French fries, a staple of most fast food meals, are a delightful food item enjoyed all over the world and for a good reason. It is tough to say no to crispy, salty, perfectly deep-fried potatoes.
However, as perfect as fries may sound, they are still a bit too ephemeral and differ significantly from one restaurant to another.
Here is an “official” power ranking of French Fries, from the worst to the best.
19. In-N-Out Burger
At the bottom of the totem pole is In-N-Out Burger, the benchmark for cardboard fries. Their fries make you wonder, “Why can’t they make better fries?” While they probably can, they hardly need to. With the romanticized California car culture and their highly overrated burger, they can get away with their bland, crumbly matchsticks of fries.
18. Dairy Queen Grill & Chill
Arguably paler than their soft-serve ice cream, the fries at DQ are soft, long and girthy, slightly undercooked potato batons. While their flavor is not that bad, they tend to be a bit too salty, not to mention the weird mouthfeel of undercooked potatoes.
17. Wendy’s
Wendy’s claim that their fries are natural-cut and seasoned with sea salt. The pieces of attached potato skin leave a refreshingly earthy taste. With a texture akin to mashed potatoes, they sometimes feel a little dry and pungent. While the potato flavor is strong, Wendy’s criminally undersalt their fries.
16. Sonic Drive-In
On paper, the aesthetics of Sonic’s drive-in are great; park your vehicle in one of their little bays, push a button to place your order on the intercom, and wait to get served by one of many car-hops. Their fries, however, are okay at best. Golden and salty enough, their fries are not entirely remarkable and could be better with a little ketchup.
15. Hardee’s & Carl’s Jr
The pieces of potato skin attached to their regular fries are reminiscent of Wendy’s. Their imitation of Arby’s with their ‘Crispy Curls’ is flattering at best and lacks any outstandingly positive qualities, just like the regular fries.
14. Popeye’s
Popeye’s may have very impressive fried chicken, but this reputation does not necessarily extend to their fries. Thanks to coating, their fries taste vaguely seasoned, only a bit cakier and crustier, with a hint of black pepper and dried onion.
13. Burger King
Burger King seems to have never really escaped the shadow of its golden-arched rival, McDonald’s. With a crunchy exterior, juicy interior, and just the right amount of salt, Burger King’s fries are good enough, but perhaps they are loved more for their outrageous style than their fries.
12. White Castle
White Castle’s crinkle-cut fries rarely disappoint. Nonetheless, expect the occasional underdone fry from time to time.
11. KFC
Sprinkled with a mix of 11 herbs and spices, KFC’s secret recipe fries are delicious. However, they are a bit lacking in the addictive saltiness and crispiness that should come with all fries. Paired with KFC’s bucket of chicken, these fries are an unstoppable force, but on their own struggle against other fries.
10. Culver’s
Doing a blind taste-test, you may fail to tell White Castle’s crinkle cuts from Culver’s. However, you can break the tie by adding in Culver’s frozen custard and cheese curds.
9. Raising Cane’s
A restaurant dedicated to chicken fingers deserves good fries, which is exactly what Raising Cane’s provides. While their crinkle-cuts won’t steal the show, they superbly dispatch any extra Cane sauce left behind by chicken fingers.
8. Church’s Chicken
The last crinkle-cut contender, these fries are well done slightly better than their counterparts. They also taste slightly better, although this is mostly a matter of fry preference.
7. A&W
Arguably the best in root beer, A&W’s fries are stellar, with commendable color and seasoning. What’s even better is their fries’ addictive roasted flavor.
6. Whataburger
Most people eat at Whataburger for their beefy burgers, but their fries deserve some credit too. They are golden, textbook salty and excellent with Whataburger’s spicy ketchup.
5. Checkers/Rally’s
What Checkers/Rally’s lack in fame, they compensate for in flavor-rich fries that pack a punch. Did I mention they are addictive!
4. Taco Bell
Nacho fries are king in the spicy, fried fast food category, cheese sauce or not. Taco Bell can even get a pass for “innovating” Nacho Fries even though Midwesterners have been enjoying cheese with fries long before Taco Bell existed.
3. Chick-fil-A
Despite their lackluster reputation on LGBTQ equality, Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries are delicious, though not the greatest thing in fast food. Remember, they were only meant to be good waffle fries that accompany an even better chicken sandwich.
2. McDonald’s
When served hot, McDonald’s fries are arguably “the tastiest food on the planet.” It is no coincidence that other restaurants taste-test against McDonald’s fries to prove that their fries are good. Maybe they are, just not McDonald’s good.
1. Arby’s
Not only is Arby’s number one, but it is also miles ahead of other contenders that it almost seems unfair. Nothing comes close to their spiced curly fries. Top your fries with the horsey sauce and Arby’s sauce combo, and you might have the biggest taste bud explosion of your life.
