The Ultimate Disappointment: Dairy Queen
According to my taste test, the best part about Dairy Queen’s spuds is the aesthetic, but even that quality is deceptive. The fries look crispy and golden in their bright DQ packaging, but they prove to be anything but. 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.
These fries are the textbook definition of false advertising. Every single batch I tried across three different locations had the same disappointing outcome – fries that looked promising but delivered absolutely nothing in terms of satisfaction. The potato flavor was virtually nonexistent, masked by what tasted like stale fryer oil that should have been changed weeks ago.
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. The chain clearly knows where its strengths lie, and french fries definitely aren’t one of them. You’re better off ordering an extra Blizzard instead.
Barely Better: White Castle
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.
White Castle’s fries suffer from an identity crisis that matches the chain’s unpredictable food quality. During my visits, I encountered fries that ranged from barely acceptable to completely inedible. The worst part is their complete lack of seasoning – these potatoes taste like they were boiled rather than fried.
The texture issues are consistent across locations, suggesting this isn’t just a training problem but a fundamental issue with their preparation method. When your fries can’t even compete with frozen supermarket varieties, you know there’s a serious problem that needs addressing.
Missing the Mark: Sonic Drive-In
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.
Sonic’s fries represent mediocrity in its purest form. Despite being made to order at most locations, they consistently arrive lukewarm and lacking any memorable characteristics. The chain’s focus on their expansive drink menu and unique items like tots seems to have left their basic fries as an afterthought.
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. The tater tots at Sonic actually showcase what the kitchen can do when they put effort into a potato side dish.
Underwhelming Experience: Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr.
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.
The transition to natural-cut fries was supposed to elevate Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s to a higher tier of fast food, but the execution fell flat. 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.
What makes this particularly disappointing is that the old Carl’s Jr. fries actually had character and a devoted following. The new version feels like a step backward disguised as progress, leaving customers with a product that’s neither here nor there in terms of quality or satisfaction.
Greasy Disappointment: Shake Shack
We’re not sure if it’s the canola 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.
This was perhaps the most shocking discovery of my entire taste test journey. Shake Shack has built a reputation as a premium fast-casual burger chain, yet their fries are consistently terrible across multiple locations. The overwhelming grease flavor completely masks any potato taste and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste that lingers long after you finish eating.
The crinkle-cut shape should be perfect for holding seasoning and creating textural contrast, but the execution is so poor that even the appealing appearance can’t save these fries. For a chain that charges premium prices, this level of quality is completely unacceptable.
Inconsistent Quality: Five Guys
The first thing you see when walking in are piles of potato bags and boxes of peanut oil. While my order came out fresh, straight from the fryer, the fries were quite greasy. I appreciated the fresh-cut potato taste, but I felt the fries lacked crispness. In addition, Five Guys had the most expensive fries I tested. Bottom line: I respect this chain’s dedication to fresh ingredients, but I was hoping for a fry with more crisp.
Five Guys presents an interesting case study in how good intentions don’t always translate to great results. Five Guys has the right idea when it comes to French fries. They are certainly the only team in the game cutting them fresh in the restaurant and giving you a home-cut fry. The problem, however, is that the execution just isn’t there. The taste is a little off, and the grease burns a hole in the bag.
The generous portions are impressive, and you definitely get plenty of fries for your money, but quantity doesn’t make up for the textural issues. These fries often arrive soggy despite being fresh from the fryer, suggesting a fundamental problem with their cooking methodology.
Solid But Forgettable: Burger King
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. Unfortunately, I can’t say many good things about Burger King’s fries. They were extremely underseasoned and definitely needed a big sprinkle of salt to make them worth the calories. And while they had the slightest hint of crisp, the inside was so thick and potatoey that the whole textural balance was off.
Burger King’s fries represent the middle ground of fast food potato sides – they’re not offensive, but they’re not memorable either. The chain has made various attempts over the years to improve their fry formula, but they consistently land in the realm of adequate rather than exceptional.
What’s particularly frustrating is that the potential is clearly there. When everything aligns – fresh oil, proper cooking time, adequate seasoning – these fries can actually be quite good. The problem is consistency, which seems to vary wildly from location to location.
Unique Appeal: Jack in the Box
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.
The versatility offered by Jack in the Box deserves recognition, even if neither option reaches the top tier. Their standard fries are competent and well-executed, while the curly fries offer a completely different experience with their spiral shape and seasoned coating.
Having options is particularly valuable when you’re dining with people who have different preferences. The curly fries satisfy those craving something more adventurous, while the regular fries appeal to traditionalists. This flexibility gives Jack in the Box a strategic advantage over chains that only offer one style.
Waffle Wonder: Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A was the only restaurant on the list to offer waffle-cut fries. If you prefer the size and texture of waffle fries, then this might be your favorite on the list. Plus, waffle fries are an ideal vessel for sauce, and Chick-fil-A is famous for its wide variety of dipping sauces. Bottom line: Head to Chick-fil-A if you love waffle fries.
Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries are always nicely salted and actually taste like potato instead of stale fryer oil. The unique cut creates perfect pockets for holding sauce, making them particularly satisfying when paired with Chick-fil-A’s excellent condiment selection.
However, 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. When they’re prepared correctly, these fries are exceptional, but consistency issues keep them from ranking higher.
Seasoned Perfection: Arby’s
Arby’s curly fries are one of the most legendary fast-food items of maybe ever. Love it or hate it, Arby’s is a chain that isn’t afraid to do its own thing and zig against the zag, and although the chain somewhat shockingly introduced a crinkle-cut alternative recently, it hasn’t changed the fact that the chain’s curly fries are as unique as they are undeniably delicious. Unlike any of the other prolific fast-food brands, Arby’s made the wise decision a long time ago to go curly.
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. 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.
The seasoning blend is what truly sets these apart from the competition. Each fry delivers a complex flavor profile that goes far beyond simple salt, incorporating onion powder, garlic, and various spices that create a memorable eating experience.
Natural Excellence: Wendy’s
The honor of the best overall french fry goes to Wendy’s. These fries were made with unpeeled potatoes, so there was a little bit of potato skin at the end of each fry for texture. One of the few chains to genuinely rival – and occasionally outpace – the mighty McDonald’s (when it comes to fries, at least), Wendy’s has come a long way from its third-wheel role alongside America’s prolific fast-food juggernauts. Surprisingly simple and classic, Wendy’s fries are always served hot and crispy and made from natural-cut skin-on potatoes, with a generous sprinkling of sea salt.
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 natural-cut style creates irregular shapes that provide better texture contrast and more surface area for seasoning adherence.
What makes Wendy’s fries particularly successful is their consistency across locations. Unlike many chains where quality varies dramatically, Wendy’s has managed to standardize their preparation process while maintaining the fresh, hot quality that customers expect from premium fries.
The Golden Standard: McDonald’s
Let’s be honest: barring any catastrophic upset, this list was never going to end on a higher note than McDonald’s. There will always be detractors, and there will always be rivals, but there will only ever be one McDonald’s – a chain that single-handedly defined what a fast-food fry should look, smell, feel, and taste like. To the point that, despite technically being a side dish, the fries often steal the spotlight from everything else on the menu, burgers included. And McDonald’s didn’t get here by accident.
The chain famously sources a rotating variety of fresh potatoes, including Russet Burbanks and Russet Norkotah, to guarantee seasonal freshness and optimal texture and taste – no matter where you’re ordering, or when. It might be an almost indistinguishable, modest focal point for the company, but it clearly has a palpable effect on its diehard loyalists, eternally drawn to the glow of the Golden Arches, and that of its golden-brown shoestring spuds, light and starchy on the inside.
According to the latest survey of fast food lovers, the fry battle is already over: McDonald’s won by a landslide. A full 50% of the people surveyed by Civic Science said that McDonald’s fries were the best, making them the undisputed heavyweight fry champion of the world. McDonald’s fries are always crunchy on the outside while staying delightfully fluffy inside. The potatoes are cut into the ideal size and shape. They’re always nicely seasoned. They’re nearly perfect.
Despite ongoing debates about the 1990 switch from beef tallow to vegetable oil, McDonald’s fries remain the gold standard by which all others are measured. The combination of proper preparation techniques, quality ingredients, and decades of refinement has created a product that’s become synonymous with fast food excellence itself.
