Most people have a favorite fast food place, a go-to whenever they're in a rush for dinner or just don't feel like cooking. Fast food loyalists will give you their uncensored opinion on every food item, especially in comparison to the competition. Perhaps one of the most intense and heated debates within the world of chain restaurants is over french fries, the delicious side dish that goes with basically everything.
Everyone has a favorite french fry location, either McDonald's or Wendy's, or maybe Five Guys or In-N-Out. The following list highlights our top five french fries, ranking them from worst to best. Of course, these opinions only hold as long as you're eating the fries fresh and hot, no fries are good when they've gotten cold or have been reheated.
5. Burger King
Burger King makes great burgers, which is a good thing because that is the company's namesake and their french fries leave a lot to be desired. The fast food chain doesn't do anything fancy with their fries, they're thin-cut and, according to this 1998 article, sprayed with a potato-based batter before being frozen.
Of course, that was over 20 years ago so it's hard to say if the company still makes them that way. But just going by taste alone, Burger King fries need a significant helping of sauce to even be mildly edible. They're just not very good, often chewier than they are crispy and they leave behind a weird aftertaste.
4. Wendy's
Wendy's changed up its french fry recipe a couple of years ago and they are significantly better now than they used to be. Using sea salt enhances the flavor along with the use of skin-on potatoes. They're definitely a step up from what they used to be, though they don't quite hit the same mark as the top three on our list.
3. Arby's
As far as popular fast food chains go, Arby's tends to be the underdog. They've been around for a long time, yet they never really received the same acclaim as some of the more popular restaurants like McDonald's and Wendy's. Still, you shouldn't count Arby's out.
Their curly fries remain some of the best fast-food fries in the industry. It's actually a little strange to me that other fast food places haven't tried to replicate the success with their own version of curly fries. We need way more curly fries in general. But hey, I'm not complaining about eating just the ones from Arby's.
2. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has pretty much cornered the market on waffle fries. These crispy side items are perfectly cooked in canola oil and then slathered in sea salt, perfectly complementing whatever chicken dish you're in the mood for from their menu. Chick-fil-A also has a lot of great sauces and basically all of them go perfectly with their fries.
1. McDonald's
At the end of the day, no fast food chain can top McDonald's fries, especially when they're very hot and fresh. There is a reason these fries are world-famous and beloved. Perfectly crisp and light and airy on the inside, a craving for McDonald's fries can be sated by no other.