The 23 best french fries in the fast food universe, ranked (2023)

French fries are the embodiment of fast food. Potatoes are very cheap and readily available, and slicing them up and throwing them in a pool of hot oil is the quickest way to prepare them (toothe tastiest). Fast food restaurants are defined by their meat options: In-N-Out makes itonly for hamburgers, Raising Canes eschicken stripsand Taco Bell does nothing elsestrange(sort of) Mexican food for the crossover crowds, but having good fries is key.

It's the standard set anywhere with a drive-thru. "Would you like fries with that?" Yes, yes I would

The fact that everyone loves french fries makes sorting incredibly difficult. You could still read my writing ifI am not okay with double cheeseburgers, but if I despise your favorite fries, soon you won't care about my opinion. So you better believe I've taken this process to heart and tested every roast.one more timeto make sure I can judge them without relying on my memory.

Before we get into that, let's talk about what makes a good frying pan, or even better, a great one. It's a combination of things all working together in harmony. First, they must be crispy, but they aren'tSocrispy that are carried on the palate. A good fries should also be hot, at least when it's at its best. The center should be soft and never floury like frozen fries. I like to season, but I don't seek out roasts that are overly seasoned with salt or other spices to distract. You can season yourself, but you can never remove salt or paprika from over-seasoned fries.

Ultimately, the perfect potato chip is like the famous rule about profanity: "I'll know if I taste it." And believe me, I've tested enough to have a great frame of reference.

That being said, keep your expectations in check. We may disagree with some selections. In order. I trust my taste buds; you probably trust yours. Sure, I'm absolutely right and any opinion to the contrary is 100% wrong, but I won't bring it up unless you're being particularly vicious towards me in the comments or on social media. Ready to rank the 23 best fries in the fast food universe (sorry for the omission of Culver's and White Castle, I'll be back soon)? Okay, we've got 4,000 words left, so let's get started!

23. Arby's – Crinkle Fries

One thing you'll discover about my fondness for french fries is that I don't think much of crinkle fries. I don't like them enough to put thematat the bottom of this ranking (although I definitely thought so), but even the best probably won't make the top ten, and here, basking in the bottom spot, sits Arby's Crinkle Cut Fries.

You might be new to Arby'shatcrispy fries. It's easy to forget they exist even after you've eaten them before, because who comes to Arby's and doesn't get french fries? They have absolutely nothing to offer - they're soft and often rock hard because you're the only one asking for them. Pray you don't accidentally get a single roast when you order because knowing how big a mistake you made is enough to ruin your meal.

The final result

Compared to the frozen pre-cut fries you can buy at the grocery store, these fries are inferior in some ways.

Find your nearest Arby'sHere.

22. Dairy Queen - Pommes

Dairy Queen isn't even supposed to do fries, but we get it, sometimes you want to dip something salty into your soft serve. It's a combo we'll always stand behind, but Dairy Queen fries are so bad — so soggy, undercooked, and consistently limp — you won't even be able to nail a fries to your soft serve.

Instead, the skillet just rolls sideways, forcing you to wrap it around the ice cream, which is unfortunate on several levels. If a potato chip can't penetrate soft serve, you have a serious problem.

The final result

Get those fries some BlueChew!

Find your next Dairy QueenHere.

21. Shake Shack – Crinkle Pommes

Fuck those fries.

too heavy? We don't care, Shake Shack easily makes one of the best cheeseburgers in fast-casual. There is absolutely no excuse. Let me repeat: no. Excuse me. - for a restaurant that serves such delicious, high-quality cheeseburgers, with fries that look and taste like Ora Ida Frozen Crinkle Fries and are spicy enough to slice the palate if you bite into them too quickly. Who wants to bleed after eating?

And listen to this: Shake Shack indeedtriedTo change your frying recipe to something more natural, you know something that could stand next to your near-perfect Shack Burger, and then due to customer protests? - They turned back into frozen, crumpled garbage. I've never had a cheeseburger and have decided never to order a side of fries in my life except at Shake Shack.

The final result

worst. An insult to everything else on the Shake Shack menu.

Find your nearest Shake ShackHere.

20. Sonic Drive-In: papas fritas

Sonic's fries are very similar to Wendy's OG fries recipe, that is, not very good. But still better than Shake Shack. Do you hear the Shake Shack? Sound. Best fries.

Sorry I can't get over how bad Shake Shack's fries are. I have to get over this...

Sonic's are fine anyway, but they're so boring you can hear them begging for sauce. Luckily, Sonic has plenty of other fried side dishes that go well with his meal — you can grab mozzarella cheese sticks, jalapenos, or even Sonic's chili cheese fries. These fries are perfectly usable after being drizzled with melted cheese and chili, but on their own they're a boring blank canvas.

The final result

You must prepare these fries if you want them to be edible. Luckily, Sonic has a variety of ways you can do this.

Find a Sonic Drive-In near youHere.

19. Burger King: French Fries

Burger King, an all-rounder, but no master. Burger King isn't good at anything they do, and unfortunately that doesn't extend to their fries. In fact, we're not sure we can even name these fries, they have these giant salt crystals visible in random clumps all over the body of the fries, and they soak up grease and oil like a sponge, resulting in a flavor leads that are dominated by cheap oil and salt - the potato just adds texture.

To make these fries tasty you have to eat them piping hot or the fat will take over and give the fries a stale aftertaste. Wow, these fries really have nothing going for them, right? However… they are not at the bottom of this list.

Fast food brands, listen carefully: if you make worse fries than Burger King, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING.

The final result

A piping hot Burger King fry dipped in a vanilla milkshake is just as good as this fry, but more often than not it's an oily, overly salty mess.

Find a Burger King near youHere.

18. KFC – Secret French Fries Recipe

Last year, KFC swapped its delicious potato wedges for these so-called "secret recipe fries." Here's the secret: they're terrible. These lightly battered fries are way too greasy and, like Shake Shack, are inexplicably incredibly spicy. If you ever need a makeshift weapon, grab these potato chips, they're downright deadly.

Flavor-wise, the secret recipe fries are good, and while the batter may seem overdone, the crunchy bite of each potato is actually highly addictive, as it retains its bite once dipped in your sauce of choice (or, for that matter, biscuits). with honey). ). But they're such a big discount from wedges it hurts.

The final result

Crispy, breaded fries that are good but not quite as good as potato wedges that had to die to live.

Find a KFC near youHere.

17. Jack in the Box – Papas fritas

Jack in the Box regular fries are perfectly serviceable. There isn't much to like about these fries, but it's hard for me to find anything I don't like. They're very thin and salty, but they get the job done. They would probably rank higher if Jack in the Box didn't have curly fries, which are so much better. Jack in the Box staff always assumes you want curly fries instead of the original every time you visit, unless you tell them otherwise.

The final result

A good skillet, but far from Jack in the Box's best skillet (the bacon cheddar wedges top those, too).

Find your next Jack in the BoxHere.

16. Del Taco – Apple Crinkle

You'd think all crinkle fries are the same, but they're not. Del Taco Crinkle Fries are perfect for Arby's and Shake Shack's. Check this out at Shake Shack: Del Taco makes better fries than you. See how ridiculous you are with those crumpled fries? Thanks to a superior, softer texture on the outside, a Del Taco Fry is still crispy but offers so much more potato on the inside, with and I can't believe I'm writing this, it feels so ridiculous, adocile wrinklesthis leads to a smoother and more pleasant overall mouthfeel.

If I had one complaint it would be that the Del Taco goes a bit crazy with salt, which is why I've never enjoyed them on their own. I've always relied on a drizzle of Del Taco Hot Sauce (Del Scorcho is my favorite salsa) and a healthy sprinkling of pepper, and then stuff them into a soft ground beef taco.

The final result

A great addition to your taco or burrito and a definite improvement over the rock solid Shake Shack potato chips.

Find your nearest Del TacoHere.

15. In-N-Out – French fries

As someone who writes regularly about fast food, I constantly hear people complaining that In-N-Out is "overrated" and has some of the worst fries around. In-N-Out isn't overrated, I know that as a West Coast member I have a considerable and positive liking for the popular regional chain, but if you think In-N-Out cheeseburgers aren't tasty, you're wrong . taste good. straight up. Do the burgers live up to your expectations? Probably not, but that's your fault, not In-N-Out's.

But I'll give you the fries. They are indeed mediocre. Probably.

Though they're terribly bland and rarely cook well because In-N-Out is always busy and they often put too many fries in too little oil, they have a few things in their favor. Unlike most fast-food fries, In-N-Out uses fresh potatoes that are peeled and sliced ​​right before your eyes before being tossed in sunflower oil. That level of "made-to-order" can never be a bad thing, although you could argue that peeling, cooking, slicing and freezing yoursPotatoes are better for frying. If you find them inedible, add salt and pepper or order the Animal Style Fries secret menu, which combines Thousand Island dressing, grilled onions, and melted cheese.

The final result

Salt, pepper, special sauce, cheese, ketchup, grilled onions, chopped chilies... In-N-Out french friesmayit tastes good, but the responsibility really is yours. The restaurant hardly meets you halfway.

Find your nearest In-N-OutHere.

14. Wahlburger: Yukon fries

I really wanted these to be better. If you run through this ranking, you'll see that I have a soft spot in my heart for fries that come from fresh, not frozen, potatoes, but there's just something so forgotten about those fries.

They don't suffer from that cardboard texture that plagues In-N-Out fries, but these fries have nothing for them other than a crispy exterior. I don't understand how Wahlburger managed to make a Yukon Gold potato, which is undoubtedly my favorite potato, taste so bland. You have to ask for an additional order of choice sauce just to overcome your boring taste. The salt and pepper isn't enough to get them from regular to firm, and that's the sign of a medium skillet.

The final result

If you came to Wahlburgers looking for a good atmosphere, don't order the Yukon French Fries.

Find your next burger of choiceHere.

13. Jack in the Box - Curly fries

I've noticed that almost everything fried tastes the same at Jack in the Box. Whether you buy regular fries, curly fries, chicken strips, jalapenos, mozzarella sticks (they keep getting discontinued for some reason), or cinnamon churros, they all have that distinctive fatty flavor that's hiding beneath the more distinctive flavors. .

I love the semi-spicy flavor of the onion and garlic powder in the curly fries, but I'm afraid to order more than a small size because they're so greasy.

The final result

Don't go to Jack in the Box when you're sane, go when you're ready. This is stoner food.

Find your next Jack in the BoxHere.

12. Raising Cane's – Crinkle Fries

While Del Taco's crinkle fries represented a significant step up from Arby's and Shake Shack's, Raising Cane's still earned the top spot for crinkle fries in our ranking. They're crispy on the outside but not dangerously crispy, and the inside reveals a delicious hot potato. It's easy, but as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, that's all you really need to make good french fries. Plus, the combo of crinkle fries and cane sauce is so good that we highly recommend asking for more cane sauce as you'll want to dip your chicken in it too.

I asked if the Raising Cane fries are frozen or fresh (if that makes it any betterProduct is controversial) – are frozen but made with such care that they always cook to perfection. If you like the crunch cut, Raising Cane's is the move. But if you really love fries, you probably realize that the crinkle cut isn't where it belongs.

The final result

The fast food frozen crinkle cut potato chip is perfected.

Find your nearest grow hiveHere.

11. Carl's Jr. - Criss-cross fries

At one point when conceiving this article I thought it would be fun to give first place to Carl's Jr's Criss-Cut Fries. That has never happened before. I used to love these things, but there's a reason they've never been at the top of any list: They're good, but they're notTheexcellent. Maybe these things are pretty interesting in a fast-food landscape that's all McDonald's, Burger King, and Jack in the Box. But we don't live in this world. 2021 offers endless possibilities.

Criss-cut fries have a great crunch and flavor, but taste better on a burger than on their own.

The final result

Carl's Jr's best fries choice, but the best fries award goes to...

Find Carl's Jr. near you.Here.

10. Chick-Fil-A - Waffle Frito

Chick-fil-A-Fries can be hit or miss depending on how busy the restaurant is. During the quieter hours of the day, they're crispy on the outside but buttery and soft on the inside, likely a result of the hot peanut oil they're fried in. And they're modestly dusted with sea salt so they're not inedible, notes Burger King. But at peak times? These things are pure garbage. They come out either rock hard and stale or soggy and soggy.

Aside from the roller coaster of quality, my only complaint, and one I hate to get upset about, is that Chick-fil-A is really laid back when they load the fries into the box. Seriously, I placed a small order and counted, again I hate to complain, eight waffle fries.

Not enough fries, sorry.

The final result

Oh, you don't like the Chick-fil-A sandwich, huh? Have you tried one where you take a nugget and fold a fried waffle around it? Try it and come back.

Find your nearest Chic-fil-AHere.

9. Taco Bell – Nacho-Pommes

For the past three years, Taco Bell has plagued french fries lovers by putting them on the menu and then removing them. It's also a shame because the Taco Bell fries are excellent. They have a crispy, almost battered exterior that's encrusted with spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. It's the same mix that makes up your average curly fries, but instead of taking the form of a thick, greasy strand of spaghetti, they have that classic fries cut.

Does she do better? We're not sure, but they definitely don't taste like curly fries, despite having the same spiciness. My big issue with these fries is the name. When I call them "nacho fries," I assume I'll enjoy carne asada fries with salsa, cheese, cilantro, onions, and guacamole. Instead, it's just chips with spices that don't resemble nachos in any way, and a cup of nacho cheese sauce thatesan interesting option for diving.

All in all, these get a pass for being that good, even if the name is a bit misleading.

The final result

If you're surprised Taco Bell has fries, you'll be even more surprised at how delicious they are. Get them now before Taco Bell takes them off the menu. Once again.

Find a Taco Bell near youHere.

8. Farmer Boys: Always crispy fries

During our first fries ranking, we excluded Farmer Boys from the list. That was a mistake, these fries are amazing. They really live up to their name, always crispy, with a thin shape that really helps focus the experience on the crispiness and makes the occasional fries curl - almost like a curly fries!

You never have to worry about them getting soggy, but neither do they slip into the diamond-hard territory that plagues so many fast-food fries that sit longer than 15 minutes.

Always Crispy french fries are very lightly breaded, creating those fluffy, crispy pockets on the surface that help soak up sauces like BBQ and ranch, while providing a crunchy texture that's addictive.

The final result

No Farmer Boys order is complete without Always Crispy French Fries. Yes, fried zucchini is awesome too, but as tasty and novel as they are, never substitute french fries for them because you won't want to miss them.

Find Farmer Boys near youHere.

7. Wiener Schnitzel - papas fritas

This is another entry that was left out of our original Fingerlings ranking, and I just want to apologize for all the wiener heads (schnitzel heads?) because they're jaw-droppingly good. I didn't bother the first time because...well, we're talking Wienerschnitzel. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that these fries were perfectly crispy, piping hot, and good enough to eat with just the Wienerschnitzel salt.

That's a rare feat for fast-food fries, as nearly all require a generous amount of seasoning to take them to the next level.

The final result

Much better than you would expect from a hash brown from a bottom tier fast food joint like Wienerschnitzel. This is Wienerschnitzel's best kept secret and deserves a spot in every fast food fries ranking out there.

Find your nearest WienerschnitzelHere.

6. Arby's - Curly fries

Arby's has a bad reputation, and with good reason. It's all that stupid "we've got the meat" attitude towards plant-based proteins that deserves to make them the subject of a lot of jokes. But if you can overlook his bizarre decision to double down, amid a growing body of evidence showing our habits, including the foods we eat, directly lead to warmer weather, we can at least acknowledge that we have Arby's for The making of curly fries have one thing to thank. These were the originals and they still taste delicious!

The batter isn't too crazy here, giving you a better outside-to-in ratio, with an emphasis on a flavor that pairs buttered potatoes, onions and peppers perfectly.

The final result

Take Uproxx's Chris Osburn's advice: "Pair them with their cheese sauce and you don't even have to fiddle with their sandwiches."

Find your nearest Arby'sHere.

5. Wendy's - Hot crispy fries

Wendy's introduced a new french fries recipe this year and we have to say it was a huge hit. In our original ranking, Wendy's was 11th out of 15, now they're in the top 5! They're like the drake of fast food fries, nobody expected them to be this good. ("Started from the bottom!")

Wendy's OG Fries were always a weak link on a standout menu, like Shake Shack's fries, but not nearly as bad. The old fries used potatoes in their skins, which gave them a dirty, earthy flavor, and they tried to hide that flavor by seasoning them with sea salt. The new fries still have that skin, but the earthy flavor is gone. French fries are now much thicker and have a deliciously crunchy exterior that keeps them crisp no matter how long it takes to eat them.

With this potato chip, Wendy's tried to make a potato chip that stays hot and crispy, and they definitely stay crispy, but if you let these chips sit for a while, the flavor quality is greatly reduced. Fresh out of the fryer? These are the best tasting new potato chips to hit the market.

The final result

Wendy's has gone from some of the worst fries to some of the best thanks to this new recipe. Don't sleep on these if you haven't tried them yet, head to Wendy's today!

Find Wendy's near youHere.

4. Popeyes: Cajun potatoes

I saw these classified adsWowtoo low in other fries reviews. As? Because? These fries are near-perfect, with a light exterior seasoned with onion and garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper that's crispy and flavorful, and somehow magically tastes even better after they've cooled and softened in the box. Which we can't say about any other fish out there. They are almost perfect and second only to Rally's fries, slightly better. Popeye's Cajun Fries smell appetizing, and best of all, they don't have that weird greasy aftertaste that plagues most curly fries.

Pour ketchup over them, drizzle with honey, dip them in sauce or eat them plain. These fries are just perfect.

The final result

People go crazy for the Popeyes chicken sandwich, but Cajun fries really do hit the spot for them. Put them on your Popeyes Chicken Sandwich and say thank you in the comments for making good even better.

Find Popeyes near youHere.

3. Rally's/Checkers - Seasoned French Fries

Rally Seasoned Fries (known as Rally in my neighborhood) areReasonYou Go to Rallies These use the same garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika spice as Jack in the Box's Curly Fries and Popeyes' Cajun Fries, but the exterior is much lighter and crunchier than either, and they don't suffer from the same taste of enmeshed Fat that keeps Jack in the box.

Unlike Popeyes fries, Rally's use considerably more batter, but instead of caking the fries together or acting as a fat and oil trap, they manage to get crispy and airy every time, and harbor hot, melted buttered potatoes underneath that outside don't get mushy . I know I just said I like sog in the Popeyes entry, but I'm not going to pretend that a mushy roast is any better than a crispy one. I'm notThecrazy (get ready, we're approaching number one)!

The final result

A must-order at Rally's, an exact middle ground between Jack in the Box's curly fries and Popeye's Cajun fries.

Find your nearest rallyHere.

2. McDonald's: Pommes Frites

It's hard to beat the best.Just ask our very own Zach Johnston.

McDonald's used to fry theirsFries in beef tallow, and a lot of people seem to think it made them better. We have no doubt that this has made them better, but even without the beef tallow, they're still close to perfect. That's going to be number one for a lot of people and I get it. Catch them on a good day and McDonald's fries are still the GOAT. Few things beat an order of fresh McDonald's fries, they're crispy, salty and...I swear– They should have a pinch of sugar to make even more addictive.

McDonald's is probably the first major fast-food joint to sell an order of fries in one of their tall soda jars to the die-hard fries-obsessed (they don't anymore) and even if you're someone who avoids McDonald's by all means, you'd want to You've probably placed an order before, or said to someone who's decided to go to McDonald's, "Just get me a bigger order of fries."

I asked my colleagues at Uproxx what their favorite fast food fries are and everyone agreed that nothing beats McDonald's. I haven't heard them, of course, but it's hard to argue that anything could beat french fries that well, cliche as it is to admit. All that said, even McDonald's obsessives have to agree on this point: if fries aren't fresh, they're less food and more dangerous weapons. Let's face it, stale McDonald's fries happen all too often, it's a sham.

The final result

Some days simply the best fries in the fast food universe, forever and ever. And some days...

Find your nearest McDonald'sHere.

1. Five Guys - Fries

This isn't the first time I've reviewed french fries, and the first time I've given Five Guys first place, which gave my editor a sneaky fit that spread to a handful of readers, who were more, like excited, telling me I was "stupid," "wrong," or both. So I thought about switching from McDonald's to Five Guys just to please people. Fuck it all. I stand firm, if you have a problem with hand-cut, freshly peeled, non-frozen potatoes from a variety of ever-changing Idaho farms that are double fried (the way French fries are supposed to be) in high-quality peanut oil, I doubt your ability to taste .

I admit, Five Guys fries aren't always perfect. Sometimes when you open your bag they're a fat-soaked mess, and when you get your takeout order, which is common these days, your fries come out that way most of the time. Eat them as soon as you get them and tell me they're not the best fast food fries you've ever had. Cooked just right, they have the perfect crispy exterior with melted, hot, buttery Idaho potato inside that turns every bite into utter ecstasy.

But one piece of advice: don't order the Cajun fries. It sounds counterintuitive, why would you want salt and pepper over Cajun seasoning? More flavor is better, right? Absolutely, but Five Guys don't know how to season fries, their whole spirit is to go crazy, so they randomly spray too many fries, which can make some of them inedible. So make your life better by ordering the regular fries seasoned with salt. Order a side of Cajun seasoning, grab five packets of pepper, and season to taste. Yes, it takes some effort, but if you control the condiments, Five Guys French Fries becomes a delicious blank canvas for you to do as you please.

I know it burns McDonald's fans, but here I have to be true to myself. hate on.

The final result

I know they're not McDonald's, but when properly seasoned and eaten fresh, they're the best fries you could hope for in a brown paper bag.

Find Five Guys near youHere.