispy on the outside with fluffy potato inside. Other times, they’re tragically undersalted or a bit too soft. I generally enjoy Chick-fil-A’s fries, but the chain frequently misses the mark on execution. While the texture was decently crispy, the fries were tragically undersalted. Without enough salt or sauce to boost their flavor, these just fell flat. Totally forgettable. Still, when they nail it, few fries are better.
3. Popeyes: The Cajun Spice Surprise
Let’s talk about flavor bombs. The first time I tried Popeyes’ Cajun fries, my taste buds did a happy dance I didn’t know was possible. Unlike any other fast food fry, these bad boys pack a serious flavor punch that lingers delightfully. These thin-cut fries are bathed in Popeyes’ signature Cajun seasoning before frying, allowing the spices to become one with the potato. The result is a reddish-orange fry with notes of paprika, garlic, onion powder, and that distinctive Cajun heat that builds gradually with each bite. These fries don’t need ketchup, don’t need ranch, don’t need anything. They’re a complete experience on their own. The spice level isn’t overwhelming, just warm enough to make you reach for your drink between handfuls. My only wish? That they came with every order automatically instead of being a choice.
2. Arby’s: The Curly Fry Champions
Arby’s signature curly fries are legendary – 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. The curly fries at Arby’s are legendary for good reason. The distinctive orange-tinted coating contains a proprietary blend of onion, garlic, and paprika that makes them instantly recognizable. Arby’s batter provides even more crunch retention. Each fry delivers this perfect combination of spices that makes you keep reaching into the bag. Something about the softened potato twisted in on itself and the barbecue flavor just makes for a really tasty bite. My only complaint is that not every fry achieves that perfect spiral shape, and the straight pieces don’t hit quite the same.
1. Shake Shack: Crinkle-Cut Perfection
I’ll admit I was skeptical. Crinkle-cut fries often disappoint, going soggy faster than regular cuts. Shake Shack changed my mind completely. 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. Every single fry in my order was evenly golden, properly crispy on the outside while maintaining a fluffy interior. There wasn’t one thing I would change about Shake Shack’s fries, so crowning them the winner of this taste test was a simple decision despite the fierce competition. I believe thicker fries need to be extra crispy and salty on the outside, or the flavor and texture will be completely off. Shake Shack hit the bullseye on both criteria. I even went back to try them again after they sat out for a while to see how they held up, and they were still extremely crispy and tasted great even when they were cold. That’s the mark of truly exceptional fries.
