Our Favorite Fast Food Fries, Ranked

When we go to a fast food restaurant, we’re looking for two things: A great deal and a tasty side of fries. Luckily, almost every fast food eatery has them, and they’re typically great. Personally, we love to dip our fries in ketchup and get that extra flavor. However, while we like most fries, we also realize that not all of them are created equal. Some are certainly better than others, and today we’re going to settle the best fries debate. This is a list of our favorite fast food fries, ranked.

This list is based on our opinion and you will likely have a different opinion. A lot of arguments are based on the type of fries you like. Do you enjoy them thin and crispy like at McDonald’s, or do you like them thick and curly like at Arby’s? Some people also have differing opinions on the seasoning. Some like simple salt, like at Burger King, while others prefer Cajun spices, like at Popeye’s. We probably won’t settle any arguments here today, but we hope you enjoy our list of our favorite fast food fries.

#14 – Shake Shack Fries

We start off this list of our favorite fast food fries with the side dish offered at Shake Shack. These are decent fries. They are crispy on the outside and rather soft on the inside. While they’re tasty, they’re not always as seasoned as we’d like. That doesn’t mean they’re not right for everyone. They’re still a good accompaniment to the many dishes that Shake Shack offers on its menu. Even though Shake Shake fries are at the bottom of our list, it doesn’t mean that they should be avoided. After all, we had to start somewhere.

#13 – Zaxby’s Fries

Zaxby’s restaurants are not found everywhere, but if you see one, consider stopping in for a bite. They have a great menu of burgers and chicken dishes. If you have the choice, opt for the side of fries. They are a bit plumper than many other options on this list, so if you like them, then they’re worth a try. The only issue is that they’re not always as seasoned as we’d like, so they can lack a bit of flavor. Of course, that also often depends on the restaurant location you visit. Simply put, they’re not the best, but they’re also not the worst.

#12 – Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Fries

Depending on where you live in the country, you likely have either a Hardees or a Carl Jr. restaurant in your neighborhood. Both eateries are owned by the same parent company, so they have very similar menus and the fries are almost identical. While there can be some differences based on which location you visit, typically the fries are a natural cut, so they’re thicker. Many will also have the potato skins left on. The potato skins can be an acquired taste, but they can also add a lot of flavor and gusto to the fries. In general, the fries here are crispy on the outside but very fluffy on the inside, so they’re good. Are they as great as the other fries on this list? No. But you won’t be super unsatisfied if you try them.

#11 – Jack in the Box Fries

Although they have commercials on TV around the clock, Jack in the Box is still an underrated restaurant, but they shouldn’t be. They serve many great meals, from a variety of burgers to their tacos. Their fries are pretty good as well. You can choose from the more traditional regular fries that are crispy and perfectly salted or their curly fries. The curly fries have a unique taste, and they’re hard to put down. Sometimes, even if you buy the regular fries, a few curly fries will find their way in, and that’s a good day. Both types of fries are quite good, but they’re just not as good as many of the other fries on this list. Still, it’s worth having them as a side dish.

#10 – Popeyes Fries

The fries at Popeyes bring something new to the table. Namely, a special seasoning. Instead of just a bit of salt, they have the restaurant’s patented special Cajun seasoning. However, that’s what puts them so low on this list. If you love the Cajun seasoning, then they may be the best fries you ever had. If you don’t like the seasoning then you probably won’t care for them at all. Still, the fries are decent. They are made fresh and they’re crispy. If you like the seasoning then you can probably eat them as their meal or at least without the need for ketchup. With that said, there are plenty of other reasons to go to Popeyes, like their famous chicken sandwich that took the nation by storm some years ago.

#9 – Kentucky Fried Chicken Fries

You’re in for a different type of treat when you order your fries at KFC, and that’s why they’re on the list of our favorite fast food fries. Instead of a simple salt coating, the fries here are coated in all of the secret herbs and sauces that the restaurant is known for. So, you’re going to get a different taste altogether. Still, although they’re different, they’re not quite as good as McDonald’s or the other fries on top of the list. They’re not quite as crispy or thick as some of the other fries. Most people don’t go to Kentucky Fried Chicken just for the fries, and you still likely won’t. With that said, they’re still worth a try with a bit of ketchup.

#8 – Five Guys Fries

Five Guys is a restaurant that not everyone has tried, but trust us when we say it’s worth the visit. This is one of the best fast-food burger joints in the country, and their fries are pretty good too. The restaurant offers both cajun and traditional fries. This is the place to go if you like thicker fries. Unfortunately, they’re not as crispy as other fries on the list. Part of that is likely due to the fact that the fries are made “boardwalk-style” and are fried in peanut oil. They’re good fries. You won’t turn them down. However, they can lose some of their zest over time, and so you’ll need to pair them with ketchup or another sauce to truly enjoy them.

#7 – Arby’s Curly Fries

Watch television for long enough, and you’ll likely see countless commercials for Arby’s. It’s no surprise, the restaurant is quite good and they’re always coming up with new and exciting burgers and menu items. Their curly fries are also quite famous. The fries are spiral cut and then fried so that no two are alike. Unfortunately, that can also affect how crispy one fry is when compared to another. Still, the fries are nicely coated in salt and peppery spices, which provide a distinct flavor. The fact that the fries are not as salty as other fries on this list does affect the ranking, but they’re still quite good, especially when dipped in ketchup.

#6 – Sonic Fries

Sonic Drive-In gets a place high on this list of our favorite fast-food fries because they offer something a bit different. Their fries are made with skin-on Russet potatoes, which are made to order. According to the restaurant, they’re also perfect for dipping. As a result, the fries are typically warm and tasty. They seem to use a bit less salt than the competitors and they’re fried to golden brown. However, while that all sounds great, the fries at Sonic are not quite as crispy as those at McDonald’s and other restaurants. Still, with that said, the fries are still quite good, especially when compared to a lot of other restaurants, so they’re worth a try.

#5 – In-N-Out Fries

If you find yourself west of the Mississippi River, you may come across an In-N-Out restaurant. If you’ve ever spoken to friends who have been there, you’ve likely heard how great the restaurant is. Everything is cooked fresh right in front of you, and that goes for the fries as well. You can look around the counter and see the fries being cut and thrown in the oil. As a result, they are quite good. They’re a good mix of soft and crisp, and they seem to be perfectly salted. The burgers at In-N-Out are amazing, so you will have no problem devouring your meal at a record pace. They’re a little further down the list because not everyone has access to them. However, they’re well worth the try if you find yourself on the West Coast.

#4 – Chick-fil-A Fries

Like with just about eventing in their restaurant, Chick-fil-A takes great pride in their fries. This restaurant does things a bit differently by offering waffle fries. They are great, especially if you love ketchup or your choice of sauce because you can really dip in and get a good scoop. The other great thing about these fries is that Chick-fil-A always seems to serve them when they are hot and fresh. Combine that with the perfect amount of sea salt, and you have a real winner. Plus, these fries are fried in canola oil for what seems to be the perfect amount of time. It may seem like these fries are basically perfect. However, not everyone is okay with the waffled fries, so they’re a bit further down the list.

#3 – Burger King Fries

Our third-place winner for our favorite fast-food fries is Burger King. Like many of the other fast food restaurants on this list, the fries here are typically perfectly fluffy and salty. What makes Burger King fries a bit different from others is that they are coated in a batter before they’re put in the freezer, so when they’re cooked, they taste great. Burger King also says that their fries are made from fresh potatoes, which is not a fact that every restaurant can claim. Of course, the fries also have the perfect amount of salt. One of the reasons the fries here are further down on the list is because they are typically thicker than the other fries, and that’s not how everyone likes them. Still, they’re very good.

#2 – McDonald’s Fries

While many people will put McDonald’s as #1 in almost all categories, including the fries, we simply don’t feel that they have the same taste and impact as our #1 choice. Still, the fries at McDonald’s are nothing to sneeze at. Get the right batch and you’ll have the crispiest fries that are perfectly salted and truly delicious. However, while they’re good, we find that not all fry orders are created equal. While most are perfect, others are a bit more overdone than we’d like. Still, you can’t go wrong when you order a side of fries and dip them into that fancy ketchup.

#1 – Wendy’s Fries

While it may be controversial, our pick for our absolute favorite fast-food fries is those available at Wendy’s. We believe that Wendy’s fries are perfectly salty, but more than that, they’re also the ideal thickness. There’s nothing like dipping these thick fries into ketchup or a sauce of your preference. They’re just packed with flavor. In addition to being thicker than other heavy hitters, like those at McDonald’s, it could be argued that Wendy’s is also crispier, so they have a lot going for them. Sometimes you have options for the type of fries you get, so go for the natural-cut fries. They are salted with sea salt, and they’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Deutschlandreform / Shutterstock.com.