The deep-fried side that makes or breaks the drive-thru run. Curly, crinkle-cut, waffle, and shoestring: the fast food chains whose fries are worth ordering, ranked across the critics who tasted them all.
The full ranking
The deep-fried side that makes or breaks the drive-thru run. Curly, crinkle-cut, waffle, and shoestring: the fast food chains whose fries are worth ordering, ranked across the critics who tasted them all.
McDonald's (World Famous Fries)
Thin, golden, and famously hard to stop eating, McDonald's fries are the genre's benchmark, fried in a beef-flavored blend that gives them their unmistakable taste. They are perfect fresh from the fryer, though reviewers note they fade fast once they cool.
Wendy's (Natural-Cut Fries)
Thicker skin-on natural-cut fries seasoned with sea salt, built with enough structural integrity to survive a dunk in a Frosty. A steady top finisher and Tasting Table's outright No. 1 for its fluffy-inside, crisp-edge balance.
Five Guys (Cajun Fries)
Skin-on, fresh-cut, and fried in peanut oil, Five Guys heaps its fries high and coats the Cajun version in a punchy spice blend. Reviewers love the generous portions and fluffy-crisp texture, even if the grease and price draw the occasional knock.
Arby's (Curly Fries)
Spiral-cut and tossed in a peppery, paprika-forward seasoning, Arby's curly fries are the chain's signature and the rare fast food fry that stays crunchy even after it cools. Critics put them at or near the top of almost every ranking.
Popeyes (Cajun Fries)
Big, craggy fries flecked with paprika, cayenne, garlic, and black pepper, bringing real spice to a category ruled by plain salt. The seasoning is the draw, and they pair especially well with the chain fried chicken.
Chick-fil-A (Waffle Fries)
One of the only major chains committed to the waffle cut, whose lattice of ridges maximizes crunchable surface area. Soft inside and crisp outside, they divide people on shape but land near the top of most rankings.
KFC (Secret Recipe Fries)
Thick, jagged, and dusted with a chicken-salt-style seasoning, KFC's Secret Recipe Fries eat more like real fried potato than typical fast food sticks. Cheapism crowned them the single best fry it tested.
Shake Shack (Crinkle-Cut Fries)
Thicker-than-average crinkle-cut fries with deep ridges that hold a steady crunch and take well to cheese sauce. Frequently called the best crinkle cut in fast food, though they can run a touch under-salted.
Burger King (Classic Fries)
Thicker natural-cut sticks aiming for a pillowy inside and a crisp shell, a reliable if unflashy staple. Some critics call them underrated next to McDonald's, dinged mainly when they arrive less than fresh.
Checkers/Rally's (Famous Seasoned Fries)
Heavily battered and boldly seasoned, Checkers and Rally's fries are engineered for maximum crunch and flavor straight from the bag. BroBible named them the outright best fast food fry, calling the texture and seasoning virtually unrivaled.
Ranked across 9 sources: Cheapism · Best Fast-Food French Fries, Ranked (Oct 2025); BroBible · 15 Best (And Worst) Fast Food French Fries (Feb 2026); On Tap Sports Net · Power Ranking Fast Food Fries (June 2025); Chowhound · Fast Food French Fries Ranked Best to Worst (Sept 2024); Eat This, Not That! · 7 Fast-Food Fries Tasted & Ranked (2024); PureWow · The 14 Best Fast Food Fries, Ranked (July 2024); Tasting Table · 25 Fast Food Fries, Ranked (2023); CasinoReviews · National Survey of 2,000 Americans (2024, by % of vote); Uproxx · 36 Fast Food French Fries Ranked (2024, plain-fry order). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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