Chick-fil-A Fries Review: Golden Grids and Salty Dreams

Chick-fil-A, although not one of the mega chains, consistently ranks top in customer satisfaction. It has over 3,200 locations and is known for its chicken sandwich and waffle fries. Well, we put those golden grids to the test today. The fry's unique shape absolutely sets it apart from the vast majority of the stick-style competition. We love the taste of Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwiches. But would it be the same for their fries? Here's our Chick-fil-A fries review.

Chick-fil-A at the Bridgepointe in San Mateo, CA.

Texture (2/10)

These fries have a weird and a bit unsettling texture. The outside has little to no crunch nor crust, while the inside is overly mushy and almost tastes like a paste. It almost felt like they were undercooked or perhaps the frier wasn't set at the right temperature. We would've given a better score if it was just for the exterior but literally spreading the potato paste on our tongues was not an experience we could do more of.

The exterior is a bit more convincing but exposes much surface area that simply isn't crispy.

Look at that potato paste...

Flavor (2/10)

The waffle fries have no seasoning and scant hints of salt. Perhaps they didn't shake it evenly enough as the bottom pieces did taste a bit saltier but overall, such blandness for the majority of the experience isn't something to overlook. Paired with the paste-like texture, it really comes across as a soulless mouthful of starch. Chick-fil-A may have attempted to create bland fries on purpose to pair it with the eventful and exciting chicken in their buns, but on its own they are difficult to appreciate.

Shape (8/10)

Interestingly, Chick-fil-A's signature waffle fries do an excellent job maintaining the shape and structure, and the overall build is solid. As you pick up each piece, your brain expects more and makes the visual connection to potato chips that we all enjoy. We think the shape is definitely something that more kitchens should attempt.

Presentation (5/10)

The fries come in a standard carton container that is nearly square on its base and has no issues standing upright. They look great next to any sandwich or drink. Due to the size of each piece, there is a bit of a struggle for every one of them to be stacked neatly and maintain their place in the container. We would've given it a higher score here except we couldn't help thinking how much space was being wasted in the container due to the large chunks not packed orderly.

A lot of space is being wasted in the container.

Experience (4/10)

The fascination that emanates from the waffle shape quickly gives way to the bland taste and uninteresting texture. We do not believe that the waffle shape complements the chicken sandwiches in any different way than regular fries. And the large portion had only 14 pieces, for a price of $6, so there's definitely a sense of being cheated on value as well.

Texture	2
Flavor	2
Shape	8
Presentation	5
Experience	4
Overall	4.2 / 10

Conclusion

We had high hopes for Chick-fil-A's waffle fries. They are visually striking and look so good in pictures. However it simply could not uphold the expectation of the fast food chain with top customer satisfaction. We do not believe these fries stand a chance against the greatest out there.