We continue our travels in South Korea and one of the primary destinations for us fries lovers has to be Lotteria . Lotteria is a prime example of how western fast-food can be blended with local taste and cuisine. Founded in 1972 by the South Korean conglomerate - Lotte , they say Lotteria is vastly popular in Korea and Japan. You cannot taste Lotteria fries outside of Korea and Japan, so naturally, this was a moment that we've been counting days for. Will we find fries that are just as good as the big brands and chains? Will we discover fries that are blended with local cuisine? (ie. kimchi fries?) So many questions and we just had to find out. Here's our Lotteria fries review. Lotteria at the Lotte World Mall in Seoul, South Korea. Texture (4/10) The fries had some crisp but no cruchiness whatsoever, and the insides are a soft mush, almost like mud. Due to the thickness, some parts of the stick was literally a shell without any innards, akin to a deflated toothpaste tube. The only redeeming attribute is again is the slight crispiness on the exterior of the fry, but too inconsistent to drive delight. Thus for texture, we cannot rate this high as we felt the fries were undercooked and imbalanced. Decent crisp but weak innards. Flavor (3/10) It was very disappointing to find out that these fries have no flavor at all - while the rest of Korean cuisine has a lot of character. You cannot taste the slightest bit of salt or any seasoning on this fries. Granted, there was a "Seasoned Fry" as a separate menu item, which we have tried as well and will follow up with a review , they at least need to make an effort on the regular. Shape (4/10) Just like the McDonald's Korea fries , we have another case of what we called "open-ended" fries. The fries have no tips and the mush on the inside tends to squeeze out if you squish the fries. Also, these fries are so short. Half of the contents in the bag are just fragments of a real fry, as if those in the kitchne cut off the tips of the fries and just tossed them in the carton. We don't recall seeing a single stick that is over 3 inches long. The sticks are stright and uniform, and most of them don't flop around in your hand when you take a bite. The sticks are in general "short" and there are plenty of these small broken pieces. Presentation (4/10) This is literally the white version of the McDonald's carton. It does seem that Lotteria has spent effort putting designs and patterns on the carton, which we rarely see in fries containers as they are typically one solid color. The fries (although short) are packed in well and it does present itself well. The only call out here is that Lotteria's supposedly Large Size carton is definitely equivalent or smaller than the regular version at McDonald's. I'm not sure why the portion is so small, considering that their burgers seem to be on the same scale. Very similar to McDonald's but their Large carton was perhaps the same as McDonald's regular. Experience (2/10) Since the fires are tasteless, there is not much to comment about how they went along with the remaining sandwiches and burgers. Perhaps it was always meant to complement the meal by filling your stomach up, but then even so, the portions are tiny. The fries were also at an average price compared to many other fast-food restaurants so really, nothing stands out. We may be a bit harsh here but given we wanted to get a Korean fast-food fries experience, Lotteria absolutely disappointed us in many ways. Texture 4 Flavor 3 Shape 4 Presentation 4 Experience 2 Overall 3.4 / 10 Conclusion Overally, Lotteria has been a big disappointment. The texture was barely passable, no seasoning or memorable flavor, and the innards of the fries were soft mush with often deflated leakage common. Each stick was short and tiny, while the overall package itself was a shrunk version of the mainstream competition. We really think Lotteria has an opportunity here and are curious why they have not capitalized on being more creative. They must understand that fries are not something to overlook, but can be a wonderful flagship and a differentiatior. All we saw was a textbook fries "half baked".

The Fries Blog team this week is traveling to Asia. Our first stop is Seoul, South Korea; an international metropolis with plenty of fast-food restaurants. And naturally we were curious if the Korean establishment of our favorite benchmark - our McDonald's fries - would differ from its American cousin. We were split - some of us thought it would be exactly the same while others wanted a twist. At least the pictures looked identical. We were curious. We had to try it out. Here's our review of McDonald's Korea fries review. McDonald's at the COEX Mall in Seoul, South Korea. Texture (3/10) The texture was overwhelmingly bad. There was barely any crisp and the skin was very weak and thin. The fries themselves were skinny and deflated and if you pair that we the lack of crunch, you have a droopy, soft, spineless fries. The crunchy and soft balance we love to see on fries was absolutely missing. Once you take a bite, the outer skin crumbles and falls apart into shreds. You really struggle to feel the difference between the skin and the innards after the first bite. This was a huge disappointment and couldn't be more different than its American twin. Spineless fries with minimal crisp and deflated innards. Flavor (4/10) The essence of McDonald's fries flavor is the balance between saltiness and the savory balance of the potato and oil. Unfortunately, for the Korean fries, the flavor's blandness came across vividly as the sticks were quite dry. At least they got the salt amount right. In comparison to others we have tasted on this blog, the fries were drab and forgettable to say the least. Shape (3/10) The fries are like a cut piece of wrinkled clothing that has been sitting in your closet way too long. They are very short, and we think that they cut their fries in half to make twice the amount that you would normally get in one potato. Also, we saw that most of the fries didn't have closed ends on both sides. We have never seen fries that to not have closed points on both sides, especially if they are cut naturally from potatoes. For some sticks, you can actually see the potato mush on the inside, as if someone took a bit out of most of these fries before shoving them in the carton. Perhaps they were the spineless sticks breaking apart when being packaged post frying. The fries are crippled and deformed, each fry noticeably different from the next. This was a huge surprise as we thought that the shape of the McDonald's fries was part of its success. We are not sure why the Korean version forgot this or missed the quality control. Or could it be that Korean potatoes are much smaller than the American counterpart? Regardless, we were baffled. Barely any sticks stand up even fresh off the tray. And look at those fries "bits" that were all shoved into the carton. Those are not something that we chewed on. Presentation (4/10) Not much to say in this criterion. The fries were dumped into your standard McDonald's carton - yes, thank god for the red cartons and not the paper bags. There was no difference between the cartons in Korea versus those found in America. Due to this, there is not much to note about the presentation. The only call out is again the short fries sticks that are shorter than the backrest of the carton, which makes the presentation slightly less pretty. Somehow it feels like the carton was not filled completely. Experience (4/10) Due to the major flaw of the fries, they did little to complement the burgers or other sandwiches and mostly served as a stomach filler. The experience wasn't particularly bad but also it largely remained forgetaable. If it wasn't for the purposes of the review, we would have forgotten we had even ordered fries in the first place. Texture 3 Flavor 4 Shape 3 Presentation 4 Experience 4 Overall 3.6 / 10 Conclusion Though Korea may serve lots of good food, from noodles to ice-cream, McDonald's is not one of the restaurants we recommend you go if you care about delightful culinary experiences, even more so for fries. With a crippled shape, no substantial flavor, and horrible texture, these fries are an embarrassment to the benchmark that their American twins have set. McDonald's headquarters should seriously consider flying out to Korea for investigating the issue as this is creating serious brand damage. There is a lot of room to improve, and we hope they get this fixed soon.

Kentucky Fried Chicken or better known as KFC was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952. With over 22,000 locations around the world, it is one of the biggest fast-food chains, standing supreme in all its chicken glory with its famous secret herb blend seasoning. But can they be equally proud about their fries? Will they be a testament to the flavor of the Colonel's "Secret Recipe"? Here's our KFC fries review. Colonel Sanders prominent on the red and white KFC store. Texture (8/10) The texture of KFC's fries is very crispy, with a crunch in every bite. The outside most layer is pure crisp, almost like a battered fry which many use to generate the crunchy bite. The inside of the fries is soft and bit mushy but well balances the outer crispiness. These are one of the best textures we have tasted, and again the key is the balance; achieved by the perfect thickness. KFC fries nail the texture. Flavor (7/10) Now we were super curious about the flavor and whether it would be influenced by the secret herb seasoning. And the answer is yes! Surprisingly, the flavor of these fries is very buttery, oily, and actually gives a hint of cheese. The ingredients of KFC's "Secret Recipe" is a closely guarded secret, but it has been speculated that it includes spices like paprika and black pepper, which we believe contributes to the buttery flavor with a gentle kick. Shape (6/10) The fries are shaped a bit randomly, not all even and consistent, but a scattered range potato sizes. The structure and construction of the fry allowed it to flop around a lot though, but fortunately did not fall apart in your hands. Our advice is to not dip too much ketchup and eat one in a single bite. KFC fries don't have a consistent shape and size. Presentation (5/10) The first are placed in a boat shaped carton but is a bit taller in its aspect ratio, sort of based on a "square". The picture is deceiving below as the package is rather small. The fries are weirdly laid out in a horizontal fashion, probably not being as space efficient as vertical insertion, but at least the wide entrance allows multiple fingers to pick up the sticks. But other than this squarish boat carton, there's nothing that stands out about the presentation. It's more random and lacks thoughtfulness we think. The shapes are all over the place. Experience (6/10) The fries go well with the tenders and KFC's flagship original fried chicken (yes, the ones using the secret recipe). But at the price of $5.11 for a normal size packaging, and the way the fries are inefficiently inserted and hence lacking in quantity, we think it is quite a bit overpriced. Texture 8 Flavor 7 Shape 6 Presentation 5 Experience 6 Overall 6.4 / 10 Conclusion KFC may be the king of fast-food fried chicken but the same can't be said for their fries. Although the flavor and texture of their fries were great, they overlooked the experience the customer would have while eating them. The fact that they set the price high, almost at a premium level, does not help the cause as other fast-food chains will get you more fries for less. We do not believe that anyone is visiting KFC just for their fries although we think it absolutely has potential with just a bit more refinements.

French fries and tacos may not feel like they are parts of the same orchestra. But with Taco Bell and their massive presence of over 8,200 stores worldwide, any invention and trend-setting is possible. At first, we doubted if Taco Bell would even have fries on their menu but being a fast-food restaurant, we thought our odds were good in finding some. One thing for sure though, if they did have fries, we knew Taco Bell wouldn't serve your every day fries. Here's our Taco Bell fries review. Taco Bell in Redwood City, CA. Texture (7/10) The texture was pretty good overall, with the skin having a good crunch, bite after bite. Surprsingly, the innards were a bit airy with pockets of void under the crisp skin. These fries definitely were not packed solid which turned out to be actually okay because they felt like potato chips. However, whatever innards there was, was a bit too mushy and felt like puree or mash potatoes. We could actually squeeze it out. This definitely brought down the texture a bit. You can see the gap and hole inside the stick. Flavor (8/10) Unlike most fast-food restaurants, Taco Bell serves their fries with a bountiful of powdered seasoning. Yes, they are called "Nacho Fries" and we really think it is either licensing or copying the flavor of Nacho Cheese Doritos . It works well and tastes quite good. There's also a hint of paprika spice mixed in, delivering an interesting balance preventing it from becoming overly cheesy. The flavor is good but can get a bit numbing due to the potency. Shape (4/10) We have seen fries of all shapes and sizes on this blog from various restaurants, but one thing they all had in common was the consistency of the shape between the individual pieces. Well, Taco Bell has now proven us wrong. There is minimal consistency between the fries, some are straight and some are absolutely bent like a rainbow. Each stick is different from the next. Also, due to the crispy frying, some of the tips of the fries were super sharp and hard. Our 7 year old sister cut the roof of her mouth while eating these fries. Presentation (6/10) Standard McDonald's-like vertical carton. A bit narrower though. There is minimal creativity that has gone in. The bright orange from the nacho dust contrasts well with the Taco Bell purple. We are grateful that the carton is overflowing with fries but it really shows how the vertical parallel stacking does not work well when the shapes are all over the place. The shapes are all over the place. Experience (7/10) Nacho Fries turned out to be fries splattered with Doritos dust. And we are happy to report to you that it is tasty as well as complements the Chalupas and other Taco Bell staples well. Food at Taco Bell typically fall into the bland category with weak flavored meat and standard salad with sour cream and cheese on top (hence the hot sauces are so critical). The Nacho Fries definitely adds a quick kick between the bites, balancing the flavor profile. Also, they go amazingly well with the cheese and ranch dip that comes with the meal package. Texture 7 Flavor 8 Shape 4 Presentation 6 Experience 7 Overall 6.4 / 10 Conclusion Taco Bell has a good idea going on with their Nacho Fries. Their unique flavor makes them stand out from your average fast-food fries. You can absolutely tell they have put a lot of effort in this invention, especially considering how well it goes with the rest of the menu and we typiaclly don't associate fries with tacos and quesadillas. There still is room for growth though with the consistency of the shape and perhaps a wider carton. Even the mural shows how critical the hot suaces are for Taco Bell. Thank you for the Nacho Fries bringing in a different flavor profile to the menu.

Shake Shack started as a humble hot dog cart in NYC's Madison Square Park in 2004. Today, it has over 600 locations globally and are known for their delicious hand-spun shakes and juicy burgers. And underneath the green neon logo, they boast a crinkled and crisp fries with a unique silhouette that stands out from the competition. Will Shake Shack's creative fry shape shake off its competition? Or will it fall victim to being any old fry? Here's our Shake Shack fries review. Shake Shack at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, CA. Texture (6/10) Intriguingly, Shake Shack makes crinkled fries. This shape, however, does not affect the overall texture of the fry. We were surprised because we thought perhaps the larger surface area may affect the exterior texture in some way. The fries have a good crunch on the outside, but the inside is a bit too mushy, transforming the guts of the potato into a form of what could be called a puree. This throws off the balance and drags down the crunchiness of the exterior. Quite disappointing. The picture doesn't do justice to the puree inside. Flavor (4/10) The fries are lightly to barely seasoned just with salt. The fact alone, mixed with the puree innards, makes the fries bland and they cannot be consumed without ketchup. They're also quite dry in your mouth, which exemplifies their blandness. All of this adds up to the fries being drab and forgettable. Shape (6/10) The crinkled fries are interesting and are decent in shape, but what surprised us was its floppiness. They had a hard time keeping themselves in a presentable shape once picked up. Due to the heavy puree innards, and perhaps the structural integrity of the exterior compromised due to crinkles, any decently long stick droops lethargically. Also, the consistency of each stick has been overlooked as the fries can range from being as long as your finger, to a stub as tall as your fingernail. Despite an interesting shape, the lengths are inconsistent. Presentation (7/10) The presentation of the fries was pretty basic. It was your average carton, shaped like a boat, nothing really special about it. However, we believe the horizontally spread boat was intentional as if served in a vertical carton for easy picking (like McDonald's), the crinkles would get caught with another and more than a single stick may fall out. Look at the boat of crinkled fries! Experience (5/10) Although the fries themselves didn't stack up too well against competition, they do complement their burgers and shakes really well. Their deep flavored patty definitely needs a resolve, and their highly airy potato buns may not be enough. However, keep in mind that these fries are expensive! Yes, Shake Shack is definitely at a higher price range than McDonald's, but can they really justify such mediocre fries with small portions at $6.29? Texture 6 Flavor 4 Shape 6 Presentation 7 Experience 5 Overall 5.6 / 10 Conclusion Shake Shack tries to differentiate itself from the regular fast-food chains with amazing burgers and shakes. However, their crinkled fries do not rise to the occasion and disappoints, especially given the price point. Shake Shack's crinkled fries had potential, but the fries on their own are better off remaining a sidekick than being the hero. The green neon burger shines on...

Popeyes is well known for its chicken sandwich that has been battling for the top spot with Chick-fil-A for many years. It boasts over 3,700 locations proudly serving bold Louisiana flavored extra crispy and crunchy chicken and buttery biscuits. And this influence absolutely spills over to its fries. So let's dig in! Here's our Popeyes fries review. Orange is the name of the game for Popeyes. Texture (9/10) Popeyes has a very unique and special texture. It seems like they put some type of starch crumbs or batter on their fries which gives it an extreme crunch every bite. You cannot get this level of a crunch just with potatoes. The exterior was crispy, and the innards were wholesome yet not stuffy. It was a joy to bite into these fries. If it was for a bit more intentional potato skin, we may have given it a perfect score. You can see the strong crunch in the stick. Flavor (5/10) Although the texture shone bright, the flavor could not live up to the hype. First, the fries are so oily and greasy that in minutes, your fingers get drenched in grease. We think this is because of all the oil that has been soaked up by the fried batter or crumbs. There definitely is a healthy dose of pepper (the black specks are everywhere) and other seasoning which makes the potato feel a bit more "serious" but we think this was overdone, especially throwing off the balance with the classical saltiness. Slightly bland, overly peppery. Shape (7/10) Popeyes fries carry the standard straight stick cut and seems like they're slightly longer and thicker than the typical average. But what makes the shape unique again is the batter that makes the stick bumpy. These irregular bumps, with their golden-brown color, make the fries look tastier, especially in the sunlight when the oil on the surface glistens. Look at those batter bumps. And many chunks fall off and are found on container floor. Presentation (8/10) Popeyes fries are presented like a treasure chest, almost as if sticks of gold were sitting in the wide and deep chest. The slightly orange seasoning, crisp, and grease make it absolutely glisten like gold in the sunlight and the pepper speckles add to the invitation to dig in. The orange theme color on the restaurant and the container goes well with the presentation and it is definitely one of best presented fries. A treasure chest of golden fries. Experience (4/10) Popeyes chicken sandwich is perhaps the best in the world. But if you pair them with fries, they do not complement each other well. The extra grease lingering in your mouth from the fries distracts you from enjoying the crispy chicken, pulling the overall experience down. We found ourselves trying to finish one before digging into the other. with plenty of palate cleansers in between. Grease makes things tasty. But it's overdone when you include Popeyes fries. Texture 9 Flavor 5 Shape 7 Presentation 8 Experience 4 Overall 6.6 / 10 Conclusion We wondered what Cajun fries could be. In addition to the seasoning, we enjoyed the battered coating and the treasure chest packaging. But when the seasoning overpowers the salt and disturbing the main chicken meal with grease holds these fries from being one of the best. We think Popeyes has a great vision bringing in a unique twist to fries that many can appreciate. We do think that they should take a half step back to the drawing board and fine tune the parameters a bit, especially the amount of grease it carries.

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has been popping up everywhere in malls. There are only about 200 locations across the country yet due to their presence in the mall, it seems we run into them much more frequently. We did not expect CPK to sell fries or potato wedges as the place is literally called a "pizza" kitchen. And we typically don't associate fries as a side for pizza slices. But when we saw fries in the menu, it piqued our curiosity. We had to order and see what it was all about. CPK fits perfectly in an outdoor mall. Texture (4/10) Although these potato wedge-looking fries feel cute and inviting, the texture isn't quite optimal. The ratio between the inside and the skin crisp is not balanced. The wedge shape looks so good, so warm, and delicious, especially when it arrives in a nice platter, piled up in front of you. You want it to be crispy and perfect. Yet upon the first munch, it's a shocker when all you taste is a thick somewhat dry mush. Even worse, the texture of the inside is not even throughout the thick piece. Look at the cute wedge look with the skin. The inside is too stuffy. Flavor (5/10) These are literally potato wedges with salt and no other seasoning. But due to the thickness, the marination does not help the middle. The outside of the wedges was super dry, providing an uneven flavor. CPK tried to add more personality to the fries by sprinkling a healthy dose of parmesan cheese (assuming the same they do on their pizza and pastas) but we couldn't taste it, most likely because the cheese never stuck to the surface of the potato due to its dryness. If it wasn't for the ketchup, we don't think we could have finished our plate. Leaning on bland and boring overall. Shape (2/10) Here at The Fries Blog, we love fries that are hefty and appropriately stuffed so that they don't limp over. But in CPK's case, due to the way it is cut, they turned this into an over-stuffed piece of fried potato. We love the innovative wedge shape, probably made with small potatoes. But then, you must compensate this by either shaving out the middle. Fries are 1~2 bite delectables, enjoyed within a few seconds per stick. CPK's fries are a short, stubby wedge that take over a minute to finish. These are not fries but rather a potato wedge dish. Presentation (7/10) Dumped onto a plate and sprinkled with parmesan, the presentation looked very inviting. We were excited as the server put it in front of us. And yes, this is the first fries that we are reviewing that were presented on an actual plate (as CPK is not a fast-food restaurant). They weren't arranged in a particular fancy way or shape, but we believe it was good enough. Look at that. Doesn't it look inviting? Experience (1/10) Alright, we already insinuated that CPK does not have the best fries. However, these potato wedges also didn't complement their pizzas (we had BBQ Chicken). The pizza is thin and flavorful, while the fries act almost as a hindrance to the pizza dough. There just isn't a complementary balance. We do not remember the price but honestly, we think these fries actually acted as a negative factor in the overall dining experience. Texture 4 Flavor 5 Shape 2 Presentation 7 Experience 1 Overall 3.8 / 10 Conclusion CPK may have built a franchise around their thin, flavorful, and innovative pizza, served in a Southern Californian vibe. With its easy-going atmosphere and menu, it certainly is a family magnet. However, their fries are going to need a bit of tweaking. We would recommend first thinning the wedges by cutting thinner slices and adding more character to their flavor profile taking advantage of their strength in pizza - how about pepperoni pizza flavored seasoning? CPK, please do not give up and let's innovate! If fries will ever be a side to a pizza, we think it would be you who would figure it out.

Five Guys, with only about 1,700 locations, is known for their customizable fresh beef burgers, juicy hot dogs and thick milkshakes. But what really excites us is that their fries are double cooked in peanut oil! Five Guys absolutely differentiates from the standard fast-food chains by going premium and everything is about twice the price of McDonald's. Sure you get those wonderfully roasted peanuts for free as you order. But are they worth the price? And does peanut oil make a difference? Let's find out. Five Guys in Foster City, CA. The sack of peanuts is an essential part of the brand. Texture (10/10) The texture of the fries is perfect. Just look at the picture. On the outside, the fries are gold (literally) and super crispy even with the full-length potato skin. When you bite into it, you get a satisfying baritone crunch that is delightful both to your mouth and ears. The inside is soft and wholesome, and the perfect thickness gives it heft and no flopping is ever observed. You can confidently dip them into ketchup without the worry of losing its essence. Never has this blog reviewed fries with better texture, nor can we imagine of one. For the first time ever, we proudly bestow these fries a score of 10 for their texture. Just look at them. Golden and crispy. You can't Photoshop better. The full-length potato skin is part of the crisp. The thickness is a perfect balance of crisp and the soft inside. Flavor (7/10) Supporting the texture, the flavor of these fries is awesome. There is a good amount of salt and the peanut oil gives it a slightly savory tint. The level of saltiness may be tad bit too strong but when combined with the thick-cut innards, they strike a great balance. Truly, fries don't get much better than this. However, due to the rich oil crisp, the flavor can dull your senses a bit. If there was a bit of seasoning like Johnny Rockets , it may have been a perfect score. Shape (8/10) Although Five Guys may not have the most special shape, staying truthful to its natural beauty of hand-cut potatoes actually makes it feel more premium and fresher. The sticks are thick, bumpy and coarse with many of them proudly wearing the skin. Thus the edges of the fries are not "clean", but we like it that way. One special thing to note was the length. We don't know where they found such tall potatoes but many of the sticks were longer than my 7 year old sister's hand. Look at the length! Presentation (7/10) Unlike the standard cartons, Five Guys serves their fries in a thick tall paper cup. We think this is ingenious as it can hold those tall sticks vertically. And the volume of the cup is much larger than the largest McDonald's carton. However, what is also interesting is they dump another load of fries in the paper bag after they carefully placed the full cup of fries. This results in a messy display of golden goodness packed in the brown bag. Yes, the presentation is not pretty but my god you get a lot of fries. It is quite a scene to lay out the "mess" by tearing the side of the paper bag. Not pretty, but absolutely distinguished. Fries served in a rigid paper cup. And another portion in the brown paper bag. Experience (9/10) As mentioned earlier, Five Guys is not cheap. The large fries which we ordered came in at over $8, about double the price of your typical fast-food chain. However, we all believe that every penny of the price is worth it. The quantity you get pretty much justifies the price (we think it is double that of McDonald's) but then you get perhaps one of the best fries in the world. The entire experience is simply joyful whether you are crunching through a crispy stick of wonder, dipping them in ketchup, or when you discover a whole another portion when you look into the paper bag container. Oh, not to mention their pairing with the juicy fresh burgers. We do not believe a fries experience can get much better than this. Texture 10 Flavor 7 Shape 8 Presentation 7 Experience 9 Overall 8.2 / 10 Conclusion With crispy and well flavored fries, unique container, and satisfying quantity, Five Guys is so far the best fries that we have reviewed, and we are confident that it will take something truly special to be better. Love and passion cannot be felt in most fast-food restaurants, and they simply cannot produce such quality fries, no matter the price point. Five Guys achieves the seemingly impossible - the perfect fries, complete with potato skins, savory and crunch, solid with heft yet not overwhelmingly mushy. Yes, there could've been a bit more seasoning, and we can nitpick on the messy presentation. But we simply loved every bite. We salute Five Guys for creating one of the best fries in the world! The peanuts are well roasted and quite tasty! And yes, unlimited.

Burger King certainly has its place in the global fast-food landscape. With over 6,500 locations in the US and 13,000 globally across 96 countries, it is perhaps seen as the primary competitor for McDonald's. Armed with the flame-grilled Whopper, they provide a juicier and more flavorful burger. But what about their fries? Given McDonald's fries has set the " benchmark ", we were super excited for what the underdog had to bring to the table. Burger King in Redwood City, CA on El Camino and Hopkins Ave. Texture (2/10) Burger King's fries feel packed and wholesome. They have heft, unlike the recently reviewed fries from Wendy's . However, it was very disappointing that there was minimal crisp on the outside. These fries felt like mashed potato shaped as a stick rather than a crispy delight. The texture overall was bland and uninviting. Fortunately, they weren't dry but that make the entire experience too mushy. There's minimal crisp on the outside seen by uniform colors. Flavor (2/10) Just like the texture, the flavor too was bland. Almost no salt and any type of seasoning. We were caught off guard on how such a global chain could provide thick mashed potato sticks without providing any type of meaningful flavor as it just amplifies the uninspiring texture. Even mashed potatoes are served with butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon bits. Shape (5/10) These are your standard, every day, fries shape. The sticks tend to be on the shorter side. Thanks to all the stuffing and heft, the fries do maintain their shape well. Absolutely no flopping, even when you dip it in ketchup. This makes it easy to eat. Presentation (4/10) Pretty standard presentation in a well-shaped carton. The cartons can stand up by itself, and the vertical stick placement looks finger-inviting. However, it was very disappointing that they didn't fill the container with enough fries. We checked the brown bag whether any had spilled but that wasn't the case. It just doesn't look like those on their ads. There is so much empty space in these cartons. Couldn't they have filled it more? Experience (5/10) Although Burger King fries are just not enjoyable on their own, they actually paired really well with their juicy delicious Whoppers. The blandness balances the burst of flavors from the Whopper patty and sauce. Perhaps these fries were intentionally designed to go along with other menu items, but even so, the fries experience is not worthy of a throne. Texture 2 Flavor 2 Shape 5 Presentation 4 Experience 5 Overall 3.6 / 10 Conclusion As the name of the brand suggests, yes, we understand that it was "Burger" King and not "Fries" King. And it is clear that they put a lot of pride behind their Whopper with the tagline of "Home of the Whopper". However, we just wish they had put just a tad bit more effort on their fries. We are genuinely disappointed and convinced that Burger King's fries actually damage their reputation and brand. Bland and uninspiring. Burger King's fries is one of the lowest scoring fries we've reviewed. Home of the Whopper where the fries don't get their own room .

Wendy's is one of the largest fast-food chains with over 7,200 locations. They have made a name for themselves to use fresh, never-frozen patties accented with their square shape. And of course, with the friendly, cheerful, and sassy personality built around their logo. But are their fries worthy of the smile Wendy puts on her face? Even more so, will it put a smile on our own faces? Here's our Wendy's fries review. The freckles, the blue ribboned pigtails, and the smile on Wendy. Texture (2/10) The texture of Wendy's fries does not fare well against competition. In general, the fries feel "deflated" and the internals much hollow. These sticks do not scream life or energy, rather they look scrawny and tired. We understand that fries are not stuffed but somehow it just feels like something sucked the insides out. The exterior was also a bit soggy and there was minimal crisp to be found. Wilted, soggy, and deflated exterior while the internals are hollow. Flavor (6/10) Although the texture was far from ideal, the flavor was surprisingly decent. The fries had a good amount of salt, perhaps a bit too much even. Some of us could have sworn we sensed a bit of added "spice" or sugar, and definitely this wasn't just pure potato, oil and salt. It cannot be said there was a kick to the flavor but again, all around quite solid. They are tasty fries no doubt. Shape (5/10) Wendy's fries is your standard natural cut shape - a round potato sliced in sticks. It even had the tips with the surface of the round potato preserved, covered in potato skin. We believe visually this was pleasing. However, due to the deflated and soggy nature, as you pick up the fries, they will flop or droop down. This problem worsens as you dip the tip in ketchup adding weight. Presentation (7/10) We are delighted that Wendy's serves their fries in a carton container that is deep as well as contains and protects the fries well. With our takeout, barely any spilled out in the paper bag. They look delicious and are placed vertically to stick out extending an invitation to grab some. Perhaps the only way to present better would be neatly organizing the fries in the carton but we understand that takes effort and time. Look at the smile prominently greeting you with the fries above her head. Experience (5/10) Wendy's fries pair well with the sauce and burger that is served along. However, we cannot say that the standalone fries experience was top notch. The soggy, flopping sticks with minimal crunch simply do not put a satisfactory smile on our faces. Texture 2 Flavor 6 Shape 5 Presentation 7 Experience 5 Overall 5.0 / 10 Conclusion It is clear that Wendy's is trying to differentiate itself from McDonald's by being the friendlier, fresher, and more natural choice. And we believe their fries point in the same direction of their ethos - probably fresh cut, natural shapes, and solid flavors. However, in this day and age, you cannot compete in the fries arena with whatever cooking method they are adopting for deflated and floppy sticks. Dear Wendy's, less salt, more substance please.

With only 418 locations across 8 states, one cannot pass the legendary In-N-Out when visiting California. In-N-Out is known for its fresh patties and hand-cut fries. The franchise to this day is family-owned and keeps their menu simple for preserving quality. So how do their supposedly fresh, sunflower oil fries stack up? Will they live up to their famed burgers? Or will they go in, only to be spat out? Here's our In-N-Out fries review. Texture (2/10) The fries have a questionable dryness to them and barely have a crunch. We are not sure whether this is the sunflower oil or some other factor contributing to a lower cooking temperature. These potato sticks are lifeless, with no crisp strength and the exterior falls apart in your mouth. Imagine chewing on warm cardboard. Pictures don't do justice with the lifeless texture. Flavor (1/10) There is pretty no seasoning and taste whatsoever in these fries. Aside from the tiniest pinch of salt, which we do not understand why such stingy amounts, the fries are bland at the least devoid of any personality or character. As you chew through warm, dry cardboard, you can feel the sadness and sorrow that form the base of its flavor profile. Also, some of the sticks are burnt adding to a hint of occasional bitterness which is simply not acceptable. Shape (4/10) You have your standard sticks that are not only short but droop like a wilted flower. Adding to the sorrow of the flavor, the shapes just don't add much to sway us the other way. We are giving it an average grade due to the familiarity of standard fries but honestly, our assessment makes us question the size of the potatoes as well as the cutter In-N-Out uses. Presentation (5/10) The boat-shaped container of these fries spreads out the short, sorrowful sticks in the most abundant way possible. Clearly, this is better than just dumping the fries on the side or in a bag and they sit well visually next to their juicy burgers. I think this is perhaps the best aspect of In-N-Out fries. They do fall over easy when carrying them on a tray though. Perhaps the best way to present short, wilted, and soulless fries. Experience (3/10) In-N-Out fries, fresh, hand-cut and made with sunflower oil, are uninspiring and sorrowful to say the least. And it really is difficult to eat them by themselves. However, they do go somewhat well with their juicy flavorful burgers, adding a balance and relief from the intense flavor. But this is not enough to save the mini boat of potato cardboard strips. Texture 2 Flavor 1 Shape 4 Presentation 5 Experience 3 Overall 3.0 / 10 Conclusion At the bottom of the fries container, it proudly says "Since 1948, we've been cooking our fries in 100% trans-fat free, cholesterol free vegetable oil. Out potatoes are peeled and diced at each store and cooked fresh for you." It almost adds the missing salt to the wound of consuming disappointing and soulless fries. In-N-Out Burgers really needs to go back to the drawing board on this one. Sunflower, canola, or duck-fat can be mentioned then.

Chick-fil-A, although not one of the mega chains, consistently ranks top in customer satisfaction. It has over 3,200 locations and is known for its chicken sandwich and waffle fries. Well, we put those golden grids to the test today. The fry's unique shape absolutely sets it apart from the vast majority of the stick-style competition. We love the taste of Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwiches. But would it be the same for their fries? Here's our Chick-fil-A fries review. Chick-fil-A at the Bridgepointe in San Mateo, CA. Texture (2/10) These fries have a weird and a bit unsettling texture. The outside has little to no crunch nor crust, while the inside is overly mushy and almost tastes like a paste. It almost felt like they were undercooked or perhaps the frier wasn't set at the right temperature. We would've given a better score if it was just for the exterior but literally spreading the potato paste on our tongues was not an experience we could do more of. The exterior is a bit more convincing but exposes much surface area that simply isn't crispy. Look at that potato paste... Flavor (2/10) The waffle fries have no seasoning and scant hints of salt. Perhaps they didn't shake it evenly enough as the bottom pieces did taste a bit saltier but overall, such blandness for the majority of the experience isn't something to overlook. Paired with the paste-like texture, it really comes across as a soulless mouthful of starch. Chick-fil-A may have attempted to create bland fries on purpose to pair it with the eventful and exciting chicken in their buns, but on its own they are difficult to appreciate. Shape (8/10) Interestingly, Chick-fil-A's signature waffle fries do an excellent job maintaining the shape and structure, and the overall build is solid. As you pick up each piece, your brain expects more and makes the visual connection to potato chips that we all enjoy. We think the shape is definitely something that more kitchens should attempt. Presentation (5/10) The fries come in a standard carton container that is nearly square on its base and has no issues standing upright. They look great next to any sandwich or drink. Due to the size of each piece, there is a bit of a struggle for every one of them to be stacked neatly and maintain their place in the container. We would've given it a higher score here except we couldn't help thinking how much space was being wasted in the container due to the large chunks not packed orderly. A lot of space is being wasted in the container. Experience (4/10) The fascination that emanates from the waffle shape quickly gives way to the bland taste and uninteresting texture. We do not believe that the waffle shape complements the chicken sandwiches in any different way than regular fries. And the large portion had only 14 pieces, for a price of $6, so there's definitely a sense of being cheated on value as well. Texture 2 Flavor 2 Shape 8 Presentation 5 Experience 4 Overall 4.2 / 10 Conclusion We had high hopes for Chick-fil-A's waffle fries. They are visually striking and look so good in pictures. However it simply could not uphold the expectation of the fast food chain with top customer satisfaction. We do not believe these fries stand a chance against the greatest out there.