Let’s face it: diving into these posts one by one is time consuming. At some point, you’ll likely throw your hands up and think, “Okay, I get it! Fries are crispy, golden, and delicious, but for the love of all fried variations of potatoes, which one reigns supreme?” We totally get it! You’re not here for a novel on potatoes; you’re on a quest for the holy grail of fries. And we believe settling that debate is an essential part of the core mission of this blog. So here's our list of America's best fries and their rankings. A Running Leaderboard Typically, many comparison reviews choose a handful of brands and do a one-time ranking. Our approach is different. We believe in the quest for greatness in the art and science of deep-fried potatoes and do not think that it is possible to review hundreds of fries in a short period of time. Thus, from our very first review, we have set the benchmark with McDonald's and taken a principled approach with clear dimensions of the ideal fries. Plus, given we will be reviewing hundreds, we did not want our readers to wait for years before we put it all together into a single rank. The only way for us to continue our mission while defining fries supremacy was to keep a running leaderboard. So without further ado, here it is. Rankings updated on 6/8/2026 with Del Taco Rank Maker / Creator / Restaurant Score 1 Five Guys 8.2 2 Buffalo Wild Wings 7.4 3 Del Taco 7.2 4 Johnny Rockets 7.0 4 Lazy Dog Cajun Fries 7.0 4 A&W 7.0 7 The Cheesecake Factory 6.8 7 Sonic 6.8 9 Popeyes 6.6 9 Wingstop 6.6 9 KFC Potato Wedges 6.6 12 Taco Bell 6.4 12 KFC 6.4 12 Habit Burger Grill 6.4 12 Greggs Southern Potato Wedges 🇬🇧 6.4 16 Jack in the Box 6.2 16 Raising Cane's 6.2 18 McDonald's • Benchmark (2025) 6.0 19 Starbird Chicken 5.8 20 Shake Shack 5.6 20 DQ (Dairy Queen) 5.6 22 Habit Burger Grill Sweet Potato Fries 5.4 22 Arby's Curly Fries 5.4 22 A&W Chili Cheese Fries 5.4 22 Starbird Chicken Chimichurri Fries 5.4 26 Dave's Hot Chicken 5.2 26 Carl's Jr. 5.2 26 Jack in the Box Curly Fries 5.2 29 Wendy's 5.0 29 Five Guys (Australia) 🇦🇺 5.0 29 Five Guys (UK) 🇬🇧 5.0 29 The Melt 5.0 33 MOS Burger 🇯🇵 4.8 33 Checkers and Rally's 4.8 35 Super Duper Burgers 4.6 35 McDonald's (Australia) 🇦🇺 4.6 35 Hungry Jack's 🇦🇺 4.6 35 McDonald's • Benchmark (2026) 4.6 39 Chick-fil-A 4.2 40 McDonald's (UK) 🇬🇧 4.0 41 California Pizza Kitchen 3.8 42 McDonald's (Korea) 🇰🇷 3.6 42 Burger King 3.6 42 Wendy's Baconator Fries 3.6 45 Lotteria 🇰🇷 3.4 46 Lotteria Seasoned Fries 🇰🇷 3.2 47 In-N-Out 3.0 47 McDonald's (Japan) 🇯🇵 3.0 49 Jollibee 2.8 Share Your Thoughts with Us Yes, we understand that judging flavors can be subjective. You may not agree with some of our reviews, or perhaps different branches of the same chain may have varying quality. Also, you might be screaming right now that we have not reviewed a particular restaurant. Please leave us comments on your thoughts or which fries we should review next! We are on a mission. And we will continue on this journey for all of us.

Having over 500 locations, most of which are in the west side of the United States, Del Taco has thrived in becoming a competitor to joints like Taco Bell and Chipotle, competing in the branch of Mexican fast food. Del Taco’s wide array of foods including everything from your general tacos and burritos to shakes has been something the chain specializes in, while priding themselves with the fact that Del Taco locations are working kitchens, where workers prepare real ingredients from scratch every day. This fresh preparation and cooking also seems to shine through as their crinkled fries are seen as one of the best things available at Del Taco locations. As a matter of fact, Del Taco fries received #1 in USA Today's Best Fast Food Fries so we had to try these out. Del Taco in Manteca, CA. The lime green contrasts well with the crisp blue sky! There isn't a single operational Del Taco in the Bay Area within a 50 mile radius, though there were a handful in the past that have now all closed. Hence the team decided to travel to San Joaquin County where the chain seems to still be thriving. Here is our review of the Del Taco fries! Texture (8/10) The fries had a surprising amount of crisp along the golden edges of the crinkle cut ridges. The fries produced a great crunch as well, which was supported by an interior that had just the right amount of stuffing to adequately bolster the superb crisp and crunch of the fry. Although the crisp was near perfect out of what can be seen of a crinkle cut fry, the crunch could have been bolstered with double frying. But we are nit picking at this point. All in all, the texture was fabulous and Del Taco has definitely taken advantage of the increased surface to volume ratio of crinkle cut fries. Texture of Del Taco crinkled fries. They look awesome! Flavor (6/10) The fries seemed to have only the average salting, which coated the exterior nicely, but of which was lacking slightly. Although this could have been due to cooking methods, the interior of the fry was also slightly bland. There were no other seasonings except for salt. The fries also went quite well with ketchup, however, which was good as it fulfilled the message at the back of the carton that explained why Del Taco used crinkle fries, which was to hold sauces better. Shape (6/10) The last time we were impressed by crinkle cut fries was with Sonic's Groovy Fries. However, Del Taco's take on the crinkle shape is subtle yet different. The ridges for Del Taco fries are more clear and pronounced due to not using any batter for the skin and the fries, although adequately thick, had a slender width to length ratio. We were happy that the fries were a bit more orderly than some of the shards of potato seen from other fast-food joints. The structure was solid, and did not fall apart in the hands. Unfortunately, the fries were inconsistent in size, some being a stubby chips while others being long and lanky, which reduced their score. We suspect this is because Del Taco is crinkle cutting natural portatoes than using ground up puree, but we cannot be sure. These are beautifully shaped crinkle cut fries. Presentation (7/10) The carton the fries were received in was quite large, stood upright by itself well, and most likely to fulfill the purpose of holding the fries vertically. We seldom see this type of a carton but again, was impressed at the thoughtfulness as crinkle cut fries tend to take up more space to pack. We were just a bit disappointed that the fries did not stand upright and feel a bit more attention to detail could have boosted the scores. The carton also had a message printed on the back referenced earlier explaining why Del Taco uses crinkle cut fries in particular, which we really appreciated. According to the message the, ridges were to hold the various sauces that Del Taco offered. Given that the fries were engineered for sauces, we wonder why they don't do a better job helping customers try various sauces. Why not have a sauce taster / platter add-on? Del Taco fries are served in a cup-like tall carton that can stand stable. We love how the color of the fries and the yellow in the carton go perfectly together. Experience (9/10) The fries cost $4.50, which we believe is fantastic value considering the quantity and how it tasted. We truly reviewing and munching Del Taco's fries. On top of that, the fries also blended nicely with the rest of the meal, being a complement as well as the star of the show. Along with the price, how it tasted, how it supported other menu items, and the presentation, and all of this being delivered fast, the experience was quite memorable. We also need to give a shout out to the consistent lime green interior accents and the California baja / surf themed design language. Even the exterior sported the lime green color and the orange golden sun. Such intentional consistency absolutely raises the experience. Texture 8 Flavor 6 Shape 6 Presentation 7 Experience 9 Overall 7.2 / 10 Beach, punk, surf feel with lime green interior. Refreshing and energizing. Conclusion To summarize, Del Taco has provided a fry in which the aspects of what makes a good fry were fulfilled adequately. The fries had good texture, as they were crispy and crunchy, along with having a sturdy shape and structure, which helped it support other items on the menu, all for the very reasonable price of $4.50. They were presented in a carton engineered for this purpose, following a clear design language spanning from the exterior, interior, and food packaging. Del Taco's fries are amazing, and one of the best fries we have ever reviewed. Classical fast-food layout. Lime green version of Taco Bell?

It has been a year since we reviewed the fries from McDonald’s: a classic, everyday fast-food chain that has defined what fast-food looks like throughout the world. Our McDonald's fries review from 2025, scoring 6.0, served as the ultimate benchmark to calibrate all fries thereon after. So you can really say we have emotions when we think about the brand and its golden arches. In the past year, we have also reviewed McDonald's fries from other parts of the world - Japan (3.0), Korea (3.6), UK (4.0), etc. to name a few, and quickly realized that their fries do not taste equal but rather vary widely in our scoring system. And yes, no country yet has defeated the US benchmark. However, after 47 fries reviewed and counting, we feel that our palates and rating system could have evolved and drifted. Also, perhaps McDonald's themselves too have tweaked their recipes over time. Since McDonald’s fries serve as the yardstick for all other reviews, it is essential that we recalibrate our benchmark and standards. So here is the recalibration review of McDonald's fries. Texture (6 → 6/10) Hot and fresh, the fries were nice and crisp, and although that is true, the crunch was a little bit of a let down, as the satisfying feeling of crunching down on a nice, fresh fry was not fulfilled. Although the crunch was missing some luster, the innards were well done, and the interior to exterior ratio was acceptable, having just enough inside to compensate for the crisp on the exterior. You really have to make an effort to not do texture well on a McDonald's fries. They have perfected the process for consistency throughout thousands of locations. Flavor (6 → 5/10) The outside of the fry was salted with no other seasonings, as this is the classic fries we all have come to accept, although a little bit more salt would have been appreciated. Unfortunately, the crisp on the outside paired with the slight lacking of salt created a dry and arid flavor, which was boring as there were no other seasonings on the fry. However, there was still a prominent enjoyable oily taste to each fry, which helped compensate. McDonald's has kept their recipe just the same, except this branch may have salted it slightly less. Shape (7 → 4/10) The fries were slightly thinner than a finger about the length of one, too. Although the fries were easy to grab and did not slip out of the fingers, they were very inconsistent in size, as some were as long as a pencil while others were about as long as a thumbnail. The fries were also floppy, bending and turning at various angles, but surprisingly, keeping shape and not falling apart. This is the category that is taking a 3 points hit. No more are the incredibly long golden sticks primed for dipping in ketchup. Perhaps McDonald's is using a different type of potato or a slightly thinner cutter. Again, quite disappointing to see quality erosion here. The shape is highligh inconsistent. This means that we have a wider variance in potatoe sizes. Presentation (3 → 2/10) The fries were presented in a paper bag, which, firstly for the large size of fries did not give as many portions as thought, but also wasn’t the signature McDonald’s carton, which is made so the fries can nicely fit into the carton and stay standing. The standing fries are indeed the hallmark of McDonald's fries, so much so that the fries emoji 🍟 itself is exactly that. Somehow McDonald's continues to ignore this and carry on the tradition. This paper bag, along with not containing as many fries as it should, also could not stand upright and was small, floppy, and frankly boring. We believe this is truly a missed opportunity and hope McDonald's addresses this fast. The presentation is quite sad, especially as we know what it used to be. Experience (8 → 6/10) Although the fries themselves weren’t as special as this blog is supposed to highlight, they did do a decent job in assisting the other items on the menu. These items included the burgers, wraps, and especially the nuggets, going well with McDonald’s various dips. Texture 6 Flavor 5 Shape 4 Presentation 2 Experience 6 Overall 4.6 / 10 Conclusion In conclusion, this new and updated calibration of McDonald’s fries have proven that fries from the same brand doesn't necessarily have the same flavor and score, whether this be variance between branches or quality of potato changing over harvest years. Also, perhaps, our taste palates may have evolved throughout our journey in running The Fries Blog. This benchmarking has left McDonald’s with a nearly one and a half point score drop from the previous review, which in our overall ranking scale is huge. Out of many reasons to be degraded, the fries missed an essential crunch, were inconsistent in size, and failed to be delivered in the classic carton that is so well known visually and useful for making it stand. For these reasons, McDonald's, although still the benchmark, has significantly lowered the bar for what we would call an “average” fry. This is a sad moment for fries lovers as the average American will now have to consume a lower scoring fry as their everday benchmark.

With over 20 stores in California and Arizona, The Melt is a small, premium fast-food chain known for their gourmet food and melty burgers. The brand started in 2011 focusing on groumet grilled cheese and tomato soup but over time has expanded into a burger brand with their flagship "MeltBurger", made with Angus and Wagyu beef. We are huge fans of high quality ingredients and thus were curious how their potato sticks stand out. Let’s see if their fries are as good as how they make the rest of the menu sound like. Here is our review of The Melt's fries. Retro-style logo proudly hung at the main entrance at Stanford Shopping Center, CA. The Melt offers 4 types of fries (garlic parmasean, cheddar bacon ranch, sweet potato, and regular) out of the gate, perhaps the most extensive based on all the restaurants we have reviewed. Obviously we had to review the basic variant first. We also ordered the Garlic Parmasean Fries as well. Texture (5/10) The fries are not that floppy, but they do not have much crisp despite their rigid golden looks, and have only a little bit of crunch. There is something almost fluffy and airy about the overall biting experience though. And perhaps because the stuffing is slightly below average; there is not much of it in various pockets. Perhaps the potatoes were cut too thin but there were numerous areas where the stick looked shriveled. Texture seems to be solid with visible crisp. Flavor (4/10) The fries had chopped dry parsley dusted on them, but it didn’t add any flavor to the fries. We really tried to close our eyes and taste the seasoning but couldn't. They are definitely more effective as a visual garnish rather than enhancing the flavor. The fries had a decent amount of salt, though it leaned more on the weaker side. We could tell that the potatoes were not the issue as they offered fresh and wholesome potato flavors. These fries just look great, which makes the disappointment bigger, as they barely qualify average in the taste department. Shape (5/10) The fries are not uniform in many ways, from length to width, to the degree of floppiness as well as the texture, although this can be expected when you leave the skin on a natural cut fry. Many are short and stubby, and others are longer and floppy. At certain points in some sticks, there is no stuffing causing the flop. The thickness is comparable to your average McDonald’s fries, but the consistency needs more work. Again, we recognize that natural cut fries that use the entire potato may have these variances but it is also easily observed that shape is not a priority at The Melt. There is lack of consistency in shape, despite the length being on the shorter side. Presentation (6/10) The fries are served in their own baking-like tray. This metal tray seems to be standard for everything The Melt serves, whether burgers, milkshakes, or fries. The tray has a flat carton container, lined with parchment paper, and the fries are laid on top. The parsley on the fries adds a visual effect that makes them look fancier, but like we said earlier, that is just a visual effect. We did not see much effort in trying to make the fries look nice, nor oragnized. Rather they were just dumped into the container in a hurry from the fryer. Again, at this premium fast-food restaurant, we were expecting a bit more care and attention to detail. The fries are presented in a flat boat-like carton with paper lining. The green parsley sprinkles standout on the golden sticks. Experience (5/10) The Melt at the Stanford Shopping Center is absolutely in a premier location. Lots of foot traffic and we always see a line out the door. The interior is a bit smaller than the crowd but also, the outdoor seating area definitely is a fabulous way to hang out. Such an upscale fast-food dining experience though is marred by the large crowd, as well as subpar service. You order on a machine, and wait for your number or name to be called. No table service. Just a huge crowd hanging around the pickup area. Now, unlike everything else on the menu which felt overpriced, the fries were just $3~$5, which surprised us a bit. At The Fries Blog, we always appreciate good value. Now here is the blemish that cannot be overlooked. We ordered both the regular and Garlic Parmasean fries, but they gave us two regular fries by mistake. We only realized this after we got back to the table, and due to the crowd, we lost the will to go ask for a replacement. Not only that, they entirely missed a chicken salad we had also ordered. Clearly, their kitchen is running in a subpar manner. More disappointingly, the entire order was printed on the stickers attached to the tray so whoever is placing the food in it isn't paying attention. Texture 5 Flavor 4 Shape 5 Presentation 6 Experience 5 Overall 5.0 / 10 Lots of homage to baseball and orange certainly remind you of the SF Giants! Conclusion The Melt has some great items on the menu, but their regular fries are not their forte. Perhaps the original receipe was a lot more deliberate to stand out but there is a lot of room for improvement even from the basic sense. The fries could have had actual seasoning, not just visual decorations, and they could be cut longer and thicker with sturdier stuffing. Now considering the price though, these aren’t too bad. And we highly recommend the restaurant tighten up a bit running their kitcken.

Since being discontinued by KFC in 2020, the highly demanded KFC Potato Wedges have made an abrupt return in August of 2025, which was long awaited by many customers. As these wedges were noted to be available while supplies last, grabbing them while they were still on the menu was critical. Especially, we have recently reviewed Gregg's Southern Wedges so it would be a great comparison. Will KFC’s recent reinstation of their wedges be their “A-game” in the spotlight, or will they not be worthy of the 5 year wait? Here is our review of KFC Potato Wedges. KFC in Redwood City, CA along El Camino Real. Texture (7/10) The sides of the potato crisped along the vast mountain range of ridge and crystallized along the wide open body of the wedge, especially at the peaks where the crisp had condensed the most. The wedge seemed to have been crisped using some sort of batter, as the crisp was evenly spread and had a bit of bumps in certain some areas. The batter covering the whole wedge gave a decadent crunch, espeically at the edges and the sharp ridges which we loved. The innards were warm and soft, although sometimes being too thick due to the sheer width of the slice. At certain points, we were just chewing through cooked potato. We want to say that the thickeness complimented the well cloaked exterior but occasionally we found slices where it resembles more of a boat than a wedge. These are huge wedges. Exterior has a clear crisp layer. Interior is just a slice of potato. Flavor (6/10) The flat and thinner edges of the wedge were seasoned quite well, as the seasoning was primarily applied in the exterior. But since the core of the wedge was much thicker than a regular fry, some wedges, which were not seasoned as thoroughly, suffered from a lack of flavor especially towards that middle of potato. At this thickness, there just does not seem to be a way to preserve the flavor on the exterior while you get to the middle which was just pure potato. And with a natural cut, there is no way to seep flavor into the body itself. The outside, though, which received the most flavor from the seasoning was very flavorful; we tasted paprika, garlic and pepper. Shape (6/10) The wedges were quite big, which meant correspondingly large potatoes were used. The wedges themselves were thick and curved, made to hold the gravy that KFC makes alongside the wedges to be eaten together. Although the wedges were larger than regular fries, a consequence of that was the not being very consistent in shape in comparison to one another, as they had to make use of the entire potato. Although visually not consistent, we did appreciate the thinner slices as they did not suffer the bland innards symptom. Perhaps KFC should intentionally create "thin" wedges intentionally. These wedges are huge. They are literally slices of a large round potato, sometimes cut too thick. Presentation (6/10) KFC Potato Wedges came in a tall, thick and wide carton cup. Because the wedges are quite a bit larger than regular fries, the carton needed to be much bigger to hold a decent amount of wedges. From far, it almost looked like a small popcorn container that you would see at the movies. In general, we would say the presentation was quite solid and interesting. The more easier method would have been to put them in a flat container (like Greggs) but we appreciated KFC's effort in making the wedges "stand tall". The only issue is that visually they don't look particularly organized or appetizing and it is just a bucket of wedges. Potato Wedges comes in a huge carton, sort of like those you get for popcorn in the movies. Experience (8/10) The wedges, which were very crunchy and flavorful, actually complimented the chicken at KFC quite well. We could tell that the wedges were intentionally designed to harmonize well with the chicken, and the slightly salted wedge exterior combined with the KFC's original fried chicken was very enjoyable. And for a reasonable price of about $4.99, the experience was a one that was well valued. As far as the in-store experience, it seems like KFC branches are going through a interior revamp leaning on its heritage and paying homage to Colonel Sanders. We really like this direction, excuted in a witty way, as it gives the brand a feel of transformation, yet staying truthful to the art of fried chicken. Texture 7 Flavor 6 Shape 6 Presentation 6 Experience 8 Overall 6.6 / 10 We like the these new retro-style posters that pay homage to KFC's history with a bit of pun. Conclusion KFC’s Potato Wedges ended up making a very well done comeback. These wedges are fresh with great crisp, have adequately seasoned exterior, made with large, natural cut potatoes, and plus, are a great value for the money. KFC's regular fries are also ranked highly, but we believe they put quite a bit of effort in resurrecting these wedges to be bold and different. We recognize that and appreciate such efforts. It says that KFC will only serve this product while supplies last. Hoping that they consider permanently bringing them back, as well as tightening the wedge slicer to create a bit more thinner pieces. We love the homage to Colonel Sanders!

Buffalo Wild Wings, also known as B-Dubs, is perhaps the largest is sports-bar chain in the country, boasting over 1,200 stores in America. They are known primarily for their amazing chicken wings and sauces, and of course, the large screens in every direction you look. Given its sports-bar status, it did not cross our minds that we should review their fries, until one of our close friend told us it was her favorite brand for fries. When someone puts their reputation with such claims, we feel obliged to review it. Here is our review of Buffalo Wild Wings fries. Buffalo Wild Wings in San Jose, CA., near Westfield Oakridge. It was our first time at B-Dubs and we weren't sure what to expect. It was quite clear that they took the "buffalo" theme quite seriously. And yes, as a proper sports-bar, it was dark with many screens. But we also thought it was well balanced for being a restaurant on days without games. It felt more modern than what we expected. They are clearly leaning in heavy on their buffalo motif. Texture (8/10) The fries are super crispy and with quite a bit of crunch. From the very first bite, we knew we were in for a treat. They are golden brown, and they hold up well to any load of sauces or ketchup being dipped. The slender profile is balanced with the stuffing not being too mushy, and the fries don’t flop at all. These are natural cut fries, and you can clearly see the skin left on these, especially on the tips. When you bite into them, you can feel the high crisp, crunch, and quality that makes up these fries. Again, the texture of these fries are stellar. You can see the crisp and rigidity on the fries! Flavor (8/10) The fries are well salted, maybe even too salty for some, but they are full of flavor. They also have some pepper dusted on them. It’s not super spicy, but rather just an interesting kick. What is unique about B-Dubs fries is that they use really big coarse salt and big pepper flakes that we have not seen anywhere else. What this does is it provides a punchy flavor whenever the granules are present, while giving your palate a break for areas that do not have them. Even though the flavor profile is really simple, these parts with the coarse granules stimulates your taste buds, and they’re really good. They make you reach for more before you finish your first. Look at the coarse salt they use. No where else have we seen these big crystals. Shape (8/10) B-Dubs fries are thinner than your average fry, but their length is remarkable. The fries are a lot longer than most fries, and even with such length, they hold up because there’s enough stuffing to hold them up while the exterior is crispy. Some fries are curved, which shows that Buffalo Wild Wings stays true to the shape of their potatoes, and because of this, you’ll also find some small chip-like bits at the bottom. We are quite impressed with the consistency of the shape. This is as good as it gets with natural cut, classic fries. The sticks are consistent, relatively straight, and are handsome fries! Presentation (6/10) The fries are served in a metal tray, like the rest of the food. It seems like this cafeteria-style tray is the base serving plate of all of B-Dubs food. And this makes sense when the chances of these trays falling off the table is high on a rowdy game day. The fries are all by itself in a single tray and you get a good amount of fries. We appreciated the fact that the fries were presented to be "over-flowing" as much as possible. There is some wax paper underneath which probably allows the tray to be quickly loaded as well as cleaned. Since this is a sit-down restaurant, you’re not gonna get a McDonald's style carton. We did not see any other special presentation to call out. The metal plate or tray is the hallmark of Buffalo Wild Wings. Experience (7/10) The fries cost about $9, which we think is a bit expensive for what you’re getting, but considering that it is a proper restaurant with amenities like TVs, we feel it is justifiable. The service was friendly, the fries arrived fast, and as we said above, they were great fries. But we also think they could have had just a bit more quantity given the price. We felt great dining at B-Dubs for a quick lunch, despite it was primarily designed as a sports-bar. Finally, the fries complemented their wings with perfection. Texture 8 Flavor 8 Shape 8 Presentation 6 Experience 7 Overall 7.4 / 10 Classic unapologetic sports bar interior with lots of screens! Conclusion We could never have imagined a sports-bar chain would serve such amazing fries. But here we are after experience Buffalo Wild Wings. It is French Fries done right in its most classical form, natural cut, with honest coarse salt and pepper. These indeed are one of the best fries we have reviewed, way above the average we typically review. Again, the texture and taste is where these fries really shine, only possible with the perfect ratio of thickness, frying time, and seasoning. If Buffalo Wild Wings were to slightly increase the quantity and present the sticks with a bit more intention, we feel this indeed could be a top spot contender.

The Fries Blog team continues our UK tour this week. Our highest ranking fries that we have ever reviewed is Five Guys . And of course, when we saw Five Guys in London, we had to try it out. It seems like Five Guys now has over 150 locations in the UK and is growing fast. So, are these worthy of the top spot or do they disappoint their American siblings? Although we had our hopes high, we recognize that Five Guys Australia did not fare well . In addition, fries from McDonald's UK were lacking salt and grease, falling to banality. Let's review Five Guys UK fries today. Five Guys near Trafalgar Square in London, next to Charing Cross Station. Texture (5/10) The fries were solid and crispy, having the same potato skin that is seen on the US version. The skin gave a decent but average crunch, perhaps a bit chewy in places. The fries in the US definitely have some type of crunchy batter covering the exterior but the UK variant didn't seem to have it. The fries was also quite dry, so although the sticks had a decent crisp and crunch, each bite was increasingly boring and unsatisfactory. The crisp gave no meaning to the fry, as the texture was desolate and plain. We couldn't help but start making parallels to In-N-Out Burger fries , which we typically describe as chewing cardboard. Not as bad as In-N-Out, but was definitely pointing in that style. Natural cut fries with plenty of skin. The sticks were really dry, starting to feel a bit like chewing on cardboard. Flavor (3/10) The fries were super bland. We were basically eating a fried, chopped potato, with minimal moisture and virtually no salt. Despite the hallmark of Five Guys fries being double-fried with peanut oil, we felt no grease, making the fries desolate without character. This is quite similar to how McDonald's fries in the UK fared - bland, no salt, and grease. Recall that Five Guys US was able to score 7 on flavor with a healthy dose of salt and peanut oil, married to quality potatoes. Well, in the UK, there is not much to say about the flavor, because there is nothing to taste except the potato itself. Fortunately, we believe at least the potatoes were of high quality. Shape (5/10) The fries held good structure, and were generally equally sized. Although they had good consistency, the fries were nowhere near the length of the fries from their siblings in the US, where many sticks were actually longer than our hands. Compared to that, those in the UK were short and thick, reminding us of human fingers. We do appreciate that the shorter pieces are mostly the natural cut edges along the surface of the potato seen by the skin covering them. However, due to its lack of moisture, the sticks are often crinkled as if tigtened with shrink wrap, making their shape not visually pleasing. The sticks were straight and quite consistent, especially given they are natural cut. The surface is not smoth due to the lack of moisture. Presentation (9/10) The fries were served in the signature tall white cup, with plenty more in the brown bag. Just like the US, they intentionally dump more fries in the bag, rather then relying on a few sticks spilling over. This is the only aspect of these fries that is exactly like the top scoring Five Guys in the US. Because the fries were shorter, the presentation was not as impressive and jaw-dropping as the US but this is perhaps the best they could have done given the local potato sizes. Again, we were super happy to see the traditional Five Guys presentation being preserved and respected. Just like the US, a tall cup with plenty of extra in the bag. Experience (3/10) The fries were about £ 8 ($11), which is an extremely high price for fries. This came in as a shock because although we were expecting high prices in Five Guys than others, McDonald's UK came in actually cheaper than their US versions. So we thought we would be paying about £ 5. At least at the high price, they do give quite a bit more quantity with the bag fries. However, so does the US. Again, we were scratching our heads a bit on the pricing structure. Also, the entire store was overtly trying to be "American", not that Five Guys is not an American chain, but almost coming across as too much, making the entire interior feel unnatural. We understand perhaps their positioning is to give UK customers an authentic American burger experience. But again, posters and news articles from the US plastered all over the store doesn't quite help with that mission. Five Guys UK is trying too hard to be "authentic". It is beyond awkard how much they try to show that they are American. Texture 5 Flavor 3 Shape 5 Presentation 9 Experience 3 Overall 5.0 / 10 Conclusion Unforunately, we have to report that Five Guys UK fries were nowhere near as good as our #1 ranking fries. These potatoes lacked so much grease and sodium, not to mention that there was no flavor nor seasoning at all. The only thing that put a smile on our faces is their presentation exactly mirror why the US versions were great, but other than that, these fries cannot be considered as the same brand. We left disappointed, perhaps because of our high expectations, but also we believed Five Guys would have made more effort to allow UK customers to taste the goodness of America's best fries.

You cannot talk about fast-food in the UK without mentioning Greggs. Trying out Greggs was one of the main reason for The Fries Blog team to travel to the UK, especially given that Greggs does not operate any stores outside of the country. Many of our readers may have never heard of Greggs, but it is a cultural icon and a daily staple in the UK, operating over 2,500 stores! Greggs defines fast-food in the UK. Greggs in King's Cross Station in London. Greggs is not your typical fast-food restaurant like McDonald's. They offer pastries, donuts, coffee, salads, and much more. Not all stores offer their Hot Food menu but it includes pizzas, chicken and yes, fries in the form of “potato wedges”. Officially they are called Southern Fried Potato Wedges but nevertheless they qualify as fries under our definition. So let’s see if Greggs, a local bakery / breakfast fast-food chain, can actually compete in a field it may not have been made for. Here is our review of Greggs Southern Fried Potato Wedges. Texture (7/10) The wedges have a lot of crisp, and some decent crunch too. The structure solid and takes the form of a true wedge. The pieces are literally a natural cut wedge from a short and round potato with the skin. Thus there isn't any flop. The inside is on the mushy side, but they are proper wedges afterall. Overall, this texture is pretty good. The only thing that Greggs needs to add here is a bit more crunch. We think perhaps if they were consumed fresh, literally out of the fryer, it may have been better. Look at the golden bumpy crispy wedges with peels attached. And the innards are wholesome. Flavor (5/10) The wedges are lightly seasoned which gives a seriously orangish red color that is prominent. Given it is branded "southern", we expected a bit of a spicey kick with a Tex-Mex flavor profile. The wedges tasted like they had a slight spice to them, probably including garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper. This gave them a rounded spicy garlic and pepper taste, not too strong but prominent, which accompanied pretty nicely with the crunch on the outside. The issue was with the salt levels. There was again absolutely minimal salt in the seasoning which made the flavor profile unbalanced and left us craving for finding a missing puzzle. This was the second fries in the UK where we feel that there is a genuine dearth of salt. Is this coincidence? Shape (7/10) The fries are wedges, and average sized, but the thing here is that they look like an orange. To achieve this, they use orange-sized round potatoes and natural cut thick wedges, exactly like orange slices. The danger here is that the exterior to interior ratio becomes lobsided towards the innards, which in turn tends to make the flavor bland. But Greggs has gone for the pure orange slice look and feel. The spices and seasoning on the fries add to the facade, giving them an orange color, which from far away literally looks like an orange! We don’t see wedge fries much, so it is always nice when we do. And these are proper! The shape is exactly like a slice of orange! Perhaps more of a mandarin orange? Presentation (6/10) The presentation was interesting, as since Greggs is a bakery chain, the wedges were being kept at temperature and stored on a heat controlled shelf in the store. This was interesting as although the wedges were probably still made fresh, they must have been stored there for some time, so the wedges didn’t have the heat that that first bite of a fry always has. The wedges also came in an interesting container, sort of like a hotdog carton but with a transparent plastic covering, that had clear openings from the side. We believe this is because Greggs want customers to see the content yet also allow the heat and steam out. The container does not do a good job holding in the wedges, so they would spill out of carried at an angle. We scratched our heads on how to eat this, whether to stick our fingers from the gap of the plastic cover or to open up one end. There was definitely a lot of effort put into the presentation but we are still not sure whether it is functional and intuitive. The wedges are served in a elongated carton with transparent plastic on top. We are still not sure how to eat these wedges properly. Experience (7/10) Greggs, being a bakery-first chain, does not seem to be preparing the food as the order comes in (like your traditional fast-food at McDonald's or Five Guys). Many of the items seem to be produced centrally and displayed for a grab and go experience like Dunkin Donuts. We were curious how they would handle the hot food and indeed, they stuck to the playbook. Yes, these hot food items may have been manufactured at large scale at a factory but the local store seems to be at least frying them before placing it on the shelf. Now, the fries were priced at just £ 1.80 per container, which we believe is a very good deal for what you get. The experience of getting the fries out of the heated shelf for fries was a definite first for us. It was interesting to be able to choose the pack of fries visually first. And yes, grab and go was extremely fast! And the food was actually quite warm so either they are continuously making it fresh and replenshing the shelf or the heated shelf with warm air spewed from the top is highly effective. Even hot food is offered as grab and go. What about the fries though? Even fries are offered as grab and go at Greggs! Texture 7 Flavor 5 Shape 7 Presentation 6 Experience 7 Overall 6.4 / 10 Conclusion Overall, the fries, along with having both a great exterior and a decent interior texture, combined with a nice paprika-garlic seasoning, was very well rounded, espeically given that it was sitting on a shelf for at least some amount of time. We still feel that the appropriate level of salt could have truly enhanced the flavor more and are wondering why we continuously find low sodium fries across the UK. The shape was unique, looking and being the size of an actual slice of orange, as well as its presentation in an inventive container. Greggs definitely beat our expectations in many ways and was absolutely a joy to review. There are lots of items to choose from at Greggs

This week, we're in UK - London to be precise. And of course, anywhere we visit, we must review the benchmark : McDonald's fries. So far, the records are not in favor for McDonald's overseas where it has repeatedly disappointed with its Japanese , Korean , and Australian counterparts. Will the UK avenge its fallen cousins or will it fall victim to yet another bad fries from abroad? Here is our review of McDonald's UK fries. McDonald's at Brompton Rd in London, UK Texture (4/10) The arid, dry and slightly crisp surface of the fry had little to no moisture at all, and was very parched, which would come back to bite the overall flavor profile of the fry as the saltiness would fail it. Despite the quite dry surface of the exterior, the potato itself had no crunch at all, giving a very unsatisfying bite. After biting into the fry however, the interior was noticeably less mushy than all other McDonald's fries reviewed so far. Weak crisp and crunch. The sticks had decent innards. Flavor (3/10) The fry had no seasoning or salt whatsoever, and that paired with the dry, unsatisfying texture of the fry made the extremely bland. Although there was an absence of saltiness, it seemed to actually have a permeating potato essence to it, tasting more natural than other fries, and more like an actual potato. The potato flavor was short-lived though, as it faded into the background with each bite. Another main characteristic we noticed was how little oil the fries had on their exterior. It almost felt like these fries were air-fried, which did not help the mundane flavor profile. We were so intrigued by this that we actually took a picture of the empty carton to see how much oil and grease smears it had (and we compare that to the US version). After eating the fries enough, the fries were just redundant, each one being less tastier than the last as the tongue became accustomed to its predictable and uninspiring flavor. Less oil and salt may have been intentional to make the fries healthier? The carton on the left is from the US McDonald's fries ( source ). The one on the right is its UK counterpart. You can clearly see the difference in the amount of oil. There's barely any oil in the UK version while the US fries soaks the carton. Shape (8/10) The shape of the fries was actually quite well-rounded, and nice. The fry was longer than a finger, nice and thick. The fries had these attributes while also maintaining this shape consistently for every fry and had no clumps or irregular short fries mixed into the fray. This standard shape is what has defined the McDonald's benchmark in the US, but we believe the UK version is slightly more properly executed, thanks to the ever so slight extra thickness than its US counterpart. The shape is solid and resembles its counterpart in the US. Presentation (3/10) Thankfully, the fries came in the classic red carton, not a paper bag, which are meant to stand upwards opening towards the top, with vertial fries placement. Unfortunately though, the fries were placed in a random, messy way into the carton, not the organized, inviting position they are in the ads. The two cartons we ordered also lay flat on the tray, not leaned or upright next to the burgers. This to us is blasphemy and the ultimate betrayal to the McDonald's way of presnting fries. To make matters worse, as the fries lay scattered on the tray, it seemed like they orginated from cartons filled to the brim. But when held upright, the carton was nowhere near to the brim, which just poses as an example of the attention to detail and the feeling of being short-changed. The fries came laid flat on the tray. Typically you stand them up. The carton was not filled to its brim. Experience (2/10) Since the fries themselves did not have any flavor, they barely contributed to the meal entirely, serving just as empty calories with no flavor in them. The fries actually downgraded the experience, as they were received in a lopsided position squirming all over the carton, and actually was not very hefty in the amount of fries there were per portion. We do feel the price was reasonable though, at about £ 2.30 or $3.00. Texture 4 Flavor 3 Shape 8 Presentation 3 Experience 2 Overall 4.0 / 10 Conclusion Although Australia is a great spot for zoos, wildlife, beaches and fun, McDonald's isn't a specialty for fries, or "crisps" as the locals say it. Every aspect of the fries were mediocre or worse. Though the fries were not as bad as those of McDonald's in Korea or Japan, we could not help but feel disappointed. We were not able to observe much effort, especially in the presentation. We suggest that if you ever go to Australia, go for the koalas and the kangaroos, but feel free to skip the fries from McDonald's. Digital ordering kiosks lin the wall and the counter is largely for delivery.

Last time, we reviewed Starbird Chicken , the rising premium fast-food chain from Silicon Valley. And when we were reviewing their fries, we also saw "Okonomiyaki Fries" on the menu which we thought was interesting. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake from a flour and cabbage batter topper with a sweet-savory sauce and mayo. So we were genuinely curious what Okonomiyaki Fries might be. Hence we visited Starbird Chicken again. We head back to Starbird in Foster City, CA. However, upon arrival, we realized that the Okonomiyaki Fries were nowhere to be found. And in its place was "Chimichurri Fries"! It seems like these special gourmet fries was part of some type of seasonal menu. For those who are unfamiliar with chimichurri, it’s a fresh herb sauce made from parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar. It has a fresh, tangy, and herbal taste. We have never seen fries with a chimichurri version, so again, we were curious about these fries. So here is our review of Starbird's Chimichurri Fries. These are the Chimichurri Fries. A lot is going on visually. Texture (3/10) Like the original fries, they had no crisp or crunch, like biting a soggy rag. The fries lacked some stuffing in the middle of the fries. The fries still had the skin of a natural cut fry, which we appreciate, but still, the texture was not great. Obviously, putting chimichurri all over the fries would most likely make the texture even worse, making them soggy. However, the chimichurri was not watery and rather felt like they coated the potato sticks with gooey slime. We're happy to report that the sticks could be picked up by hand and will hold until your mouth, even with chimichurri on it. Chimichurri layered on top had tons of parsley, parmasean and garlic sprinkles. The fries stick held up well. Flavor (5/10) The chimichurri was evenly spread on the fries, but there was not much of it to cover the layers underneath, so you didn’t taste it that much on many of the sticks. So much of it was basically like their normal fries, bland without salt. But, for the upper layer that had a decent amount of chimichurri, the fries were tangy and herbal, and the parmasean sprinkles went well with it. It is definitely a flavor that not everyone would be a fan of. But we think it’s pretty good, especially as a seasonal entry for spring/summer. Also, the chimichurri sauce added a bit of salt which was desperately needed on both the regular and the seasonal fries. The Chimichurri Fries also comes with a chimichurri sauce. Shape (7/10) Given that chimichurri was poured on top of regular fries, we can safely assume that the fries maintain their long, slightly thick, and straight shape. And again, we really appreciate the natural cut with skin attached at the tips and the side; a streak of brown on a golden fry that makes it look natural. In the center, sometimes there would be no stuffing, making the sticks bend slightly, but other than that, the fries held up well, and had good shape, even with the herbs and parmasean sprinked on top. Presentation (7/10) The fries are served in the same tray-container that they serve their chicken in. It opens up into a tray-like shape, it’s shallow and white, with the logo on it. This container is surprisingly big and thanks to the spread-out nature, chimichurri can be evenly spread, and the fries look super appetizing. It certainly gives off a premium gourmet fries vibe. Something premium and special. The only problem with this presentation is that your fingers will get covered in chimichurri. Yes, you can use a fork but also something doesn't feel right when we eat fries with forks. Placed on top of the yellow striped tray paper, and next to other dishes, the presentation probably is as good as it gets. The fries came next to the Thai Chicken Salad. Both are substantial in their presence. Experience (5/10) The fries cost significantly more than the regular version; almost double the price. This may make sense at first given the chimichurri spread on top. But then we started wondering, why not just order the regular fries and buy the chimichurri sauce on the side? This would cost way less and have similar taste profile. And we also don't think the wide container contains that much more quantity than their cup. So we think that Starbird's Chimichurri Fries are not a good deal. And yes, we absolutely leveraged the Starbird sauce which saved the bland sticks of the lower layer in the tray. Texture 3 Flavor 5 Shape 7 Presentation 7 Experience 5 Overall 5.4 / 10 Conclusion Starbird's Chimichurri Fries is a noble attempt at creating something new, just like how Silicon Valley creates quirky products sometimes (ie. Humane AI Pin ). But we couldn't help feel like we were testers on a beta release. The fries scored less than the original fries as the sauce does not add much pizzazz to the fries. And again, you can just buy the sauce separately if you wanted some chimichurri flavor with your fries, so we don’t think it’s worth the price. We were again a bit disappointed with Starbird. We think with more care and flavor tuning, these fries could’ve been really good. But like the original fries, it just does not live up to the potential.

Starbird is a fast-growing, “super-premium” fast-food chain, that has about 20 locations, mainly in California. It was founded in the heart of Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, CA) in 2016 with the belief that fried chicken hadn't reached its full potential. Supposedly they spent years refining a crispier, lighter breading and creating sauces and flavors that felt more "chef-driven" than fast food. Understandably, Starbird is popular for their chicken sandwiches. But why aren't their fries not talked about much? We were extremely excited to visit Starbird to see if their fries too were super-premium, and hopefully mind-blowing, as their overall restaurant philosophy. Here is the Starbird logo. Clean-lined chicken head. We found a Starbird in Foster City, CA. We were greeted by a clean and modern tech-feeling logo and brand, showing the design roots to Silicon Valley and big tech companies. At first sight, we almost just drove by it because it just does not look like a fried chicken fast-food chain. The tagline of "positively delicious chicken" put on a parking entrance pillar really makes it look like a tech company building. Will their fries also be positively delicious? Here is our review of Starbird Chicken fries. "Positively delicious chicken" it is! Texture (3/10) Starbird fries is the living evidence that premium quality does not always mean greatness. The fries had no crisp and barely any crunch, leading to a mashed potato- like feeling. In addition, the filling was too pasty and even then there was not much of it to begin with. Something we appreciated was the natural cut fres with the full potato skin on the sticks that were near the peel, but this could not save the disastrous overall texture. This really was a bummer because we could clearly see that the potatoes were of high quality and the way they were cut was thoughtful with decent thickness. Perhaps they need to fry it at a higher temperature? We love that full peel attached to the stick. But look at that flat innard. Flavor (3/10) The fries were natural cut, which is nice to see, but there was no extra seasoning other than salt. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing but unfortunately the salt was scant and wasn’t sprinkled evenly. We had a handful super salty sticks and then the rest were just bland. It just tasted like a fried potato. When such flat flavor is added to the weak texture, the fries are just lifeless, limp, strips of potato. The saving grace was their Starbird Sauce, which we happened to have ordered for the chicken, was actually really good and was perfect for the frist. This sauce seems to be a gentle mixture of tangy, sweet, tomato and cream. Dipping our fries in this transformed the entire experience. However, given this was not the default way the fries were designed, we cannot reflect this into the flavor score. The Starbird sauce was the star of the show. A great balance of cream, sugar, and a bit of ketchup. Shape (7/10) Because the fries are naturally cut, their length is determined by what part of the potato they were cut from. This is perfectly fine as long as they use decently large potatoes and it seems like they have. Also, we love the fact that the sticks from the perimeter had the contoured back with the skin. The fries were also cut a bit thicker than the average fry but definitely not wedges. However, some sticks did flop despite the width due to the lack of adequate stuffing. We do not think you cannot get better shapes from natural cut fries than this. Starbird really did a quality job here. Natural cut fries don't get much better than this. Presentation (7/10) The fries are served in a circular cup, which has a large cut out opening at the front. It is yellow and simple, with the logo on the front. There is only one size, which is priced at $4.25. It’s a small enough portion that it's easy to finish, but large enough that you would feel filled. Despite the super-premium fast-food price point, we actually think the amount of fries are on par with other chains. Everything on the tray was packed neatly and Instagram-ready. The yellow theme was not overwhelming, went well with fries, the chicken sandwich, as well as the interior of the restaurant. We think that presentation is quite good. The fries are served in an actual cup but with the side cut out. This is quite clever. Experience (9/10) As soon as you enter Starbird, you are welcomed by this clean, high-tech, Scandinavian feel. And when you look at the menu, you notice that there are going to be foods and flavors that they don’t serve at any other restaurants. It’s super diverse, with things like street corn or even Thai brussels sprouts. It was absolutely refreshing to see items that you just don't expect from a fast-food restaurant and it feels like you won't easily get bored trying things out. They have put a lot of effort into the interior design of the restaurant and you feel almost healthier by being there. This sense of healthyness is echoed with the fresh ingredients. The food does take some time to prepare but it is absolutely worth the wait. Finally, the soda they have are all locally sourced, perfecting the super-premium experience. If it wasn't for running errans, we would have loved to have just hung out here, reading a book or working on our laptop. This feels more like a tech company kitchen than a fast-food restaurant. Texture 3 Flavor 3 Shape 7 Presentation 7 Experience 9 Overall 5.8 / 10 Conclusion Starbird has a lot of potential to have great fries, with high quality ingredients, natural cut shape and great presentation. The flavor and texture do need quite a bit of work but we believe this can be addressed by changing the oil, the temperature, the frying time, etc. We really want Starbird to define what it means to serve super-premium fast-food fries. And with their ethos and company philosophy, we think they come closest to this ideal, even leaving Shake Shack in the dust. Silicon Valley and high tech vibes may not be great for everything. But we can certainly attest this works well with fried chicken and Starbird. We root for their rapid expansion towards the eastern states.

Checkers and Rally’s, focusing their products on hotdogs and chicken, have come a long way since the merger in 1999. Checkers was more dominant in the Northeast and Southeast while Rally's commanded the Midwest. The merged brand, focused on super fast food via drive-thrus, grew and became successful. Now we have been dying to visit one as we have heard about their cult-like following for their seasoned fries , self proclaiming that they are the "#1 Most Craveable Fries". So we were super excited to finally find a Rally's up in Sacramento, CA. Rally's inside Walmart in Sacramento, CA. "Rally's" represents the Midwest and California. And to echo the rumors, they proudly hung this banner near the entrance. Apparently, Restaurant Business magazine has given them the " #1 Craveable Fries " award multiple times. Well, this is why The Fries Blog exists. Are Checkers & Rally's fries still one of the best in 2026? Here is our review of Checkers and Rally's fries. They were really setting a high expectation for themselves! Texture (6/10) The exterior was golden and had a great crunch, with visible crisped edges. The crisp was also quite nice, which complemented the following crunch after, as a batter was probably fried over the fry’s skin. The interior however did not balance the exterior, as it was dry and lifeless, and it felt like there was no filling to begin with. Due to this imbalance, every stick that was longer than a finger wilted and flopped. Perhaps we are being a bit generous here with a 6 for texture but we definitely see potential here and how the original receipe might have intended the fries to be. Golden texture with some crunch is visible but the sticks wilt lifelessly due to lacking innards. Flavor (4/10) The fry had an eminent peppery flavor, and had spice and seasoning mixed into the crispy shell, giving a boost to the otherwise lifeless interior. Although the spices did elevate the fry, there was no salt whatsoever, which really left a void in the flavor balance of the fry. This was such an odd ommission that we thought perhaps there was an error in the kitchen preparing the fries. Again, this was an opportunity for these fries to have been great but the flavor as we tasted were disappointing and incomplete. Shape (4/10) The fries were generally long and covered with fried batter, which sometimes caused them to be a little deformed, but that was not common. Although the shape itself was not incredibly bad, the fries were very floppy, and the weak structural integrity of the fry almost made it fall apart in your hands. Again, every stick longer than a finger drooped like a lifeless flower. Finally, to add to the wound, the length lacked consistency as there were fries that were so short you couldn't grab it by the edge and get a decent bite. It may look a bit gross but the relatively short A&W fries are covered in chili cheese. Presentation (6/10) The fries were served in a tall cup which made grabbing them easier and more accessible. They were injected vertically which we appreciated. Although the cup did help grabbing them with fingers, the fries themselves defeated the purpose as they were floppy and did not maintain their orientation. The only other restaurant that has served fries in a cup was Five Guys and we still cherish the memory of enjoying these beauties. The same could not be said about Checkers & Rally's because as the upper fries were consumed, you had to dig deeper to grab the short wobbly sticks. Eventually we ended up just pouring out whatever remained in the cup. The same trend continues here: the approach and intent seems to be fine but we just experienced a poor execution of it. Checkers and Rally's serves their large fries in a cup! Experience (4/10) Along with the fries, we also got hotdogs and a chicken sandwich, but the fries did not help elevate the experience of those products. The peppery flavor did not do much to complement the other items. Given that the fries themselves were not enjoyable by themselves, we cannot say the experience was great. The food also came out really slow and we were able to see the painful preparation of everything straight from a freezer. A single employee working in the kitchen probably was the cause. The saving grace was the price - $4.69 for a large set of fries - and their Funnel Cake Fries (not officially "fries" per se but we will give them credit). You really cannot screw up Funnel Cake Fries! Texture 6 Flavor 4 Shape 4 Presentation 6 Experience 4 Overall 4.8 / 10 Conclusion The fact that the interior did not complement the exterior texture, further worsened by the fact that there was no salt on the fries but pepper to cause a gap in the flavor, already is a recipe for creating an imbalanced offering. Also, the shape was weak, causing the fry to flop about, literally falling apart in the hand. There is no way such a concoction could be the "#1 craveable fries" in America as we have seen better many times over. Combined with the slow and non-complementary experience, we left the restaurant highly disappointed. We were sad because we actually see the potential embedded in the original receipe and intent, and perhaps this one branch got many aspects wrong. Perhaps in the future when we visit the East Coast, we may give Checkers a try. The store inside Walmart in Sacramento, CA had a minimal set up. You can see every part of the kitchen. Everything was stored in that freezer to be heated up, fried, or prepared into the diverse menu atop.