9 of the Best Fast-Food French Fries, Ranked

According to the newest Burger King commercials, the King has been fired. We're the King now, according to the ads. Well, here's our first decree: Make these fries taste like anything at all. Even salted, they're so bland that it's hard to pick up on even the starchiest, most basic potato flavor. They're the type of fries that look like potato sticks in a potato sleeve.

If we really are the King, then we order you to change things up.

It seemed only fair that we toss a regional favorite in the mix. Bojangles felt fitting, considering North Carolina is currently having a big culinary moment this season of Top Chef. However, the creative minds in the kitchen seem to be tripping over themselves.

When it comes to Bo Rounds (tot-like potato discs), Bojangles knows what it's doing. Rounds are crunchy, warming, and delicious. But when Bo Fries come into play, things at Bojangles fall apart. 

These things are seasoned once, perhaps twice, and then what tastes like 10 more times. I have eaten the fries from just about every major fast-food chain that there is, and none come close to the extreme saltiness that Bo is throwing our way. You're going to need some extra sweet tea for these things.

Chick-fil-A's waffle fries are immensely popular; some might argue they're the chain's most-loved item. Yet, they're boring and underseasoned. On the rare occasion when Chick-fil-A's waffle fries arrive crunchy and not floppy, things are different, but I'm consistently surprised at the lack of flavor.

As the only waffle fries on this list, Chick-fil-A's are the only fries that do not fit neatly into a sauce container for dunking. Because the chain's signature sauce is so unbelievably good, this is a frustrating situation. We need these things to be either more heavily seasoned, crunchier, or in the shape of a regular fry. Any of those three will do.

Wendy's changed up the french fry recipe in 2021, and it catapulted the product to new heights. If this taste test had taken place in 2020, you might have seen Wendy's in last place, with a review similar to that of Burger King.

The "new" fries are superior. Little bits of skin grip the crispy outside edges of each fry, but inside, the potato is steamy and soft. Wendy's has successfully changed their offering from terrible to serviceable.

Sonic tends to do things either very well or very poorly. For instance, I would not feed Sonic's burgers to somebody I care about, but the soft serve ice cream is first class. The popcorn chicken may be dry, but the ice, as you probably know, is the best of any fast-food joint in America.

So, where do the fries stand? Right in the middle, it turns out. Crinkle cut fries are a modern marvel of dippability, with edges and grooves perfect for globbing up extra bits of sauce, or in Sonic's case, some of that aforementioned soft serve. My fries were well salted and crunchy, and that's about all I can ask for.

You may also like: Best Italian restaurants in 50 major cities

Let's address the elephant in the room: Arby's is probably most famous for its curly fries. In the interest of fairness, I could not bring some seasoned curly fries into the mix for a standard french fry ranking, as that feels like far too much of a departure. And we all know they would have won the whole thing anyway.

Yet, just because Arby's makes a killer curly fry, there's no reason to forget about the crinkles. Like Sonic's, these were salty, crunchy, hot, and fried. That's basically all you need for success, but Arby's tasted a lot more like they came from a real potato. Less artificial flavor will always win out.

A lot of people in this world would go to bat for McDonald's as the number one pick. I get that. These fries are probably the first thing that the average person thinks of when they hear the word "fry," and there are certainly times when a craving for McDonald's french fries feels different than a craving for other types of fries. 

Though McDonald's usually ends up dishing you some soggy, droopy fries, you have the option to request them hot and fresh. Do that. It makes a world of difference, and when the planets align, and you have some fries that are well-salted and actually crunchy, it's clear why these things are as famous as they are.

There is no fast-food spot serving more restaurant-quality fries than Five Guys. Deep brown and orange, they're clearly made from fresh potatoes, and the difference in quality is night and day. These are the things that you deserve to eat next to a burger. 

The portion size is also worth mentioning. A "little" fries at Five Guys feeds at least two hungry people, so though the place is a little bit pricier, you're getting a lot more bang for your buck.

How did a burger place not win this? The "Secret Recipe" fries at Kentucky Fried Chicken are a miracle. The secret, however, is not so secret: It's chicken salt. The Australian seasoning works miracles on potatoes, and when you pair it with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and whatever else KFC has going on in its mixture, things are going to be tasty.

It's not just the perfect seasoning that wins KFC the belt, though. Look at the fry itself, the jagged gristle of the batter, the thickness of the potato. From flavor through crunch, these are winners of the highest order. Here's to you, Colonel.