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 7/12/2026 with O'Tacos 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 35 O'Tacos 🇫🇷 4.6 40 Chick-fil-A 4.2 40 McDonald's (France) Wedges 🇫🇷 4.2 42 McDonald's (UK) 🇬🇧 4.0 43 California Pizza Kitchen 3.8 43 McDonald's (France) 🇫🇷 3.8 43 Quick 🇫🇷 3.8 46 McDonald's (Korea) 🇰🇷 3.6 46 Burger King 3.6 46 Wendy's Baconator Fries 3.6 49 Lotteria 🇰🇷 3.4 50 Lotteria Seasoned Fries 🇰🇷 3.2 51 In-N-Out 3.0 51 McDonald's (Japan) 🇯🇵 3.0 53 Jollibee 2.8 53 Fatburger 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.

O'Tacos is a French fast-food sensation. Founded only in 2010, with the invention of "French tacos", the chain has exploded and currently run over 400 stores across many countries in Europe. The chain has punched over its weight in cultural impact, rivaling that of McDonald's and Quick in France. O'Tacos are everywhere in Paris. They somewhat give a Popeyes feel? So you might ask, what exactly is a French taco? Aren't tacos Mexican? We were curious as well so we tried it out. Essentially, French tacos is a tortilla wrap packed with chicken nuggets (or meat), fries, cheese, and sauce, then grilled like a panini making it a mattress-shaped burrito. It is simple in concept, and one might raise eyebrows on whether this is edible. Trust us. This is one of the best things humanity has invented. French Tacos is not a Mexican taco. It is a tortilla panini! As a blog for fries, we immediately noticed the critical role the fries play inside a French taco. Not only does it provide carbs that balance the protein, but also it provides a slightly crunch texture that is absolutely necessary to enhance the experience. It really is a wonderful and we completely understand why this has become a cultural sensation. Now, these fries, that are primarily packed inside the tacos, are also sold as a stand-alone. So here is our review of O'Tacos fries. Texture (4/10) Because the fries are meant to harmonize with the rest of the taco, they are not very crispy or crunchy, and are a bit like floppy noodles. Therefore, they are mostly hollow, and do not hold its own weight well. We understand this is intentional, but this also means that the fries by itself is underwhelming. So, they do not have the highest score as a stand-alone side, but these fries do indeed add a nice texture to the tacos, definitely something that beans and rice cannot provide. The texture is weak. Soft exterior, deflated interior. Flavor (3/10) There is basically no taste. It’s like chewing air. There is the slightest hint of a potato and butter aroma at the end, but that’s about it. No salt, no seasoning. If these fries were to be purely consumed by itself, these are really poorly made fries. But from an addition into a taco, where there's plenty of cheese and this "Algerian sauce", it is ideal to maintain a bland base with the potatoes so that it helps neutralize the symphony of other strong flavored ingredients. We would have scored this lower had the French tacos had not been mindblowing. Shape (4/10) The fries are very short and small, and does not hold a strong shape, perfect for shoving in tacos but not super satisfying by itself. They are thin, flimsy, and again, we never designed to be a side. The shape is like the length of your pinky, and half the width of it. At this point, we are truly convinced that the fries on the side at O'Tacos are there to be eaten together with their tacos in case the tacos come in too strong flavorwise or does not fill you enough. O'Tacos fries are designed to be packed inside the French taco. They are short and have a softer exterior. Presentation (3/10) The "extra" fries on the side are presented in a small wax paper bag, like the recent McDonald's ones. There does not seem to be any effort in trying to make these fries look good or tasty. It literally feels like extra fries from the fryer got thrown into a brown bag. But look at their tacos well wrapped next to it. It is clear that O'Tacos is placing all their focus on their flagship product. The fries within the taco manifest themselves in well mixed and molded into a solid innards of the beautiful creation. Not much of a presentation. But we're wondering if it even matters! Experience (9/10) The value here is amazing. For the price of a single large McDonald's fries, you get one great taco, a drink, and a side of fries. Compared to other fast-food chains in France, we have never seen a deal this good. What elevates the experience even more is that the fries really completes the French taco, making the tacos a lot more interesting than if you used rice or beans as the carb filler. As a matter of fact, we do not believe it is possible to make French tacos with French fries. Our O'Tacos experience was fantastic; incredible value, mindblowing food, in a clean, fun and funky store. We vowed to eat O'Tacos again before leaving Paris. For just 4.90 Euros, you get a full meal! It is the same price as McDonald's large fries. Texture 4 Flavor 3 Shape 4 Presentation 3 Experience 9 Overall 4.6 / 10 Conclusion Trying out fries at the O'Tacos marks a new chapter and philosophy for us here at The Fries Blog. Yes, fries complement the main dish, and we have always wanted them to stand out by itself. But in the case of O'Tacos, fries itself has become an integral component of the main dish, although it isn't considered fries anymore. O'Tacos really is using fries as a flagship ingredient to the cultural revolution of French tacos. And we cannot ignore this. In this review, we have tried to score the fries by itself, knowing that it was never intended for sole consumption, largely becuase we are staying truthful to our benchmark and methodology. However, this is the first time we believe we have discovered fries transformed into an entire new category which is truly wonderful. We salute O'Tacos for opening our eyes and hope to see the chain in the US! Fun and funky interior. First fast-food chain that does not use soda fountains and gives you cans!

Quick is a European homegrown burger chain founded in Belgium in 1971, predating McDonald's in many European markets. Today, with about 250 restaurants globally, and most of them in France, it is now a predominantly French brand. At The Fries Blog, we love finding local chains (Lotteria, MOS Burger, Greggs) that challenge American fast-food empires and throw their flair into creating fries. So we were excited to visit Quick. A fun fact: apparently Burger King had bought out Quick and started to convert the Quick locations to Burger King, but that plan has now been canceled as a new owner is resurrecting and expanding the brand. This is the flagship Quick near the Louvre and Notre Dame in the 1st Arr. It was actually difficult to find Quick locations as Paris is now overrun with American chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Five Guys. But nevertheless, they were present in many popular locations and we decided to visit the flagship in the 1st arrondissement. Here is our review of Quick's fries. Texture (3/10) The fries began with barely any crisp, which made the texture almost feelingless, almost wet, as the exterior couldn’t really be felt properly due to the lack of a crisp. There was also correspondingly no crunch, which made the exterior even worse and unsatisfactory. The interior was dead, being lukewarm and uncooked. The fries felt like the entire stick was just a mush that barely held together as a stick. This was quite disappointing because the marketing pictures on the walls showed perfectly golden fries. Look at the flop of the stick. We feel like the fries were undercooked overall. Flavor (3/10) Not only did they have a subpar texture, but the flavor was arguably worse. The fries did not have any salt nor did they have seasoning of any kind, combined with it being being undercooked, this exemplifies the overall blandness. This is consistent with our observation of using less oil and seasoning, which seems to be common in many fast-food chains in Europe, even the American chains. Honestly, the only thing that could have worsened the fries in flavor was if the flavor left a negative aftertaste instead of being absolutely bland. Bland fries are not new to us, but there's a different between the taste of the potato coming through versus just chewing on some substance. Quick was definitely the latter. This is the standard wax paper bag. Not much oil stains following the general European trend. Shape (5/10) The shape was an ordinary consistency throughout the fries and was nothing special by any stretch of imagination. The fries themselves were only about as long as our fingers and were shaped consistently. On top of that, the fries failed to be sturdy, flopping around quite a lot, and having less structural integrity than the average fry. At certain angles, they looked like they had wrinkles on them as if they were crumpled at a certain point in time. Overall, they resemble the McDonald's fries the most in terms of shape, but the quality of the product eroded the effective shape to some degree. These fries do not look "healthy" and they shape is almost a bit wrinkly. Presentation (4/10) The fries were received in crumpled paper bags that had a fair amount of fries in each bag. These bags were floppy and did not do a great job of holding the fries themselves. This was peculiar as the rest of the meal came in thick, strong, standard cartons like those you would probably expect to be seeing at McDonald’s, while their fries were left behind in a unsupporting paper bag. We do appreicate the fact that they meticulously made the fries in a bag lean on the burgers and thus stand vertically. This is difficult to do with a carton, let alone a wax paper bag. But we can assure you these fries do not look anything like their website. We appreciate trying to stand the paper bag leaning on the burger. Experience (4/10) The fries came out pretty quickly, true to the brand’s name, and the atmosphere was quite clean and pleasant. At least this particular Quick location seemed to have been completely renovated, digital-first, a lot of homage to their burger heritage as the decor, and well airconditioned (which is rare in Paris). What really degraded the experience though was that the fries had no coherence to the rest of the meal and other items on the menu, while not being amazing as a standalone offering. This in turn makes the fries a "deadweight" or an offering that brings down the rest of the experience. Quick needs to really review their overall portfolio and reconstruct how a "meal" is structured. Clean, modern, and cohesive. We were impressed with the pleasant atmosphere. Texture 3 Flavor 3 Shape 5 Presentation 4 Experience 4 Overall 3.8 / 10 Conclusion To conclude, Quick’s fries weren’t necessarily bad because of shoddy concept or a bad menu, but because their fries were just bland in every aspect. From the texture to the experience, the fries were either bland literally, or were not special or memorable in any way that made them stand out as a food. The fact that the fries were not center stage or even a meaningful part of the cast as a whole just makes the fries a meaningless intake of calories, resulting in a dish that there's not much to rave about. We always love rooting for the home team, the local chains. We hope Quick takes this review seriously and revamps their approach to their fries.

Wedges, a different approach towards fried potatoes, has been included in our rankings and leaderboard in our pursuit to find the best fried potatoes in the world. Although constituting a small minority of overall fries we have indexed, they do seem to make a lasting impression with the clementine-like shape and color. So when McDonald's, the blog’s benchmark and the largest fast-food chain that produces fries, also has wedges, we had to give this a shot. And quite frankly, after the disastrous and disappointing regular fries by McDonald's France, we wanted to give it a second chance. McDonald’s only sells wedges in about six countries (France, Greece, Spain, etc), so it's worth trying them while we can. Here is our review of McDonald's wedges. The counter is simplified by moving all ordering to self-serve kiosks. Texture (4/10) With a slight crisp, the wedges were appealing when first biting into, as they were also cooked unpeeled crisped some of the wide exterior. However, even the peel did not serve as well for the crunch, which was lacking slightly. The interior was worse in comparison. The innards of the wedges were unevenly cooked, some being well done while others being undercooked which made them hard and bland. We suspect that the cause of such uneven insides would be due to the fact that the potatoes were cut into different sizes, but cooked for the same amount of time, causing the offset in how well done each piece or part of the piece was. This is a massive miss in our opinion and an amateur quality issue that a global brand should not have. The texture of these wedges could have been spectacular but carelessness is severely holding them back. The exterior has a proper orange crisp layer including the peel. They really look like clementines! Flavor (3/10) The wedges were incredibly bland, perhaps due to the fact that each piece was deceivingly orange and looked like they were blasted with flavoring and spice, making each bite very disappointing. They had minimal salt if none at all, and that was it. Additionally, after a few bites the spell faded away, and the wedges became very unappealing to continue eating. The wedges also came with this unique Creamy Deluxe sauce, which was some sort of mediocre ranch, but after a single dip, we continued eating the wedges without it. We have never seen this creamy sauce anywhere else, and it only comes with their wedges. Shape (7/10) The wedges were surprisingly uniform per piece, of course adhering to the shape consistency limitations of making wedges instead of normal fries, but were still quite similar to one another. They were also sturdy, and easy to grab in their crescent like shape. Potatoes must be round and consistent for these perfectly "orange" slices so McDonald's must have done a great job choosing the right raw ingredients. The McDonald's wedges really has a pretty shape, made with round potatoes. Presentation (4/10) The wedges came in the exact same fries carton and this was not efficient as these containers were optimized for vertically placed thinner potato sticks to make them look like a bouquet. Thus, putting these comparatively fat wedges, wasted a lot of space inside. The carton also came laying down, which is unusual for these cartons made for standing up, especially during a dine-in. Slightly tangential to presentation though, what really was disappointing was that although we ordered a large sized wedges, the carton it came in was that of the regular size fries. Perhaps it is indeed more expensive to produce these wedges, but it is clear that they are not the brand's priority. We are happy to see the standard McDonald's large fries carton. It's the FIFA World Cup edition in gold. Experience (3/10) The price of the large wedges is similar to that of the large fries. But again, the key difference between the two experience was the "Creamy Deluxe" sauce. And as we mentioned in the flavor section, it just felt like a washed out ranch. And yes, they may be more expensive per unit, but simply shoving a few pieces into the regular fries carton just doesn't give us conviction that McDonald's is trying. All of this adds up to a poor overall experience, which we believe is holding back the potential to be great. Texture 4 Flavor 3 Shape 7 Presentation 4 Experience 3 Overall 4.2 / 10 Conclusion McDonald's wedges in France did not help the disappointment caused by their sub-par fries and commensurate to the name "French" fries. The wedges did fare slightly better thanks to their pretty shapes than the regular fries. However, they were still a big disappointment from Mcdonald’s own benchmark standards (recalibrated to 4.6 this year). The texture with an unevenly cooked interior, a deceptively bland flavor with a sauce that lacked authority, combined with a lack of attention and creativity in presentation with small portions all added to the let down.

Here at The Fries Blog, we have always wondered why French fries were "French". Despite the ongoing debate about the origin of its name (whether French or Belgian), we can say we have special feelings about the country that occupies the first word of the food we love. Perhaps we owe our existence to France. So naturally, we had to travel and see for ourselves whether fries are actually better in France. Our first destination was obviously McDonald's, with about 1600 locations in France. Knowing how well Paris is known for their amazing culinary scene, especially with French fine dining which focuses on care and detail put into every step, we wondered how good the fries at McDonald's would be. Would they be better than their American benchmark? What about those across the channel? Here is our review of McDonald's France French fries. McDonald's near the Notre Dame in Paris. This destination serves both tourists and locals, being near Notre Dame and Sorbonne University. Texture (3/10) The fries had no crunch and very little crisp on some of the fries. It was like eating a piece of soggy cardboard. They were deflated and the innards were like mashed potatoes. The most unimpressing part was that the fries felt undercooked, almost yellow in appearance. Perhaps they were using oils with lower temperature points or they did not leave it in long enough. The exterior skin hadn't formed fully, and the fries were not too sturdy. Drawing parallels to the McDonald's UK fries, they’re basically the same. Look at the bright yellow color. Is it even fried enough? Flavor (3/10) The fries were very bland, with barely any salt. It was basically just a raw, under-fried potato stick. Because American fries are fried with oil that has a meat additive, and the EU uses pure vegetable oil, leading to a blander, more potato-strong taste. In comparison to the UK, they had even less salt, and the same potato taste. This was very disappointing. We also peeked into the carton it came in and just like the UK, there were barely any oil stains, indicating that these were again "healthy" fries. Healthy or not, we just cannot give a high score on potatoes that cannot be consumed without ketchup. Barely any oil stains in the carton. Shape (6/10) The fries were pretty consistent and long, and they were slightly thinner than the McDonald's fries in America, as well as being deflated and lacking meaningful stuffing. The shape has been the most consistent attribute between the two sides of the Atlantic as we think the size of the potato and the grid cutters are similar. The fries do not bend, flop, and has minimal curves which then is ideal for dipping in ketchup. However, nothing here is ground breaking, novel nor memorable. The fries have the standard McDonald's shape. Presentation (4/10) The fries were served in the actual McDonald's signature carton, which we love, and not the flimsy waxpaper bags in America. They were gold and themed in celebration of the FIFA World Cup happening (Les Bleus are doing well currently!) . Even though they were served in the carton that accentuates vertical fries placement, the carton was laid flat on the tray with fries just spilled out in disarray, showing that the kitchen did not put attention to detail. We would have loved to see vertical insertion with the carton standing up. McDonald's needs to spend more training resources with personnel we feel as this is a missed opportunity. Also, given the World Cup, I think presentation could have been more special. We are happy to see the standard McDonald's large fries carton. It's the FIFA World Cup edition in gold. Experience (3/10) We paid €4.80 ($5.50) for the large fries, and we don’t think that it is worth it. Given the average salary in France is about 30% lower than the US, this means that the effective price of large fries are $7.85! And even so, the fries simply just were not good enough to make up for the price. To put that in comparison, the average American McDonald's large fries costs about $5.00, while the UK price is around $3.00. Both are cheaper for better fries. The McDonald's we visited was barely airconditioned and the ordering kiosks were a sauna. Never have we experience a McDonald's that skimped on in-store airconditioning but to be fair, the entire city seems to not use much cooling. France must be a huge soccer country. Everything was in the gold! Texture 3 Flavor 3 Shape 6 Presentation 4 Experience 3 Overall 3.8 / 10 Conclusion We came to France as we were genuinely curious on how the culinary capital of the world makes the food that has the country's name in it. Yes, we understand that this is McDonald's (as we have to use the benchmark for fair comparison), but there must be standards that make anything viable in the market. Imagine trying to sell sub-par burgers in America or not fresh sushi in Japan. McDonald's fries in France was super disappointing. A little more salt and a bit more crisp wouldn’t go unnoticed. For a city that is known for culinary excellence, their brasseries and cafes, and most Michelin stars per capita, we do not believe this is acceptable.

Fatburger proudly claims to be "The Last Great Hamburger Stand". They've been around since 1952 but only recently have started a rapid expansion. Currently they have over 200 stores across 20 countries with a focus on California and the West Coast. Apparently, they now have plans to launch 40 stores in Florida and 30 in France, so clearly they are on a tear. But given how rare it is to come by a 200 store chain, when we discovered a Fatburger in Manteca, CA, we had to pop in and try their fries. Fatburger chains are often bundled with Buffalo's. The special thing about Fatburger is that they have 2 kinds of fries: their "skinny" fries, which are your standard sized fries, and the "fat" fries, which are basically flat, long wedges. Obviously, it is clear that "Fat"burger wants you to try out the fat fries so naturally we accepted the quest. We ordered both variants so that we could make a fair comparison of just how fat these fries were. For this review, we will primarily score the fat fries (as that is their flagship) but will also provide the scores for the skinny (or regular) fries. Here is our review of Fatburger's fat and skinny fries. First time we are seeing different fry sizes offered in a restaurant. This side-by-side will lead customers to go for the fat fries. Texture (2/10) For both of the fries, there was no crisp nor crunch. And this was prominent especially on the fat fries (where the skin to innards ratio is tiny), which were literally just lumpy sticks of potatoes. The insides were pretty mushy, and the fries barely held together. The skinnier ones are slightly better, but that's mainly because there's more crisp area rather than innards. We do not think that Fatburger is cooking the fat and skinny variants differently, but they definitely should. A cold, sliced, raw potato would have more structure and crunch than these fries. Texture of both fat and skinny fries. The size difference is huge! Flavor (1/10) There was absolutely no salt on the fries. Again, these were literally just sticks of potatoes. The inside of the fries are super mushy and lukewarm, like mashed potatoes that have been chewed and spat out. There's nothing special about the oil, and there’s no seasoning. It's just potato. This was really disappointing. Shape (3/10) For the skinny fries they're your average McDonald's fries shape, but the big ones are basically a 2x4, but made with a potato. Roughly 6~8 of the skinny fries can be compacted to create the behemoth of a single fat stick. We are impressed that Fatburger could find potatoes this big to accomodate. Unforunately, we don't think there’s much effort that goes into making these fries. You just take some potatoes and you put them through a wider grid cutter. But because you can only get a few perfect stick from a single potato, many sticks are not consistent, and some of them even flop on their own weight. Shapes are not consistent. Some of the fat fries are huge. Presentation (4/10) Both the fat and skinny fries came out in flimsy paper bags, sort of like the recent McDonald's large fry bags. These bags were built with wax paper and had their logo. We can see the intention of vertical insertion of the sticks but not much attention to detail has been made, and this shows in the fat sticks; there really aren't that many sticks so one screw up is visually prominent. Othere than this, there is nothing special about the presentation. Both the fat and skinny variants are served in the same flimsy paper bag. There's really not much of a presentation here. Experience (4/10) The fries came out pretty late. It took quite a bit of time to get the fries to you, though you could argue that the fries are freshly prepared. Even if they are freshly made, that doesn’t make the fries worth the $4 we paid. The quantity and the quality are just simply not worth the price. We do have to give Fatburger kudos on the innovative idea of sticking to the "fat" theme and offering these huge fat fries. Out of all of our reviews, these must be the largest fries we have reviewed, and they stand their ground even compared to some of the wedges we reviewed (KFC, Greggs). For this, we're adding a booster point. Texture 2 Flavor 1 Shape 3 Presentation 4 Experience 4 Overall 2.8 / 10 It may be the last great burger stand. But clearly not for fries. Conclusion Overall, we think that while this idea of a thinner and thicker fry was novel and fun, there was a lot to be desired in the way they executed this concept. Both fries definitely need more crisp and crunch, and the innards need to be less mushy, which means different cooking methods are needed for the fat variant. In terms of flavor and shape, some salt and consistency would be appreciated. There is definitely a potential in these uniquely huge sticks of potato so we hope Fatburger continues to innovate here.

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.