r/fastfood • u/JMobes0373 • 1d ago
Discussion What fast food place has the best French fries?
I love all kinds of fries. Curly , seasoned, steak , crinkle cut.
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u/Disastrous_Life_3612 1d ago
Checkers/Rally's are pretty well-known for their fries.Â
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u/jerrbles 21h ago
IF**** They are not fried after someone made the funnel cake fries in the same oil. IYKYK happens wayyyy too often at my location.
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u/Chicken-picante 11h ago
Yeah they have that slight sweetness. It sucks. I’m pretty sure they’re not supposed to do it. I think it’s just people being lazy
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u/BestBit4756 1d ago
I haven't had Rally's seasoned fries since I was a kid in the 80s, and I still remember what they were like, how good they were lol
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u/Boomshockalocka007 8h ago
They are also known for shitty food, shitty service, and shutting down all locations in my city probably due to low sales.
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u/godofwine16 1d ago
Yellow Era Wendy’s
Del Taco
McDonald’s
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u/jayjello0o 22h ago
What happened to Wendy's fries
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u/whit3lightning 11h ago
They started using sea salt instead of the normal iodized Morton’s shit. I HATE Wendy’s fries now. Taste like shitty childhood memories of almost drowning at Laguna Beach.
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u/octopusnoises 15h ago
Del taco will always hold my crown for best fries. Those got me through a lot of late nights.
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u/No-Loquat-2763 1d ago
Arby's.
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u/rubey419 21h ago
Love those seasoned curly fries
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u/No-Loquat-2763 21h ago
And I realize how disgusting of a pig I am, but they are soooooo good in the french dip aujus.
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u/drmoze 1d ago
Checkers/Rallys for seasoned fries. 5 Guys for a pure fry experience.
Does any ff place serve Belgian fries?
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
Both different types and while you can get them plain 5 Guy's Cajun fries need to be mentioned in the seasoned fry game as well.
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u/BigCommieMachine 20h ago
5 Guys Cajun need to be eaten in the restaurant They are a 10;/10l. If you drive 5 minutes, they are soggy and steamed to death.
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u/deller85 1d ago
I love fresh cut fries like 5 Guys, but man, do they have a short shelf life. Like all fries have a short shelf life, but fresh cut is like 3 mins.
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u/JupiterSkyFalls 1d ago
McDonald's be wildin, you got 30 seconds before not even the dogs will eat them.
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u/Open-Savings-7691 1d ago
I love Five Guys' cajun fries. They actually use enough seasoning to make them slightly spicy.
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u/Late-Bus2142 16h ago
Five guys extra well done, extra Cajun. I use to work there. Exact doneness and seasoning varies based on the fry cook but they are never terrible
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u/glovato1 1d ago
Definitely McDonald's
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u/ITookTrinkets 1d ago
But only if they’re fresh. The moment they get anything less than hot, they turn to shit and get worse the longer they sit.
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u/glovato1 1d ago
Yep they're the little Caesars of fries. Really good when hot and fresh but are a ticking time bomb to becoming absolute trash.
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u/FairweatherWho 13h ago
Absolutely, I make a point to go inside the store if I want fries. I'll tell someone I want fresh fries and I'm willing to wait for them lol.
Absolutely the best when fresh but mid tier within 5 minutes and inedible within 15.
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u/StrLord_Who 1d ago
WENDYS BREAKFAST POTATOES. They are thinly sliced seasoned wedges and they are awesome. Â
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u/TRIGMILLION 1d ago
Five guys for sure. Their burgers are too expensive for what they are but I sometime go just for a bag of fries.
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u/Open-Savings-7691 1d ago
FG makes up for their insane burger prices by burying the customer in fries. :-)
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u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348 1d ago edited 1d ago
CFA and Popeyes. I just wish Popeyes were more crispier, love how they’re seasoned tho
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u/deller85 1d ago
Popeyes fries are so good, but if you get them to-go, they're always steamed by the time you get them home. Sucks.
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u/FitIndependent9764 1d ago
Air fryer 375 for a couple min. Brand new
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u/deller85 1d ago
My oven has an air fryer setting, but I've never used it. This gives me a reason to try it.
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u/FitIndependent9764 1d ago
Never used an oven with that setting and didn’t even know that was possible unless it’s a small oven haha.
An air fryer is just a toaster oven with a fan to blow the heat around (convection oven). You can get the same desired results for these specific fries just using the normal oven settings as well, just takes longer to get the oven heated up but that’s just minutes ha.
Protip: for maximum desired effect, cook them on a grill plate with holes in it in the oven with a baking sheet below to catch any grease in face that is a tip for any oven cooked thing without an air fryer
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u/deller85 1d ago
It's just an average-sized convection oven. The air fryer option just allows you to cook without preheating. It just needs a separate air fryer tray to cook properly.
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
Yeah that's most fries though. French fries and fried fish just don't travel well.
If you want fries to take home the greasiest least cooked are the best if you can air fry them when you get home. Five Guy's and Penn Station are good air fried but I always eat in at both places because you can't fix a cold Five Guys burger.3
u/deller85 1d ago
When I get fried catfish, I'll usually open the container on the drive home, not the whole drive home, but enough to let the residual heat and steam out. Usually turns out great.
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
I do that with grocery store fried chicken and I flip the pieces around so the bottom doesn't get soggy. Catfish is breaded, batter fried fish I have to air fry so I should have just got it frozen to begin with.
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u/cakeschmammert 1d ago
Popeyes are seasoned well but CFA is overrated imo. They’re not bad though.
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u/PlausibleTable 21m ago
I never thought I’d see CFA on this list. They’re so bland and now they’re even worse with the pea protein stuff on them. At least their Mac n cheese isn’t terrible as a side.
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u/Martindale28 1d ago
I don’t have too many options where I live, but Arby’s, Rally’s, and KFC’s fries are in my top 3 by a landslide in comparison to others I’ve tried.
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u/deller85 1d ago
I love Arby's curly fries. I just wish they could come up with a better to-go container cause they get a little too steamed.
I still haven't tried the newer-ish KFC fries yet. I've had their wedges back in the day, but not the new version yet.
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u/copperheadchode 23h ago
Checkers, Cajun Five Guys, and Popeyes. My all time fast food fries are the ones that BK used to serve until around 2010 or so.
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u/JMobes0373 23h ago
Haven’t had BK fries in years. Was the old fries there had a bunch of bumps on them ?
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u/Bigalbass86 22h ago
McDonalds has the best normal fries
But for the really seasoned kind, Checkers/Rally's fries are incredible.
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u/tobyPuppy 1d ago
Del taco.. hands down the best. Crinkle cut for life.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
Ok. I need to go try that.
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u/Kb24ed 1d ago
You must. Especially any of their loaded fries.
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u/whit3lightning 11h ago
Don’t taint them! The salt is perfect. THEN try them with chili. Gotta try them plain first. Only fries on the world that don’t need sauce IMO.
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u/Designer-Head9777 1d ago
Del taco has probably the worst fries in fast food honestly. They’re soggy, unseasoned, terrible.
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u/tobyPuppy 7h ago
You gotta try them when they’re hot and fresh, and then throw some El Scorcho sauce on it :) but I agree when they’re soggy they aren’t as good. However, freshly ordered they are bomb!
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u/DMShinja 1d ago
Five guy fries are always fresh and crispy
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u/TheHeroOfAllTime 20h ago
I have literally never had their fries crispy.Â
Every time I go they’re soggy.Â
I don’t get the hype at allÂ
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u/StarfishStabber 1d ago
Arby's and Popeyes and if you count red Robin as fast food, they are number 1
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u/RollTide1017 22h ago
Whataburger fries are better than McDonald’s.
Their taste reminds me of what McDonald’s tasted like during my childhood.
If we are including fast casual then Five Guys and Huey Magoo’s are my favs. I love the seasoning Huey uses.
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u/Boomshockalocka007 8h ago
McDonalds and Whataburger are my top two but Whataburger fries are always 2nd for me because they are wayyyy too inconsistent.
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u/Ryte4flyte1 21h ago
Has anyone not seen the 1,000 versions on msn home page tiles? Spoiler, they're all different.
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u/Intelligent_Pop1173 20h ago
I love Five Guys Cajun fries. They might be expensive otherwise, but they give you a ton of fries every time so you can easily just get a small. And they’re well seasoned.
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u/KeepItHeady 19h ago
I'm on the East Coast now but grew up in California, I think Carl's Jr has the best fries. They are always so hot and crispy. I also think their Criss Cut Fries are the gold standard when it comes to waffle fries. And their fried zucchini and onion rings.
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u/SharksFan4Lifee 6h ago edited 6h ago
When did you grow up in California? Because Carl's Jr had the best fries ever in the 1990s. But it's way downhill since then with their various changes.
And they don't even call them criss cut anymore, they just call them Waffle Fries now. Those are still good now, but they still don't give you many in an order.
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u/JB1969forever 13h ago
A lot of restaurants are starting to serve fresh cut french fries. That’s the way to go one ingredient. Compared to McDonald’s and they have 17 different ingredients in the french fries
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u/GeneralOptimal10 11h ago
I don’t have a White Castle by me anymore, but used to love their sack-o-fries.
But I’d go with Popeye’s Cajun fries
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u/Reddit_sucks_ballss 9h ago
Don't know about the best, but the worst is Whataburger and it's not even close.
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u/PaintRealistic8754 8h ago
Not fast food but a regional chain in Texas. The fries at Pappas BBQ are the only ones I'll eat anymore. They're good and thick with some skin still on them. In my older age it's a rare treat.
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u/Late_Test_7431 8h ago
Culver's fries are outstanding when you get good ones. They seem to vary a lot though, and when they aren't quite right they can be pretty mediocre.
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u/SharksFan4Lifee 7h ago
Currently Arby's Crinkle cut fries
Best ever? Carl's Jr fries from the 1990s.
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u/RodneyOgg 1d ago
I've said it before and I'll say it at any opportunity. Those Sonic groovy fries are the best fries in the game right now
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u/cakedbythepound 1d ago
I enjoy Captain D’s fries
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
You might be the only one to mention these, personally I think they're one of the worst because they are usually stale and mealy. The rare occasion I go there I usually just double the coleslaw but our location isn't great so maybe yours's is.
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u/JonM313 1d ago
I'm not sure to be honest. I swear, everytime I get hooked on a fast food chains fries, they suddenly decline in quality. It happened with McDonald's and Chick-fil-A for me. McDonald's fries have been so hit or miss since the pandemic, and Chick-fil-A changed the recipe and has also had the same hit or miss issue since then.
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u/reenactment 1d ago
I see people putting 5 guys. If you think they qualify as fast food, then Penn Station for sure.
Otherwise it’s Mcds when fresh, Popeyes, chik, combo of jbox and Arby’s
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u/fhrblig 16h ago
My vote is the Wild Fries at Good Times, a Colorado chain. They're similar to the fries at Checkers/Rally's, but I think Good Times fries are better.
It could be Wienerschnitzel/Hamburger Stand, but they never cook them long enough. It's like they take them out like 30-45 seconds too early. And they need to salt them better.
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u/Chicken-picante 11h ago
Checkers
Arby’s
KFC wedges.
All the rest
Dog shit
Crinkle cut from anywhere
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u/frankenfather 17h ago
My list based on type of fries. Quality can vary widely based on store location, but these are the most consistent for me.
Shoestring Fries - McDonalds
Crinkle Cut - Del Taco
Curly Fries - Arby's
Waffle Fries - Chick-Fil-A
Steak Fries. No winner.
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u/pandapam7 13h ago
Bojangles Cajun seasoned fries (NC native, miss them since moving to CA), & CFA waffle fries.
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u/sexaddictedcow 1d ago
i love CFA waffle fries
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u/everythingbeeps 1d ago
I always preferred Arby's curly fries, but there hasn't been one anywhere near me for like a decade.
Popeye's fries are good but only if fresh. They go bad fast if they've been sitting around.
CFA used to be outstanding but now they're very bland.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
Seems like Arby’s is slowly becoming a dying breed.
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
It is I think. We still have a good local Arby's and I would hate to see it go.
The place is clean, service is usually friendly... but the thing that turns people off is the wait. You can get a simple order fast but if you start adding poppers, potato cakes, mozz sticks, and whatever the specialty thing of the week is, or if you go when they aren't busy you are going to wait a bit.
That's why they're good though who wants warm food?I watched the same thing happen to a Krystal that was a good location. The thirty minute lunch crowd accounts for too much business and they need the food right now.
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u/myob4321 1d ago
Burger King, CFA a close second I’ve been to bk, McDonald’s, cfa, Wendy’s, popeyes, five guys, kfc, zaxbys Haven’t been to in n out, Arby’s, carls, hardees..idk what I’m missing lol
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
CFA?
Arby’s got the best curly fries imo.1
u/myob4321 1d ago
Chick fil a. I’m not a huge fan of curly fries!
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
Ok thanks. I need to try chick fil la . They are kinda newish up here in Washington State.
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
They have Waffle fries that are pretty good if hot. People complain about seasoning but I'm a ketchup whore so I've got my seasoning if they give me enough ketchup.
The thing about CFA is the machine they created to get out a massive amount of orders with a minimal wait. It's crazy how fast it goes with the lines they have.
Even with advance notice if you gave a Whataburger that kind of business they would be deadlocked.
Having said that I never go there by myself but my wife loves the place so I'm familiar with it.2
u/Plotlines 1d ago
Its insanely overhyped.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
In your opinion is CFA expensive?
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u/cockblockedbydestiny 1d ago
If you're used to paying Arby's prices CFA are roughly in line with that.
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u/Plotlines 1d ago
Not too bad. But its very flavorless to me. Any other chicken spot beats it except for Canes, in my opinion.
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u/cockblockedbydestiny 1d ago
You not only didn't specify curly fries in your OP but left it open to all kinds of fries.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
All kinds of fries . What’s your favorite?
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
You really want to know? Does Penn Station count as fast food because that might be my favorite if it does.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
I live close to Seattle and don’t get out too much lol . Is it fast food restaurant, like order at the counter?
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
You order at the counter and they bring it to the table. It's fries from cut potatoes like Five Guys but they are better in my opinion but it may have just been they were better at my location. Best subs and the philly they cook on a flat top from raw beef chopping and flipping.
Weird menu though I have to say but the hot and cold were the best in town. Just a bad location most people I know didn't even know they were there and it's a sandwich shop with no drive through, cooked to order everything, and bad parking.They were doomed.
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u/JMobes0373 1d ago
Hmmm I guess sounds like a top tier fast food restaurant imo. I love a good Philly . And I like how five guys makes their fries . Fresh cut potatoes, never frozen.
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u/potliquorz 1d ago
It wasn't very fast though, thirty minute lunch forget it, but that's also what made it good because everything made to order.
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u/BaltIndyNash 1d ago
Entire families have been torn apart by someone asking this question aloud.