Fast Food French Fries, Ranked

[Tenacious E]

I'm not sure I am all that familiar with any of these besides McDonald's. I do remember not really liking 5 guys fries.

1. Five Guys
2. Mc Donald's
3.Del Taco
4. Steak 'n Shake
5. Arby's
6. Carl's Jr.
7. Dairy Queen
8. Wendy's
9. Shake Shack
10. Burger King
11. Chick Fil-A
12. KFC
13. Jack in the Box
14. Popeye's
15. Wienershnitzel
16. Jollibee
17. Rally's
18. Sonic
19. In-N-Out


https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html

Popeye's ranked way too low.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

For any of you traveling in the Chicago area, do yourself a favor and hit up a Portillo's and get an order of their cheese fries ...you will jizz in your pants, trust me.

 

[Tenacious E]

For any of you traveling in the Chicago area, do yourself a favor and hit up a Portillo's and get an order of their cheese fries ...you will jizz in your pants, trust me.

Crinkle fries are trash. Would smash the nacho cheese dip though.

 

[Bro D]

Chick Fil A with cheese sauce

 

[TC Nole OX]

Popeye's ranked way too low.

Popeye's sides are good but the portion sizes are a joke

 

[Tenacious E]

Popeye's sides are good but the portion sizes are a joke

I actually think Popeye's sides overall are kind of gross, but I do think their fries are really good. Calls 'em like I sees 'em.

 

[WisestIowan]

Five Guys fries are the worst. Whataburger is #2 worst (but food is near #1)

 

[TC Nole OX]

Five Guys fries are the worst. Whataburger is #2 worst (but food is near #1)

From what I remember, Whataburger fries are very similar to McDonald's fries

 

[WisestIowan]

From what I remember, Whataburger fries are very similar to McDonald's fries

They're usually soggy if that's what you mean.

You're right though. But McDonalds fries are better for some reason. They look similar, the fell similar but they're different flavors.

 

[FSUTribe76]

I'm not sure I am all that familiar with any of these besides McDonald's. I do remember not really liking 5 guys fries.

1. Five Guys
2. Mc Donald's
3.Del Taco
4. Steak 'n Shake
5. Arby's
6. Carl's Jr.
7. Dairy Queen
8. Wendy's
9. Shake Shack
10. Burger King
11. Chick Fil-A
12. KFC
13. Jack in the Box
14. Popeye's
15. Wienershnitzel
16. Jollibee
17. Rally's
18. Sonic
19. In-N-Out


https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html

Five Guys is WAY too inconsistent to be #1. When they’re on their game, they may be top 5 fried. But more than half the time they’re a soggy mess and worse than Sonic.

Steak n Shake for me has the best fries on average. Even when they’re “bad” they’re quite good.

 

[Tenacious E]

Five Guys is WAY too inconsistent to be #1. When they’re on their game, they may be top 5 fried. But more than half the time they’re a soggy mess and worse than Sonic.

Steak n Shake for me has the best fries on average. Even when they’re “bad” they’re quite good.

It does give one pause though as to how certain fries have better texture. In theory, the ingredients are: potatoes, oil, salt/seasoning. Yet, there is certainly a witch's brew of chemicals/additives to achieve the right texture...

 

[ping72]

I love to see the In-N-Out fries ranked so low. Those things are terrible.

 

[BelemNole]

I love to see the In-N-Out fries ranked so low. Those things are terrible.

People don't like them because they're only fried once and aren't pre-soaked. They go right from potato to fryer to you.
I like them, but they do need to be eaten within 3-4 minutes of being served.

I was surprised to see Wendy's so high up. I like their food, but often toss the fries out. Arby's are pretty terrible too.
Chik-fil-A are great, can't understand why those are so low.

 

[Tenacious E]

Arby's are pretty terrible too.

Have you lost your gotdam mind? Arby's curly fries are amazing!

 

[BelemNole]

Have you lost your gotdam mind? Arby's curly fries are amazing!

Curly fries are garbage.

 

[Tenacious E]

Curly fries are garbage.

 

[HawkMachine]

McDonald’s = NO ketchup.
Culver’s = ketchup.

Anyone else weird like this?

 

[HawkMachine]

Curly fries are garbage.

Every post you makes gives me additional reasons to dislike you.

Hardee’s curly fries are the bomb.

 

[Flie]

This is like the gartner magic quadrant for french fries. This reminds me of something Tribe would come up with. I expect him to respond with a 9 box assessment of all fries based on various categories.

 

[BelemNole]

Every post you makes gives me additional reasons to dislike you.

Hardee’s curly fries are the bomb.

Everything is going according to plan.

 

[TheCainer]

I'm not sure I am all that familiar with any of these besides McDonald's. I do remember not really liking 5 guys fries.

1. Five Guys
2. Mc Donald's
3.Del Taco
4. Steak 'n Shake
5. Arby's
6. Carl's Jr.
7. Dairy Queen
8. Wendy's
9. Shake Shack
10. Burger King
11. Chick Fil-A
12. KFC
13. Jack in the Box
14. Popeye's
15. Wienershnitzel
16. Jollibee
17. Rally's
18. Sonic
19. In-N-Out


https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html

No Fuddruckers?

 

[jberesford]

McDonald’s = NO ketchup.
Culver’s = ketchup.

Anyone else weird like this?

I'm with you on both those. If they're good french fries then ketchup is unnecessary. Most menu items at McDonald's are the epitome of fast food, but their commitment to producing the same good french fries for decades hearkens back to the early days of franchising and maintaining strict consistency wherever you may get them. Culver's menu items are good but their fries absolutely blow. For Culvers however they may have never upgraded by design. A lot of their upselling is changing them out for cheese curds or onion rings.

On a related note since we're talking fast food places, here's a movie recommendation for those that haven't seen it. 'The Founder.'. Michael Keaton plays Ray Croc and tells the story of how he got involved with the McDonalds brothers early on and basically hijacked the company when he became involved as a franchisee. From what I've read it's fairly factual, but like any movie there are certainly embellishments. But a good watch nonetheless.

 

[ping72]

People don't like them because they're only fried once and aren't pre-soaked. They go right from potato to fryer to you.
I like them, but they do need to be eaten within 3-4 minutes of being served.

I was surprised to see Wendy's so high up. I like their food, but often toss the fries out. Arby's are pretty terrible too.
Chik-fil-A are great, can't understand why those are so low.

I get that… And that is my biggest beef. They’re OK immediately… But they suck after just a couple minutes. Which means you have to eat them first… And then your burger is getting cold.

 

[Tenacious E]

No Fuddruckers?

Fuddruckers isn't in this category right @TJ8869 ?

Chain with the best burger?

This poll says In N Out. I say Culver's has the best burger. Thought I'd see how HROT compares with the nation... Not enough poll responses to fully replicate the poll. Also, I'm allowing people three votes. What say you? Edited to note I have not included restaurants with a wait staff...

iowa.forums.rivals.com

 

[UNIowaHawk]

Crinkle cut fries (shake shack and raising canes) are by default in the bottom left corner.

 

[TJ8869]

Fuddruckers isn't in this category right @TJ8869 ?

Chain with the best burger?

This poll says In N Out. I say Culver's has the best burger. Thought I'd see how HROT compares with the nation... Not enough poll responses to fully replicate the poll. Also, I'm allowing people three votes. What say you? Edited to note I have not included restaurants with a wait staff...

iowa.forums.rivals.com

Don’t even get me started on Fuddrucker’s. I had a very disappointing visit to one in Detroit a couple months ago.

 

[Tenacious E]

Crinkle cut fries (shake shack and raising canes) are by default in the bottom left corner.

 

[Tenacious E]

Don’t even get me started on Fuddrucker’s. I had a very disappointing visit to one in Detroit a couple months ago.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

Don’t even get me started on Fuddrucker’s. I had a very disappointing visit to one in Detroit a couple months ago.

1. You were in Detroit
2. Now you are here typing
3. Thus that means you were not shot
4. You have high standards for what is and isn't disappointing.

 

[TJ8869]

The food sucked. It was prepared poorly and they had no cheese sauce for dipping my fries.

But, as UNIowaHawk aptly points out, I didn’t get murdered. So it was a reasonably successful trip to Detroit.

 

[Tenacious E]

The food sucked. It was prepared poorly and they had no cheese sauce for dipping my fries.

But, UNIowaHawk aptly points out, I didn’t get murdered. So it was a reasonably successful trip to Detroit.

 

[TennNole17]

Smaller chain: Freddy's Steak burgers has really good thin fries

 

[kcnole63]

McDonald’s = NO ketchup.
Culver’s = ketchup.

Anyone else weird like this?

Yes. Average fries need ketchup. Good fries don't.

 

[Niko13]

Checker's Fries are amazing!!! Fight Me!

 

[Rifler]

West Dubuque Tap isn't even listed,.. this best french fry poll is a joke.

 

[FSUTribe76]

This is like the gartner magic quadrant for french fries. This reminds me of something Tribe would come up with. I expect him to respond with a 9 box assessment of all fries based on various categories.

I probably would not go that far with fries as I do think fries are relatively overrated as a side unless they’re duckfat, goosefat or marrowfat fried and/or have some truffle added as russet potatoes are pretty bland and tasteless on their own and veggie oil doesn’t add much flavor.

But I will reorder their list to match my opinion. And I’ll add in some extra chains as a, b and maybe c versions in italics.


1. Steak ‘n Shake
1a. Taco Bell
1b. Chickie’s & Pete’s
2. McDonald's
3. Chick-fil-A
4. Arby’s
4a. Blake’s Lotaburger
4b. Milo’s
5. Carl’s Jr./Hardees
5a. Whataburger
5b. Cook Out
6. Shake Shack
7. Del Taco
8. Dairy Queen
9. Jack in the Box
9a. Krystal
9b. BurgerFi
9c. The Habit Burger
9d. Roy Rogers
10. Popeyes
11. Five Guys
11a. Bojangles
11b. White Castle
11c. Culver’s
11d. Ward’s
11e. Zaxby’s
11f. Raising Cane’s
12. Wienerschnitzel
13. Jollibee
14. Rally’s
15. Sonic
16. KFC
17. Burger King
17a. PDQ
18. Wendy’s
19. In-N-Out

 

[golfinghawkeye]

Garlic fries from Red Robin need mentioned. Has anyone tried the new fries from Wendy’s?

 

[aloha20]

I also often eat fast food because of the ease of availability. Also, this food is quite tasty, and at the same time, it is not expensive and has several advantages. When you are too busy to cook, fast food can fill you up quickly and for a long time, but at the same time, there is a significant disadvantage. This kind of food quickly gets boring, and you don't want to eat it too often. So if you also do not have the largest finances but want to know what to buy at the grocery store and cook quality food on your own capabilities, then you should study all possible information on this subject. Fast food is convenient but also bad for your health, so it is worth taking care of yourself.

 

[TJ8869]

I also often eat fast food because of the ease of availability. Also, this food is quite tasty, and at the same time, it is not expensive and has several advantages. When you are too busy to cook, fast food can fill you up quickly and for a long time, but at the same time, there is a significant disadvantage. This kind of food quickly gets boring, and you don't want to eat it too often. So if you also do not have the largest finances but want to know what to buy at the grocery store and cook quality food on your own capabilities, then you should study all possible information on this subject. Fast food is convenient but also bad for your health, so it is worth taking care of yourself.

Thanks, Lute.

 

[cfbfan23]

So if you also do not have the largest finances but want to know what to buy at the grocery store and cook quality food on your own capabilities, then you should study all possible information on this subject.