America’s fast food restaurants offer a variety of fries in all shapes and sizes, making sure there’s no shortage of options for fry 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 a person who has advocated for your favorite fry for years, the fight is finally at an end, but a nutritionist told DailyMail.com that the fan favorite is due to its ‘addictive-like’ ingredients.
The top 13 fast food french fries have now been ranked by Eat This, Not That!, putting one tried-and-true option in the number one slot.
The top 13 fast food fries have been ranked including Arby’s curly fries and Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries
Eat This, Not That! analyzed french fries across all fast food chains across the US to determine which are the best.
They focused on the different styles, shapes, cooking methods and seasonings used that combine to create the perfect crinkle cut, shoestring, waffle or curly fries.
13. Arby’s crinkle fries
Calories: 250
Fat: 12 grams
Sodium: 300 milligrams
Carbs: 32 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Arby introduced its crinkle cut option in 2021, tacking it on to its existing popular curly fry.
Although some questioned the addition, the crinkle cut has risen in popularity for its ‘accordion-style grooves,’ crispy shell and kosher salt seasoning.
These have sharper edges than the standard crinkle cut fry which provides a more crispy texter and is lightly battered which helps them stay hotter longer.
12. In-N-Out fries
Calories: 360
Fat: 15 grams
Sodium: 150 milligrams
Carbs: 49 grams
Protein: 6 grams
In-N-Out is a long-praised chain primarily located on the West Coast that’s known for its burgers.
However, there is discord among foodies about whether its fries are worth the same acclaim, but they come in second to last for flavor, fresh quality and crispiness.
The chain uses fresh Kennebec potatoes, but because they only fry them once they become stale and room-temperature within minutes.
WHAT ARE KENNEBEC POTATOES?
Fries are typically fried twice by first blanching them and then putting the fully in the deep-fryer which helps to retain their heat and crisp, fresh taste.
11. WingStop
Calories: 495
Fat: 21 grams
Sodium: 620 milligrams
Carbs: 69 grams
Protein: 8 grams
Although known for its wings, WingStop has made moves to impress french fry lovers by using a unique blend of seasoning and fresh-cut ingredients.
Their freshly cut fries are first tossed in a seasoning mix that includes chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and both brown and white sugar.
The combination of sugar and spice in this delectable dish makes them fries worth salivating over.
10. Sonic Groovy Fries:
Calories: 290
Fat: 12 grams
Sodium: 260 milligrams
Carbs: 33 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Sonic introduced the first update to its fries in over a decade this summer when it added groovy fries to its menu.
The chain described them as ‘hot, crispy, perfectly salted, and made with deep grooves,’ making them ideal for dipping into sauce without worrying that it will drip 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’re too thin.
Five Guys french fries are arguably the most unhealthy of all the fast food chains. It came in 9th place for its salty and crunchy texture
9. Five Guys
Calories: 411
Fat: 41 grams
Sodium: 962 milligrams
Carbs: 131 grams
Protein: 15 grams
Five Guys offers some of the most unhealthy french fries thanks to the copious amounts of grease used to cook them, soaking the bottom of the bag as you take it to your car or table.
Despite this potential turn-off for the more health-conscious, it can’t be denied that their salty and crunchy texture will leave you feeling satisfied.
These fries are cooked in pure, cholesterol-free peanut oil which gives them a softer feel once you get past the crispy shell.
They are also double cooked, first in hot water and then the oil to reduce the amount of starch and help them cook more evenly.
8. Culver’s crinkle cut fries
Calories: 220
Fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 410 milligrams
Carbs: 32 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Coming in at the number eight spot, Culver’s crinkle cut fries have deeper ridges that holds flavorings like salt, spices and cheese powder while also improving its crispiness.
They’re perfectly made to hold dipping sauce in between its crinkled 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
Carbs: 63 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Shake Shack’s fries made its way to the Top 10 by combining the perfect amount of heat exposure, salt content and ketchup.
According to John Karangis, executive chef and VP of Culinary Innovation at Shake Shack, cooking these fries at high temperatures ensure they’re crispy on the outside but soft and pillowy on the inside.
However, the real trick to getting the crinkle cut fries to taste so nice comes down to using so much salt it borders on unbearable.
‘You can have great texture on the outside, nice and soft and flavorful, but [if] there’s not enough salt, it doesn’t work,’ Karangis told Tasting Table.
He added that there needs to be ‘enough salt where it’s almost too salty, until you drag it through the ketchup, if ketchup is your thing.’
Combining the extra salty flavor with ketchup creates the perfect balance between savory and the sweetness from the condiment – although the garlic aioli would also do the job.
6. Taco Bell’s nacho fries
Calories: 330
Fat: 36 grams
Sodium: 770 milligrams
Carbs: 36 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Taco Bell’s nacho fries are a popular fast food item for its combination of using Mexican spices and being uniquely served with nacho cheese.
Their nacho fries also offer a variation including jalapeno ranch, loaded TRUFF nacho fries – that come topped with beef and nacho cheese – and grilled cheese nacho fries that some say evoke the nostalgia of stepping back into a grade school cafeteria.
Chick-fil-A’s beloved waffle fries are an American staple and ranked number five overall
5. Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries
Calories: 365
Fat: 19 grams
Sodium: 246 milligrams
Carbs: 35 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Entering the Top Five territory is Chick-fil-A’s famous waffle fries which provide a larger surface area than the standard fry, making it ideal for dipping.
These fries are versatile, making an ideal base for the iconic Chick-fil-A bowl which includes nuggets and mac 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 tender inside, giving them the perfect texture.
They also source their potatoes from Lamb Weston – a food processing company in the Pacific Northwest – which uses sustainability-focused farming practices and is recognized for growing some of the world’s best potatoes.
4. Burger King fries
Calories: 300
Fat: 13 grams
Sodium: 220 milligrams
Carbs: 43 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Burger King’s reputation for its slightly larger than shoestring fries have made this menu item almost as famous as its Whopper.
The fries are always served piping hot with a golden color and fluffy interior while offering a more natural potato taste than some other chains.
This is because it uses a potato-based batter coating that stiffens around the fries when deep-fried and seals in the moisture and heat.
3. Arby’s curly fries
Calories: 410
Fat: 22 grams
Sodium: 940 milligrams
Carbs: 49 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Arby’s curly fries hits the Top Three spot for its flavor, texture and extra crispiness while being made from whole potatoes slightly seasoned with kosher salt.
The curly fries are coated in onion powder, cornmeal, garlic power, baking soda and other spices to give them their mouth-watering flavor.
‘Arby’s curly fries are the best fries ever. I mean they just are. It’s the perfect flavor and adequate bite size to be the perfect fry,’ wrote one person on Reddit.
2. Wendy’s
Calories: 260
Fat: 12 grams
Sodium: 420milligrams
Carbs: 35 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Right off the bat, Wendy’s focuses on keeping its fries crispy and retaining heat to the point they will guarantee to replace your fries if they don’t tick both those boxes.
Unlike other fast food joints, Wendy’s fries have the skin on which gives them a richer, more intense potato flavor and provides a slight crunch compared to peeled fries.
These fries are golden and crispy with sea salt seasoning, making them perfect to pair with one of Wendy’s dipping sauces – including a Frosty.
McDonald’s was ranked number one for its crispy, beef-flavored fries
1. McDonald’s
Calories: 230
Fat: 11 grams
Sodium: 190 milligrams
Carbs: 31 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Perhaps unsurprisingly, McDonald’s comes in front and center for its trusted classic shoestring fries.
Nutritionist Dr Renee Exelbert told DailyMail.com that McDonald’s adds preservatives to its fries like artificial dyes, food coloring and carrageenan which is used to thicken food and ultimately increases its flavor.
‘These substances make the food taste better, and even cause an ‘addictive like’ quality that makes us want to eat more of them,’ she said.
Ted Jenkin, the co-founder of a wealth management company oXYgen Financial, told DailyMail.com that he believes McDonald’s success comes down to how the fries are made.
‘It’s the perfect combination of an oil blend that uses artificial beef flavoring, the magical addiction of sugar and salt,’ he said, adding: ‘And the fries being well done enough to have a slight crisp when you bite into them.’
McDonald’s fries have become a staple among American fast food aficionados and have even been ranked as offering the number one french fry in a 2023 survey that asked 7,000 consumers to share their favorite fry.
More than half of the respondents listed McDonald’s as their favorite, followed by Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A and Arby’s – none of which came close in popularity.
