Founded in 1978 in the Philippines, and now with over 1,700 locations across the globe, Jollibee is known to blend Western fast food with Filipino flavors. Their crown jewel is their Chickenjoy fried chicken, whether in a sandwich or a bucket. Similar to MOS Burger and Lotteria which fused Japanese and Korean accents, we were intrigued with what Jollibee would offer. We had a lot of questions and really was curious how their fries would be. Fortunately, there are a few locations in the Bay Area . So , this weekend, we visited Jollibees to review their fries. Jollibee in Serramonte Center, Daly City, CA. The line was long. Texture (2/10) The fries were not crispy, rather soft and small, with almost no stuffing. Even worse, they were not warm, with the only acceptable aspect being a tiny bit of crunch on a handful of the fries. The innard was dry, and there was no outer skin, making for some dry, unfilling and disastisfactory fries that are not enticing nor pleasant to munch through. The sticks are thin with non-existent crisp. The structure and innards are unsatisfactory. And that burnt tip! Flavor (1/10) There was no salt, making for a very bland fry, especially because they were undercooked. And there were no extra dips of any sort that came with the fries. The overall flavor profile is dry, bland, and the outer layer is a bright yellow because the fries were so undercooked. Surprisingly, some of them were also burnt. This was truly disappointing. There's a lot to work on, Jollibee. Shape (3/10) Though the fries were quite uniform, they were small, thin, and flopped easily because of the lack of stuffing. The fries look like small potato worms that were not treated with care. You can finish a single stick in one bite, because of how small they are. Honestly, we do not know what is going on here as we feel just even a small amount of effort could drastically improve the fries experience here. But what we reviewed was quite pitiful. We appreciate the consistency. But these really are not ideal fries. Presentation (5/10) The presentation overall is slighty below average. The fries are tossed into a McDonalds-style carton (we would say near identical), and then into a brown paper bag. The fries are too short to be vertically placed so they are just "dumped" into the container. This somewhat defeats the purpose of having a carton sleeve. However, the real problem here is the serving size. Jollibee's large fries in equivalent or smaller than McDonald's regular fries. This is the large fries. It may look bigger than it actually is as we zoomed in. The fries are radomly dumped into the container. The sleeve carton is identical to McDonald's, except there is a massive downsizing. The large is smaller than McDonald's regular size. Experience (3/10) The line to order at the Jollibee in Serramonte Center was long. We understand that it was peak lunch hours during the weekend. However, having to wait for 20 mins just to order, you want the food to be great, let alone the fries. However, the overall experience made us feel it was a waste of time; we were very disappointed that we waited so long for bottom of the barrel fries. Even worse, they didn't even go well with the chicken sandwich we ate it with. And we felt cheated with the underwhelming amount. This wasn't a great dining experience. Texture 2 Flavor 1 Shape 3 Presentation 5 Experience 3 Overall 2.8 / 10 Conclusion It is clear the fries is not a priority for Jollibee. We hope it was just this location and we got unlucky with a novice personnel behind the kitchen counter. But based on what we reviewed, the fries were disappointing at best. With no texture, no flavor, small sticks and underwhelming quantities, these fries have received the lowest score we have ever given any review (the previous bottom was In-N-Out ). We came in excited, but left disappointed and confused. How could an international chain have this caliber of fries? We feel that just with small changes and tweaks, Jollibee can massively improve their fries. Jollibee and their ketchup red is prominent throughout the dining experience. The ube pie was an interesting take on the classical apple pie served at McDonald's.

Founded in 1940, and with over 7,700 restaurants in more than 20 countries, Dairy Queen (DQ) has built a highly successful brand around its wonderful and sweet dairy treats, like its Blizzards, sundaes, and soft serves. Although DQ’s reputation was constantly built upon and improved by these various products, they still do sell fries, which makes DQ all the worthy contenders they have to be. Will DQ’s fries uphold the brand’s reputation that was built off dairy treats, or will they serve nothing but deadweight in DQ’s supremacy? This is DQ's fries review. DQ in Campbell, CA. This one is called DQ Grill & Chill. Texture (7/10) The fries were lightly crisped, with a soft and subtle exterior to go along with it. They had a decent enough crunch, though, which would upgrade their texture because of the maintained balance with the interior of the fry. Because while the outside was lightly crispy, the inside was not too overly mushy and soft. Basic they were, but these were solidly created sticks of potatoes. Honest and to the point. The fries look almost text-book basic but deceptively well made with a joyful texture. Flavor (6/10) The fries felt warm the entire time. These fries were made to the very last details of the very basic Fries 101 textbook, clearly with no seasoning nor other frills of any sort. However, in this case, you cannot make a mere puny attempt at some salt to the bare potato. Although the texture corresponds nicely to the basic flavor profile, there was little to no effort trying to make these fries any special in flavor. Perhaps they could also consider frying with distinct oils but again, this was Fries 101. Shape (5/10) The fries were pretty uniform and even, being close to the same lengths and thickness as each other. Although they were consistent, the fries lacked the typical length we are accustomed too. Somehow every one of them felt like they were cut in half and was short, only allowing a single ketchup dip comfortably. Also, it was weird that the sticks were not square but a rectangle in their cross section. We weren't sure if this was on purpose or whether it helps grabbing the potato between the fingers. Consistently short and "flat" fries. Not too ideal for enjoying it with ketchup. Presentation (6/10) The fries were presented in a rectangular and horizontal carton, which was not too tall and laid out widely. This made the fries look abundant but given their shorter lengths, they were all over the place randomly scattered in the bucket, making the grabbing of the sticks a bit hectic. In general, the carton did its part containing the fries, but it wasn’t outstanding or special in any ways that could help it stand above other brands or be memorable. DQ fries are randomly dumped into a horizontal carton. Visually looks abundant but it is not tightly packed. Experience (4/10) The quantity in which the fries are given is quite numerous considering the small carton you receive them in. However, the fries are all short and not neatly packed aligned which prevents from a lot fitting in. Combining this with the hefty price of $5.49 and we cannot help but feel they are overpriced. Furthermore, as we stated above, these are the most basic fries one could ever create. Nothing wrong with this, but again, you need to charge standard prices then. Texture 7 Flavor 6 Shape 5 Presentation 6 Experience 4 Overall 5.6 / 10 Conclusion In the end, although DQ had a smashing success in well… exactly what it promises, which are its dairy products, its fries are not winning awards anytime soon. They are not that far behind though, and we can see them possibly holding both the center stage light and being complementing any meal. DQ has definitely created a solid and robust fries, sticking to the basics, and executing them well. We just hope they can refine this over time, caring a bit more about their flavors and presentation. Clearly DQ is an ice-cream shop. We love their pride in thick shakes: "Made to Defy Gravity"!

Wingstop is a fast-growing chain, only founded in 1994 but already reaching over 2,500 locations worldwide. Known for their spicy, mild, and flavorful wings, there's no doubt that many visit whenever they’re feeling adventurous or just craving some good chicken wings. To complement their bold flavors, Wingstop serves Seasoned Fries as their standard side. Given the popularity, we were curious to see how these fries compared to the rest. This is our review of Wingstop fries. Wingstop in San Carlos, CA., located in San Carlos Marketplace. Texture (6/10) The crisp was great, with a very nice color to it thanks to the seasoning. The crunch sound could have been better though. There was a good balance between the firm yet warm and soft inside with the crispy and golden brown outer skin. The fries hold their shape well too. Again, we cannot emphasize enough on the lack of crunch, which indicates the thinness of the outer coat. Overall, pretty well done. The crisp is pronounced well but as your can see, the crisp layer is thin and lacks the crunch. Flavor (6/10) Given the seasoning, we were extremely excited about the flavor profile of the fries. As you bite into the potato stick, you feel a bit of spice, and a hint of sweetness too. You can detect traces of paprika, pepper and sugar. It was very tasty and flavorful, well complementing the wings. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, after the first bite or two, the flavor fades away and leaves a seasoning vestige on your tongue. Somehow, the seasoning is not completely smeared into the fries, but just acting as a gimmick on the surface. Again, it's tasty, but shallow in execution. Shape (8/10) The fries have great stability and sturdiness, and mostly don’t flop. The only blemish we could find was a slight bend but in general, the fries are really tall and thick. Given these are natural cut fries with skins on the tip corresponding to the curvature of the potato, Wingstop must have used really large potatoes. The ends are crispy, and the none of the fries are small or broken off pieces. The outside is great, and the inside mush isn’t pasty, but smooth enough to go down nicely. Wingstop did amazing. Consistently straight and thick, rare to see in natural cut fries. Presentation (7/10) The fries are served in their own plastic dark green container, like the ones some restaurants serve their sliders in. There is some paper underneath the fries to keep the oil from leaking. They are not pushed to the side of the carton, rather are left to shine in their dark green home, waiting to be eaten. The green contrasts well with the orange-golden fries. The down side is that since the container is short, if you are eating them in a car or outside on a windy day, the fries may slide out. The Wingstop green contrasts well with the orange-golden fries. Experience (6/10) Considering a pseudo fast-food restaurant, the wait was pretty long for the fries; about 12 minutes. Again, the fries were pretty good. The restaurant staff didn’t show any extra kindness, though they weren’t hateful either. During our visit, we did not order any wings so we can only imagine how it may complemented the overall meal. The atmosphere was welcoming but there was nothing truly special about the experience. Texture 6 Flavor 6 Shape 8 Presentation 7 Experience 6 Overall 6.6 / 10 Conclusion For a chain that is known for its bold chicken flavors, Wingstop's seasoned fries are quite solid. The fries are sturdy and well shaped, with decent crisp and flavorful seasoning. However, they do come short of being truly special and delightful. We do think that Wingstop, if they tried just a bit more, could really hit it out of the park.

Today, we have an unusual restaurant chain for our fries review - The Cheesecake Factory. Founded in 1978 in Berverly Hills, California, The Cheesecake Factory today boasts over 300+ restaurants across the nation, known for their massive cheesecakes and their encyclopedia-like menu with hundreds of dishes. It certainly is a unique dining experience eating amidst orange marble pillars and faux Renaissance decor. And of course, the restaurant serves fries. So how do they stack up? Can they stand on their own amongst the eccentric cheesecakes? Let's find out. Cheesecake Factory at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, CA. Texture (7/10) There is definitely a nice crisp to the fries, though they do lack a bit of crunch. The fries start out pretty warm though they do get cold quite fast, probably because they weren't fried as long to raise the inner temperature. The inner stuffing has not been beaten to a pulp and not being pasty, rather it’s very soft and complements the crisp well. The color of the fries is a wonderful golden brown. Cheesecake Factory did well on texture. The fries have a solid crisp and shine golden brown. We like the natural innards. Flavor (8/10) The first bite into the fries delivers a gush of satisfaction. Alongside the great texture, the fries are well salted and it complements the high quality potatoes well. These weren't seasoned in any other way. These were the most basic fries one could make but they managed to really bring out the essence of a great French fries flavor. And of course, the flavor is absolutely elevated with ketchup, so much so that they give you two small cups of it. It is rare that we give such a high score on flavor when they are just basic fries. But The Cheesecakse Factory has near perfected the flavor profile. Shape (6/10) The fries are quite uniform and straight. And due to the decent amount of natural stuffing, they aren't floppy nor do they droop. Combine this with their relatively long length, they are ideal to dip it into the bowl of ketchup until the very last bite. Overall, the shape really makes the plate of fries look tasty and is a pleasant sight to see. The fries are straight and sturdy to accommodate heavy ketchip dipping. Presentation (8/10) As a sit-down restaurant, the fries are served on an actual plate. Here at The Fries Blog, we are accustomed to getting our fries in cartons or paper bags so for a change, we appreciated the presentation on a plate. The fries were nicely piled and not just scattered or dumped on a flat surface. And having two cups of ketchup, one on each side, was thoughtful - functional and aesthetically pleasing. Some restaurants pack fries in a cone-shaped basket so that the sticks are easier to grab but we actually think this plate method works better as all of us could dig in in parallel. Presented on a plate with two cups of ketchup on each side. Everyone around the table can reach in and dip with ease. Experience (5/10) Despite serving great fries, the experience takes a hit due to a few reasons. First, we had to wait 30 mins to get our fries. We understand this isn't a fast food restaurant, but half an hour is way too long and perhaps that was the reason why the fries cooled off fast. And then, it cost $8, which is an extremely high price for fries. We think it is mostly worth it but purely from value perspective, we're not entirely convinced. Of course, the atmosphere was nice and the servers were very kind and friendly. Texture 7 Flavor 8 Shape 6 Presentation 8 Experience 5 Overall 6.8 / 10 Conclusion The Cheesecake Factory has solid fries. There are no artificial frills, no random improvisations, or superficial garnish. They are just great fries, made with good potatoes, salted to perfection. With the shape and texture optimally designed for a healthy dip of ketchup, we don't think the "basic" fries can get much better. And we can confidently state that these fries can stand out on their own from the book of menu listings to order. If it wasn't for the 30 mins of wait, I think these would've been one of the top fries in our list.

Habit Burger & Grill started off with humble beginnings, being a small family owned business founded in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California. As it gained popularity and gradually spread nationwide, it saw continuous praise over its delectable shakes and signature charbroiled burgers. From day one, Habit Burger has given its focus on quality and has positioned themselves well above a traditional fast food chain but not as hefty as a full sit-down restaurant. As seekers for the best fries, we were extremely excited to try out Habit Burger's fries; would they be of the highest quality? This is our review of Habit Burger Grill's regular fries. We love the mission of Habit Burger. They are proud to serve great food! Texture (7/10) These fries are decently thick compared to many other fries. There's definitely a heft and they do not come across flimsy or floppy. In contribution to its plump size, is the amount of innards this fry contains. It has more insides than your average fry, but these innards are nice and soft, and does not feel over-stuffed, well complementing the exterior. The outside of the fries are slightly crispy, followed up by a full, genuine crunch as you bite into it especially at the tips. This nice blend of textures will be sure to support some of the fries' other attributes. The texture absolutely speaks towards quality, although they may not be at the absolute top. The texture is solid and the fries definitely are of high quality. Flavor (6/10) All of the fries are lightly salted, and do not enter the "bland" zone. The salt could've been spread a bit more evenly as it did get saltier towards the bottom, but all within the acceptable range. Its flavor in general is nice and mellow to the palate, and they do not contain any extra seasoning. These are genuinely wholesome and robust tasting fries, almost following a textbook. If there was a textbook on fries, this would be the perfection of chapter 1. Standard, but wholesome. Shape (7/10) The fries are not consistently the same length, but in a natural way. This isn't about careless cutting or fries breaking in pieces. The shape definitely has an intentional bend while the thickness and texture provides the sturdiness. They are able to hold after and before you crunch down on their potato bodies, even with a healthy amount of ketchup. Again, the keyword here is quality. You can see it with every stick. Naturally consistent even to the slight bend. These fries hold their shape well. Presentation (6/10) Your fries are placed in a small horizontal container, unlike the vertical cartridges that most other fast food restaurants have their fries placed in. This open topped container provides better reach for everybody. Now the downside of the boat is that the fries can look messy in its presentation. But thanks to the meaningfully sturdy and long sticks, the presentation holds well. Although not special in a particular way, this is probably as solid as a horizontal boat container fries can be. Experience (6/10) The fries pair well with the burgers which are rich in flavor. It seems very clear that Habit Burger Grill gently balanced a burger companion but also ensured that there was enough for the fries to stand alone. However, we highly recommend eating these with ketchup. Again, these are quality fries. Honest to the potato, no frills or smoke and mirrors. Just some well made potato sticks. The amount of fries you get might seem a bit small, considering the price of $4.99. But in general, these are great fries. Texture 7 Flavor 6 Shape 7 Presentation 6 Experience 6 Overall 6.4 / 10 Conclusion Overall, Habit Burger Grill has done a good job with their fries. Staying truthful to their mantra of "There's No Substitute for Quality!", indeed, their fries showcase the best textbook version of the basic fries. Each fry is meaninful and sturdy, crunchy and crisp, which supports the lightly salt seasoned skin. Although the presentation is average and the price is a bit higher than other fries, its overall quality pulls it through as a solid fry. With such respectable execution of the base version, next up is a review of their sweet potato fries ! Even the packaging itself is above the regular fast food chains.

We recently reviewed Habit Burger's regular fries and their focus on quality shone through. Given the chain also offers sweet potato fries, definitely not common in other fast food restaurants, we had to check it out. Now these sweet siblings by default are mandatorily served with their signature ranch sauce, which further intrigued our curiosity. Why woudl they do this? Will these inventive and fresh sweet potato fries stand tall next to its well rounded sibling? This is our review of Habit Burger's sweet potato fries. This literally stared into our eyes next to the order kiosk! I love their bold awareness campaign. Texture (5/10) The sweet potato fries have a weak crisp, but maintain an acceptable amount of crunch. This is accomplished through a batter coating on the outwards that give it a bumpy texture. These bumps are indeed crunchy, but somehow they feel disjointed from the actual potato stick. The fries feel a bit weak, laden by the clumps of fried batter, and also are dry in the mouth. The innards of the fries are slightly mushy but feel a bit deflated. We're not sure if this is because of the type of the potato. The fries have a batter cover which clumps on the exterior. Perhaps the sweet potatos don't fill the inside well? Flavor (6/10) The fries are definitely more sweet than the regular ones (as they are made with sweet potato) but still lacked the basic level of salt, just like their regular counterparts. This, combined with the deflatet texture, makes them quite bland and dry with only a momentary sweetness to counter the large body of flavoress mush. The saving grace was absolutely their signaure ranch and we finally understood why the sauce was provided by default. The ranch wasn't special by any means but definitely a bit more runny that made it easier to dip fries and not scoop up the sauce. The "siganture" ranch sauce is served with all sweet potato fries. You have to pay to get more. Shape (5/10) Most of the sticks are decently sized in length and this is expected as sweet potatoes are typically elongated in shape. Unforunately though, these fries are very wobbly and have a hard time staying straight and holding themselves together. We don't know if this is because of the nature of the sweet potato but they are very unstable and break down after being bit into. Many sticks also have a bumpy ugliness due to the batter fry. We don't mind if this is done gently but in the case of Habit Burger, they were like a stretched out summer squash. Naturally consistent even to the slight bend. These fries hold their shape well. Presentation (6/10) Fries are served in the identical carton to the regular fries, a boat-like tray, that carry the fries but absolutely help them jut out for easy grabs from all angles. Sweet potato fries though has a paper lining at the bottom of the carton to stop the fries from becoming too soggy in their grease. This is smart as the batter probably carries more oil than without. Experience (5/10) Habit Burger's sweet potato fries were good, but not exceptional in their job in improving the dining experience. They went well with the ranch and that was about it. There was nothing notable about them that contributed to the other items nor could it stand out on its own in a memorable way. To make matters worse, these fries were a whole dollar more expensive than the regular fries, and this definitely degrades the experience. Texture 5 Flavor 6 Shape 5 Presentation 6 Experience 5 Overall 5.4 / 10 Conclusion Habit Burger Grill had done a solid job on their regular fries, especially screaming high quality. But it is a bit hard to say the same for their more expensive sweet potato fries. The fries had a chaotic balance between its texture and flavor, while just barely being average on all other criteria. And without the signature ranch, it came dangerously close to being utterly disappointing. Even its quality of ingredients couldn't make it great. These fries are definitely not a failure, but also not something to lead with.

With just 17 locations around the San Francisco Bay Area, Super Duper Burgers is a local burger chain well known in the region. They focus on "fast food with slow food values", positioning themselves between a fast-food chain and a sit-down restaurant. From the moment you step in, they let you know clearly that they use organic, fresh, high quality ingredients; from their beef to eggs to even soft-serve ice-cream. Given their pride in their burger (calling it "Super Burger"), are their natural cut fries also super duper? Here's our review of Super Duper Burgers' fries. Super Duper Burgers feature wall. We love their attention to the highest quality ingredients. Texture (5/10) The innards of the sticks were not too bad, being warm and soft. However, the exterior was quite disappointing. Though there was some crisp, there was no crunch at all. Instead of being greeted with a nice large crunching sound, typical of natural cut fries with skin, the fry just collapses into mush where your tongue rolls over the small sheets of crisp. We think that the fries were either undercooked or fried in a temperature tad bit low. The facade looked great, but the texture just was not up to our expectations. Natural cut fries with skin attached. Not too crispy though. Flavor (3/10) While the fries may be naturally cut, Super Duper did not think of adding the natural best friend of fries: salt. The fries are absolutely tasteless. Literally just fried potato mush. Without ketchup or the rich flavored and somewhat salty burger, we do not think that we could have finished the fries. You certainly do taste the freshness of the potato, so we know they use high quality ingredients. It's just that they didn't bother with anything else. Shape (5/10) Based on our various reviews, we see that that naturally cut fries tend to be thicker than regular fries. This is perhaps to compensate for the various lengths and the curvature of the potato. Thus it is commendable how Super Duper has managed to cut a round potato into standard looking fries. They are fairly uniform, and quite long, again indicating that they purposly pick larger potatoes. There was nothing special about the shape though and perhaps it was on the thinner side to support the large amount of ketchup we had to dip. These are natural cut fries that look very much like standard fries. Presentation (4/10) The fries were served in a "boat" carton, just like In-N-Out fries and many others. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but also the fries were not placed thoughtfully. Rather, it looks like they just dumped a handful on a flat bed. And we are not sure whether this was intentional or not but the boat carton was too small and flimsy to hold many fries. As you can see in the picture above, it really looks as if the fries were just thrown on the main tray. Experience (6/10) Though the fries may not be the best on their own, they paired really well with the burgers. Super Duper burgers are a smashed patty variant with plenty of rich reasoning and salt. And since the fries were virtually tasteless, they complemented the rich flavor of the burger and also added a bit of varying texture of fried potatoes. At a price of $4.00, it's not obnoxiously expensive but also you don't get much. Texture 5 Flavor 3 Shape 5 Presentation 4 Experience 6 Overall 4.6 / 10 Conclusion Yes, just as the name suggest, the burgers are super duper. But unfortunately, the same cannot be said with the fries. With no flavor, subpar texture, and fries that don't exemplify the natural potatoes, you cannot expect much from these fries. We commend their attention to high quality and sustainable approach to ingredients, and thus feel justified paying their premium prices. We just hoped that the same attention given to their burgers were given to their fries. The burger is near impeccable. Fresh smashed patties with tons of flavor. And the veggies are packed like a magazine shot.

Founded in 1941, Carl’s Jr. has withstood the test of time for almost a hundred years, becoming one of the favorites of the West Coast as it climbed the rank as a fast food restaurant. Using its staple charbroiled burgers to gain footing in the competitive world of fast food, it now has over 1,100 stores in the nation. But will its testament to time, quality, and success manifest itself in its natural cut fries? This is our Carl's Jr fries review. Carl's Jr. in San Carlos, CA. Texture (6/10) The texture, being one of the most important attributes to fries, was a bit disappointing. The fries were dry and a bit mushy, which tainted the overall balance of the tastes. They were not crispy at all, nor did it have much crunch. This is even after the fact that many sticks had the potato skin on them (as they are naturally cut), which is easier to crisp and in general support a better texture. It definitely feels like a missed opportunity here, whether to fry it longer or the fryer needing a higher temperature. The fries are bright yellow and even feels under cooked. Flavor (4/10) These fries are quite bland, although there was an effort to put at least a bit of salt on the fries. In addition to the blandness, the fries were also dry, drab, and not too pleasing on the palate. On the more positive side, they did come out nice and hot. Shape (6/10) The fries were cut nicely, in long strips and were pretty evenly sized. This level of consistency isn't easy to achieve, especially with natural cut fries so kudos to Carl's. The sticks all fit together in their cartons and were easy to pick for everybody around the table. Due to the lack of crisp and mushyness, they did flop about a bit, but were sturdy for the most part. Consistent, straight, and solid shape. Presentation (6/10) The fries were placed nicely into the cartons, or fry sleeves, and when placed on the table, looked nice, hot, and inviting. The cartons had a wide top and the mostly vertical insertion of the sticks allowed easy grabbing and accessibility. Other than the practicality of a approachable carton, there was nothing more or memorable that went above and beyond. This is a standard fries presentation. The cartons are quite narrow and tall which was interesting. Experience (4/10) The price of the Carl’s Jr. Natural-Cut Fries are about $5.19, which is definitely on the expensive side. This is exacerbated by the fact that you don't get much, perhaps around 25 sticks. The pictures above are a bit deceiving with tall cartons. They just don't fit much. For harmony and balance, the burgers were quite good, but the fries didn't do much to the overall meal. Texture 6 Flavor 4 Shape 6 Presentation 6 Experience 4 Overall 5.2 / 10 Conclusion It is quite clear that Carl’s Jr. has put in the effort in creating great fries, but it seems that the once prestigious quality of its burgers has failed to manifest in its fries. It was dry, bland on taste, and average with its shape, undoubtedly being an afterthought to its burger companion in presentation and experience. After all of those imbalances and lack of inspiration, it is tough to rank Carl’s Jr. as one of the greats in fries.

With over 2,100 locations mostly on the West Coast and currently expanding into Mexico, Jack in the Box is well known for its burgers and deep-fried tacos. Compared to McDonald's, the chain and the mascot ("Jack") comes off a bit quirky, and apparently the chain operates many of their branches 24 hours a day for the late-night munchies crowd. Given how often we drive by Jack, we wanted to check out their fries. Let us hope that, unlike Jack, these fries are out of the box! This is our review of their regular fries. Jack in the Box in Arizona State University. Texture (6/10) Well crisped and also a good deal of crunch. Most of the fries are well stuffed, with only a few stragglers being bent and crippled. Also, the fries were very warm, having been just fried. The only downside we might point out is that their innards were a bit too mushy, which is common in well stuffed fries and we know that to strike this balance is extremely difficult. You can see the crisp and the solid structure. The innards are wholesome. Flavor (7/10) Thought there wasn't any twist or quirkiness in flavor, the fries were not bland. In fact they were far from it. We almost never have seen fries this well salted and Jack in the Box certainly has put in a great deal of effort to evenly sprinkle the perfect amount of salt. They have done a great job transforming possibly bland potatoes into a burst of well balanced flavors with its oil and salt. Simple yet effective. Yes, some sticks were a bit too salty, perhaps placed in the bottom, but we understand. Shape (7/10) The fries are fairly well shaped, due to the solid stuffing on the inside. Thankfully, these fries have a closed, tapered off end that aren't too sharp or thin, forming a well shaped, solid structure throughout the entire stick. Absolutely no flop whatsoever and perfect for ketchup dipping throughout all the bites. Consistent fries, well shaped. Straight and sturdy. Presentation (4/10) Though the fries are really good, the same cannot be said for how they are served. The fries are just dumped in the tray next to the burgers. Now this may be common as a burger basket but imagine just ordering fries. The tray would be too big and the fries would be sparse, resulting in an unnatural presentation. Now not every fries have to be served in a McDonald's style carton, and we commend chains like Five Guys innovating with its presentation , we really do no think that much effort was put behind the presentation. The fries are just placed in the tray next to the burgers. Experience (7/10) For $4.29, which is slightly above the benchmark, you absolutely get quality fries. And these fries did go very well with the great burgers that came along. Also, the service was super expedient resulting in those warm crispy sticks! Overall, we enjoyed the regular fries from Jack in the Box! Texture 6 Flavor 7 Shape 7 Presentation 4 Experience 7 Overall 6.2 / 10 Conclusion Overall, from the price to the flavor to the shape, Jack in the Box has successfully crafted solid French fries. These were basic, no frills, straightforward fries yet they satisfied our palate through meticulous balancing of the entire experience with its crisp and crunch to the perfect amount of saltiness. We're happy we discovered these solid, quality fries. And yes, we will review their Seasoned Curly Fries as well soon! Their website highlights curly fries on the home page so clearly they want us to review those!

We continue tour of Asian in Tokyo. And of course, you cannot say you've visited Japan if you have not tried out MOS Burger. MOS Burger is Japan's very own, beloved, fast-food chain founded in 1972 known for its fresh ingredients and a unique Japanese twist on the American sandwich. We learned that MOS stands for Mountain, Ocean, Sun, symbolizing the brand's commitment to nature and freshness. So far, fries in Japan have been disappointing being dead-last in our running leaderboard . This was a surprise to us because food in Japan are typically tasty. We heard amazing things about MOS Burger so we were excited to try out their fries. With all caps for their name, it does show boldness. Here is our review of MOS Burger fries. Looks like any other fast-food restaurant but definitely has a Japanese twist to it. Texture (5/10) The fries had a decent amount of crisp, although we would've wanted more. However, there was no crunch when you bite into it. It seems like they opted for a simple method to fry these. The innards were very full, especially with an above average thickness. This allowed the fries to hold up their shape well, even with heavy dipping of ketchup. Solid structure and wholesome innards. Flavor (4/10) The flavor is on the bland side and we wished a bit more salt. But the modest amount of salt was well distributed throughout all sticks. Other than salt, there was no other seasoning whatsoever and this knocked it off from the average threshold of solid flvaor. Due to this weakness, MOS Burger fries would have a tough time standing on its own, being relegated as a side. Shape (5/10) These fries are your standard shape. They hold up well due to the fact that they are thick and are stuffed nicely. Also, they are fairly uniform in terms of their length and curvature. The tips are closed off although some sticks have a smooth and flat tip indicating that a longer stick was cut into smaller pieces. Not much to rave about, but also not much to complain. Relatively consistent and straight fries. Good for ketchup. Presentation (3/10) The fries are served in a paper bag with an L on the top right cornder and vegetable pictures lining the middle. Since the material is just paper (and not a carton), the container cannot stand up by itself. This is worsened with the weight of the thick fries and so the only way to present this package is to lean it on the wall of the basket. The weight of the fries continues to drag the walls of the paper bag and it is difficult to maintain the presentation as you walk with the tray. The presentation is easily ruined as you walk with the tray due to the thin paper bag container. Experience (7/10) Although these fries may not be the best on their own, they certainly do go well with the great burger MOS serves. MOS Burger's classic flagship is a solid patty with the Japanese "hamburg steak" sauce which is a mixture of tomato, diced veggies, and a splash of sweetness. The fries definitely form a strong MOS Burger experience. Texture 5 Flavor 4 Shape 5 Presentation 3 Experience 7 Overall 4.8 / 10 Conclusion MOS Burger has well known to have innovated experimenting with traditional Japanese ingredients and cuisine with western fast-food. We think their biggest contribution to this fusion is the "rice burger" where the bun is made with crispy sticky rice as rice goes better with teriyaki meat than bread buns. MOS's commitment towards quality does shine through with their fries although it will be very tough to sell these as a stand alone. The texture and shape absolutely shows their effort. They just need to flavor it up. The quintessential Japanese way of laying out information. Similar to Yahoo Japan and other classified sites.

The Fries Blog team continues our tour of Asia. This week, we're in Tokyo, Japan. Japan is known for a lot of delicious food like sushi, wagyu, udon, ramen, etc. And naturally, being fries lovers, we wanted to compare the benchmark. McDonald's Korea was a big disappointment. Can the Japanese do better? Let's find out in our McDonald's Japan fries review! We see a lot of interesting menu items, especially the Samurai Mac! Texture (1/10) These fries are floppy because they lack the crisp and the innards are near hollow. Thus they sag and droop and can barely keep up straight even without ketchup. The vast air pockets form a deflated fry and with a non-crisp skin, these fries can literally bend in half. We have never seen fries like this before. Exterior has no structure nor crisp nor crunch. The saving grace were the small chips that were on the floor of the carton. We can confidently say that in terms of the texture, McDonald's Japan is closer to McDonald's Korea. The Korean ones at least had a more wholesome innard. Not in Japan. Spineless fries with minimal crisp and deflated innards. Flavor (3/10) Perhaps because Japan is a soy sauce culture, they seem to have forgotten that you need salt on fries. There were some saltiness on a few sticks, especially on the top of the carton but most of them were bland. We do not think that salt was mixed in with tossing but rather sprinkled on top of the carton. We're not sure whether this is an official McDonald's Japan instruction or this particular individual who prepared our fries on this very day. And as the standard benchmark, McDonald's fries do not have seasoning so this was it; a largely bland set of potato sticks. Shape (2/10) The shape of the fries were short, weird looking potatoes. There was minimal size consistency from a few that were long as a child's finger to small chips that lay scattered on the bottom of the carton. But what was not forgivable was the limp sticks, despite being short. They couldn't hold their shape in your hands. The fries fell apart in your very hands being fragile and without soul. These shapes are even worse than their Korean counterparts. Short fries with varying sizes. When you pick them up, they droop. Presentation (5/10) Not much to say in this criterion. The fries were placed in a standard McDonald's Large carton. There seemed to be reasonable amount of fries, slightly overflowing at the brim. Due to the short fries, they were not stacked well vertically but we think they did the best with what they had in hand. We have a standard McDonald's Large carton with good level of packing. Experience (4/10) Although these fries were some of the worst we have reviewed, it actually went well with the Samurai Mac , which as far we can tell is essentially a double quarter-pounder with teriyaki sauce. The burger was quite salty so the fries balanced it out decently. But other than this serendipitous coincidence, the fries alone are definitely not worth it and lag severely behind their American counterpart . Texture 1 Flavor 3 Shape 2 Presentation 5 Experience 4 Overall 3.0 / 10 Conclusion McDonald's has achieved global fast-food domination but it seems that they have issues maintaining the caliber of fries in Asia, now proven with Korea and Japan. Maybe this is due to smaller potatoes or factory production but regardless they lack quality and the outcome is dismal. The cooking methods are absolutely off and McDonald's should seriously consider retraining their Asian cooking process to align with their American standards. Milky Pie - collab with Japan's Milky caramel brand. The crust was the good old McDonald's Apple Pie which at this point has been perfected.

With the regular Lotteria fries being a huge disappointment , we now had to try out their "Seasoned Fries". Our hopes weren't too high given their regular counterparts were barely crispy, inside too mushy, and especially flavorless. But perhaps the seasoned version might be different. Perhaps they might be prepared with a different method. Here's our Lotteria Seasoned Fries review. Upon selecting the Seasoned Fries in the menu screen, we had to choose from one of the three - Onion, Cheese, and Chili. We decided to go with Onion. The fries were delivered in a big paper bag and a strange little packet that resembled instant ramen seasoning. In somewhat of a disbelief, we opened the bag to see their regular fries in the paper bag. The supposedly Seasoned Fries at Lotteria. The seasoning comes on the side like a ramen. So essentially, Lotteria's Seasoned fries was just their regular fries served in a paper bag with a side packet of seasoning. We couldn't believe what we were realizing. We naturally poured the dusty syntehtic onino smelling powder in the bag and gave it a shake. Due to the clumpiness of the powder, it really had to be a vigorous shake before we were able to get the seasoning somewhat spread evenly. Yes, you shake it. Vigorously. You start with regular fries, literally. Even after shaking, you can see that the seasoning is still clumped in some areas. Texture (4/10) Nothing has changed here, as they are just their regular fries. Minimal crisp, no crunch, mushy and muddy innards. Same exact fries as the regular version. Flavor (4/10) Yes, it tastes better than the flavorless regular fries, but marginally. Quite frankly, we felt this was outrageous. Have you ever put instant ramen seasoning into ramen package with uncooked noodles to make a "ramen snack"? Well that is what Lotteria expects you to do but only resulting in an uneven distribution of the seasoning (due to clumping) creating pockets of too strong or too weak flavor. The seasoning itself is not of high quality either; the smell had a strong sourcream and onion (which we love), but the actual taste was bland and uninviting. Shape (4/10) Again, nothing different here as seasoning does not change shape. Presentation (2/10) There isn't much of a presentation here. The fries come in a paper bag that diners can mix it with seasoning powder and give it a shake. Sure, that is probably the best way to spread the powder evenly. But they really did not think what happens after the shake. We could only access the fries by ripping the paper bag which resulted in an unsightly and intentional layout. Experience (2/10) Here at the Fries Blog, we love creativity and passion demonstrated for the excellence of progressing delightful potato consumption. The Seasoned fries from Lotteria however seems to be the exact opposite. Yes, the shaking experience was unique, had it have been done right. And perhaps that was the original intent. But for this instance, we felt it was a slap in our faces with pure laziness and thoughtless execution. The entire concept left bad afternotes for us. Texture 4 Flavor 4 Shape 4 Presentation 2 Experience 2 Overall 3.2 / 10 Conclusion Lotteria's half-baked attempt to sell a seasoned variant of their disappointing regular fries backfired. Artificial and bland sourcream and onion flavor, spread unevenly, despite the best efforts of vigorous shaking. Lotteria, if you are reading this, we suggest you scrap the product, go back to the basics of creating great fries, and think about proper techniques to season your food. Display wall at Lotteria. The marketing photos look great while you wonder why what's in front of you can't be that tasteful.