Best French Fries in the US: 13 Fast Food Chains Ranked by Experts by Taste and Quality – Where Does YOUR Guilty Pleasure Rank?

America’s fast food restaurants offer a variety of fries in all shapes and sizes, leaving no shortage of options for chip lovers everywhere.

From Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries and Arby’s curly fries to McDonald’s shoestring and Taco Bell’s nacho fries – the options are endless.

If you’re someone who’s been advocating for your favorite fry-up meat for years, the battle is finally over, but one nutritionist told DailyMail.com that the fan favorite is down to its ‘addictive-like’ ingredients.

The top 13 fast food fries have now been ranked by Eat This, Not That!, putting one tried-and-tested option at number one.

Eat this, not that! analyzed fries from all fast food chains in the US to determine which ones are the best.

They focused on the different styles, shapes, cooking methods and seasonings that together create the perfect crinkle-cut, shoestring, waffle or curly fries.

13. Arby’s crinkle fries

Calories: 250

Fat: 12 grams

Sodium: 300 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 32 grams

Egg white: 3 grams

Arby introduced its crinkle cut option in 2021, adding it to its existing popular curly boy.

Although some questioned the addition, the crinkle cut has risen in popularity for its “accordion-like grooves,” crispy shell and kosher salt seasoning.

These have crisper edges than the standard crinkle cut fry, which makes for a crispier texture and are lightly battered, which keeps them warm for longer.

12. In-N-Out Fries

Calories: 360

Fat: 15 grams

Sodium: 150 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 49 grams

Egg white: 6 grams

In-N-Out is a long-acclaimed chain, located primarily on the West Coast, known for its burgers.

However, there is disagreement among gourmets as to whether the fries are worthy of the same praise, but they come second in taste, fresh quality and crispiness.

The chain uses fresh Kennebec potatoes, but because they don’t bake them until they’re baked, they’re stale and room temperature within minutes.

WHAT ARE KENNEBEC POTATOES?

French fries are typically fried twice by first blanching them and then placing them completely in the fryer, which retains the heat and fresh, crisp taste.

11. WingStop

Calories: 495

Fat: 21 grams

Sodium: 620 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 69 grams

Egg white: 8 grams

Although known for its wings, WingStop has taken steps to impress chip lovers by using a unique blend of spices and fresh-cut ingredients.

Their fresh-cut fries are first tossed in a spice mix that includes chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and both brown and white sugar.

The combination of sugar and spices in this delectable dish makes these fries worth drooling over.

10. Sonic Groovy Fries:

Calories: 290

Fat: 12 grams

Sodium: 260 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 33 grams

Egg white: 3 grams

Sonic introduced the first update to its fries in more than a decade this summer, when it added hip fries to its menu.

The chain described them as “hot, crunchy, perfectly salted and made with deep grooves,” making them ideal for dipping into sauce without fear of it dripping onto your lap.

Their new fries have received mixed reviews, with some praising their texture for being crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, while others say they are too thin.

9. Five boys

Calories: 411

Fat: 41 grams

Sodium: 962 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 131 grams

Egg white: 15 grams

Five Guys offers some of the unhealthiest fries thanks to the large amounts of fat used to cook them, which soaks the bottom of the bag as you take it to your car or table.

Despite this potential turn-off for the more health-conscious, there’s no denying that their salty and crunchy texture will leave you feeling satisfied.

These fries are fried in pure, cholesterol-free peanut oil, which makes them feel softer once you get past the crispy skin.

They are also double cooked, first in hot water and then in the oil to reduce the amount of starch and make them cook more evenly.

8. Culver’s crinkle-cut fries

Calories: 220

Fat: 9 grams

Sodium: 410 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 32 grams

Egg white: 3 grams

Coming in at eighth place, Culver’s crinkle-cut fries have deeper ridges that contain flavorings such as salt, herbs and cheese powder while improving crispiness.

They are perfectly made to hold dipping sauce between the wrinkled peaks and are known for being hot, golden brown and crispy.

7. Shake Shack crinkle cut fries

Calories: 470

Fat: 22 grams

Sodium: 740 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 63 grams

Egg white: 6 grams

Shake Shack’s fries reached the Top 10 by combining the perfect amount of heat exposure, saltiness and ketchup.

According to John Karangis, executive chef and VP of Culinary Innovation at Shake Shack, cooking these fries at high temperatures ensures they are crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside.

The real trick to making crinkle-cut fries taste so good, however, comes down to using so much salt that it’s almost unbearable.

“You can have a great texture on the outside, nice and soft and flavorful, but (if) there’s not enough salt, it doesn’t work,” Karangis shared. Tasting table.

He added that there should be “enough salt where it’s almost too salty, until you drag it into the ketchup, if ketchup is your thing.”

Combining the extra salty flavor with ketchup creates the perfect balance between the savory and sweet flavors of the seasoning, although garlic aioli would also work well.

6. Nacho fries from Taco Bell

Calories: 330

Fat: 36 grams

Sodium: 770 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 36 grams

Egg white: 4 grams

Taco Bell’s nacho fries are a popular fast food product due to the combination of the use of Mexican spices and the unique nacho cheese serving.

Their nacho fries also offer a variety, including jalapeno ranch, loaded TRUFF nacho fries – which are topped with beef and nacho cheese – and grilled cheese nacho fries that some say evoke the nostalgia of stepping back into an elementary school cafeteria.

5. Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries

Calories: 365

Fat: 19 grams

Sodium: 246 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 35 grams

Egg white: 4 grams

Coming into the Top Five are Chick-fil-A’s famous waffle fries, which have a larger surface area than standard fries, making them ideal for dipping.

These fries are versatile and make an ideal base for the iconic Chick-fil-A bowl of nuggets and macaroni and cheese, while also pairing well with their irresistible milkshakes.

The waffle fries are cooked in canola oil until they have a crispy outside and soft inside, giving them the perfect texture.

They also source their potatoes from Lamb Weston, a food processing company in the Pacific Northwest that practices sustainability-oriented farming practices and is known for growing some of the world’s best potatoes.

4. Burger King fries

Calories: 300

Fat: 13 grams

Sodium: 220 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 43 grams

Egg white: 4 grams

Burger King’s reputation for its slightly larger fries has made this menu item almost as famous as its Whopper.

The fries are always served piping hot, have a golden color and a fluffy interior and offer a more natural potato flavor than some other chains.

This is because it uses a potato-based batter coating that stiffens around the fries during frying, sealing in the moisture and heat.

3. Arby’s curly fries

Calories: 410

Fat: 22 grams

Sodium: 940 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 49 grams

Egg white: 5 grams

Arby’s curly fries are in the Top Three for their taste, texture and extra crispiness, while being made from whole potatoes lightly seasoned with kosher salt.

The curly fries are coated with onion powder, cornmeal, garlic power, baking soda and other spices to give them a delectable taste.

‘Arby’s curly fries are the best fries ever. I mean, they just are. It has the perfect flavor and enough bite size to be the perfect boy,” someone wrote on Reddit.

2. Wendy’s

Calories: 260

Fat: 12 grams

Sodium: 420 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 35 grams

Egg white: 4 grams

Right off the bat, Wendy’s focuses on keeping the fries crispy and retaining heat to the point that they guarantee to replace your fries if they don’t meet either requirement.

Unlike other fast food chains, Wendy’s fries have a skin which gives them a richer, more intense potato flavor and a slight crunch compared to peeled fries.

These fries are golden brown and crispy with sea salt seasoning, making them perfect for pairing with any of Wendy’s dips, including a Frosty.

1. McDonald’s

Calories: 230

Fat: 11 grams

Sodium: 190 milligrams

Carbohydrates: 31 grams

Egg white: 3 grams

It’s perhaps not surprising that McDonald’s comes first with its trusty classic small fries.

Nutritionist Dr. Renee Exelbert told DailyMail.com that McDonald’s adds preservatives to its fries, such as artificial colors, dyes and carrageenan, which are used to thicken food and ultimately increase its taste.

“These compounds make food taste better and even create an ‘addictive’ quality that makes us want to eat more of it,” she said.

Ted Jenkin, the co-founder of asset management firm oXYgen Financial, told DailyMail.com that he believes McDonald’s success is due to the way its fries are made.

“It’s the perfect combination of an oil blend with artificial beef flavor and the magical addiction to sugar and salt,” he said, adding, “And the fries are so cooked that they get a little crispy when you bite into them.”

McDonald’s fries have become a staple among American fast food lovers, even ranking as the number one fries in 2023. questionnaire in which 7,000 consumers were asked to share their favorite fries.

More than half of respondents named McDonald’s as their favorite, followed by Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A and Arby’s – none of which came close in popularity.