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 4/25/2026 with Buffalo Wild Wings Rank Maker / Creator / Restaurant Score 1 Five Guys 8.2 2 Buffalo Wild Wings 7.4 3 Johnny Rockets 7.0 3 Lazy Dog Cajun Fries 7.0 3 A&W 7.0 6 The Cheesecake Factory 6.8 6 Sonic 6.8 8 Popeyes 6.6 8 Wingstop 6.6 10 Taco Bell 6.4 10 KFC 6.4 10 Habit Burger Grill 6.4 10 Greggs Southern Potato Wedges 🇬🇧 6.4 14 Jack in the Box 6.2 14 Raising Cane's 6.2 16 McDonald's • Benchmark 6.0 17 Starbird Chicken 5.8 18 Shake Shack 5.6 18 DQ (Dairy Queen) 5.6 20 Habit Burger Grill Sweet Potato Fries 5.4 20 Arby's Curly Fries 5.4 20 A&W Chili Cheese Fries 5.4 20 Starbird Chicken Chimichurri Fries 5.4 24 Dave's Hot Chicken 5.2 24 Carl's Jr. 5.2 24 Jack in the Box Curly Fries 5.2 27 Wendy's 5.0 27 Five Guys (Australia) 🇦🇺 5.0 27 Five Guys (UK) 🇬🇧 5.0 30 MOS Burger 🇯🇵 4.8 30 Checkers and Rally's 4.8 32 Super Duper Burgers 4.6 32 McDonald's (Australia) 🇦🇺 4.6 32 Hungry Jack's 🇦🇺 4.6 35 Chick-fil-A 4.2 36 McDonald's (UK) 🇬🇧 4.0 37 California Pizza Kitchen 3.8 38 McDonald's (Korea) 🇰🇷 3.6 38 Burger King 3.6 38 Wendy's Baconator Fries 3.6 41 Lotteria 🇰🇷 3.4 42 Lotteria Seasoned Fries 🇰🇷 3.2 43 In-N-Out 3.0 43 McDonald's (Japan) 🇯🇵 3.0 45 Jollibee 2.8 Share Your Thoughts with Us Yes, we understand that judging flavors can be subjective. You may not agree with some of our reviews, or perhaps different branches of the same chain may have varying quality. Also, you might be screaming right now that we have not reviewed a particular restaurant. Please leave us comments on your thoughts or which fries we should review next! We are on a mission. And we will continue on this journey for all of us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A&W's regular fries were great , coming in at 2nd place in our leaderboard. Their magical butter crunch was unique to say the least. Now, what would happen if you pour chili on top of those golden sticks? The concept sounds great. At The Fries Blog, our past experiences show that flavored fries, especially those that just sprinkle seasoning on top of their regular offering, do not rank well. Check out our reviews of Wendy's Baconator Fries or Lotteria Seasoned Fries . We appreciate those that take the extra effort to craft genuinely flavored fries (like Popeyes fries ) and feel just throwing seasoning on top is a bit lazy. A&W has amazing fries. So let's see if their Chili Cheese Fries take it to the next level. Chili cheese dips go well with pretty much everything. Will A&W make it work with their fries? Texture (5/10) Because the chili and cheese were heavy on the fries, the fries sagged under the weight. The strong crunchy base quickly gave way to the chili's moisture and got very soggy. The original texture was entirely ruined and we had to use forks to eat the fries as they could not be picked up horizontally. At least there was some saving grace with the fries that were towards the bottom of the box. These had their crispiness intact because they were not touching the chili. And these, when "dipped" with the chili cheese struck a good balance. But overall, much of the texture got ruined by the sauce. Perhaps the chili cheese wasn't thick enough. The fries became very soggy. Flavor (7/10) The chili cheese tasted great, and the sauce even had some meat chunks every now and then, enhancing both the flavor and chewing experience. But, because the fries were already quite salty, when combined with the chili cheese, it was an absolute overload of sodium. Again, we were extremely happy when the flavor between the fries and the chili was balanced but because the runny sauce was layered on the top, the top fries were completely dunked into the chili while the bottom ones were left dry. In other words, it was difficult to find enough fries that struck the balanced flavor profile. Shape (5/10) It was a little bit hard to get a clear look at the shape, because the fries were submerged in chili, but what we did see is that the fries started to bend and split because of the weight of the sauce. As with the regular A&W fries, they were not long nor too thick, which did not help make the sticks standout in the sea of orange and yellow mud. It may look a bit gross but the relatively short A&W fries are covered in chili cheese. Presentation (4/10) The fries were served in a cardboard bowl that reminded us of a takeout container. We understand that in order to pour over the chili, it had to be flat. But the thing that was ironic was the very definition of how to prepare chili cheese fries was also what made it look messy. It felt like a dump of yellow and orange goo all over the fries. Typically with thick chili carrying a lot of meat, the topping may stay on top in a self-contained way. No with these fries. Also, there is no other way to consume the fries without using a fork and stabbing the fries, and when you're with a lot of people, things get messy quickly. We actually think that putting the chili cheese as a dip on the side would've worked better as it prevents the messy, soggy friest while some can enjoy the fries plain if they want a break from the chili. We understand the motivation but it gets messy quickly. Experience (6/10) Priced at a dollar above the regular fries, we believe the value you get for the money is good. There's a good amount of quantity and they certainly do not skimp on the amount of chili and cheese. The largest blemish of the experience is obviously the fact that you have to use utensils to eat fries, which we believe is a blasphemy. Honestly, we believe A&W can really make this into a great experience. All the ingredients are there. They just have to think this through a bit more. Texture 5 Flavor 7 Shape 5 Presentation 4 Experience 6 Overall 5.4 / 10 Conclusion Staying true to the tradition, A&W Chili Cheese Fries was not as great as the original buttery crunch. But this degradation is different than the others where insincere effort to add seasoning marred the overall offering. The base fries are great and so is the chili that is quite tasty. We believe the biggest thing that A&W needs to improve on is how they serve the fries, because they get soggy really quickly. Nobody wants to dig through a potato mush mixed with chili and cheese. If A&W can find a way to serve the chili cheese on the side, that would solve a lot of the issues. One more aspect was it being a bit too salty as both the fries and the chili would fare well with salty individually. We commend A&W for take a swing at the Tex-Mex classic of chili cheese fries. It really could be great. They just need a bit more tuning.

A&W is well known for its root beer. Started in 1919 by Allen as a simple root beer stand selling his home made root beer, A&W is one of the oldest fast-food chains. It has a nostalgic vibe with quality food made with great ingredients, and of course, centered around their signature root beer served in the iconic mug. With over 900 locations across the world, and about 430 locations in America, they are not your largest chain but still maintains a loyal following. And yes, they have fries. So we absolutely had to check it out. In the San Francisco Bay Area, A&W branches are typically merged with KFC and they share the same kitchen resulting in the same fries (just put in different packaging). So to ensure that we review authentic A&W fries, we traveled far to San Rafael where they indeed have a standalone A&W. A stand alone A&W branch is difficult to come by. This is in San Rafael, CA. Texture (8/10) The fries were very crunchy, almost to a degree that we initially thought they were battered. We had to check the surface multiple times and scratched our heads on how A&W was able to make the potato burst with a crackle. We suspect this could due to the type of oil they use. The fries were stuffed pretty well, so they held up against the heavy dipping of ketchup. The crisp was also present, which added a nice texture. Overall, we believe these fries had really good texture. One call out is that the innards was a bit pasty in certain pockets, again pointing towards high temperature, short time frying. The texture was excellent. The crunch was unbelievable. Flavor (9/10) The fries were very well salted, with enough saltiness to be flavorful, but not so much that your throat gets really dry. But what made these fries special was this movie-theater butter flavor that was prominent with every bite. We think that butter was added to the oil, or they were coated before they were served. Given butter also can fry at higher temperatures, it corroborates with our high temperature frying theory. There was no seasoning, but we think that the flavor was pronounced and sufficient to be very tasty. You really can't go wrong with salt, butter, and potatoes! Shape (6/10) The fries were not very long, and the length was not always consistent, but at least the width was quite consistent. Their slender shaper does give an illusion that they are longer than their actual length. Even though the fries weren’t very thick, the exterior crisp and prominent flavor make it feel thicker in your mouth. Perhaps if these fries were cut thicker, they may have overwhelmed the palate with each bite so we think these thinner fries are an intentional decision. These fries look longer than their actual length due to the slender thickness. Presentation (5/10) The fries are served in a wax paper bag that is like the McDonald's large fry bag. It is brown, and there is a swirly '&' on the front. It holds about as many fries as the McDonald's large fries. Although the golden fries were well packed into the bag, this was not as impressive. We think that more thought and effort could have been put into the presentation. This is the bare minimum. The score could have been lower if the fries were packed messily. We appreciate the intentional insertion of the sticks in the paper bag. Experience (7/10) The fries came out pretty slow, but the actual texture, taste, and components of the fries well made it worth the wait. The fact that we were scratching our heads on where the crunch came from, and the subtle yet bold butter taste put a smile on our faces with each bite. The fries are priced at $4.30, which is a good deal for the quality and quantity, and they well balanced out the sweetness of the root beer which we washed it down with. All of use really enjoyed eating A&W fries. Texture 8 Flavor 9 Shape 6 Presentation 5 Experience 7 Overall 7.0 / 10 Conclusion A&W’s fries are great, being super tasty, crunchy, and enjoyable. These are one of the best fries we have reviewed. They appear basic but we can absolutely sense the thoughtfulness in the recipe. The butter truly adds a flair and taste that we hadn’t experienced before. Even though areas like presentation and shape may need some more work, these are truly great fries. Thank you A&W for putting such an effort in creating a masterpiece. A&W's mascot seems to be a bear with a root beer. This statue in the store added to the nostalgic decor.

With over 50 restaurants all over America, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is a fast-growing casual dining chain with a rustic and warm atmosphere, making it a great place for families and large groups to eat. Many also say that the menu is quite diverse, from comfort food to burgers, and more fast-food like meals, and that the prices are not too expensive and appropriate. Yes, here at The Fries Blog we typically do not review fries from single location sit-down restaurants but given The Cheesecake Factory coming in at #3 in rankings , we could not just ignore Lazy Dog. Casual dining restaurants like Lazy Dog typically do not have a dedicated fries dish, but rather have it as a "side" to main dishes. And another criteria for us to review, the fries must be ordered by itself. For Lazy Dog, the only fries that was independently available to order was their Cajun Fries. We tried it out, and to our surprise, it turned out to be one of the most unique fries we have ever reviewed. Lazy Dog has a mountain ski-lodge-like interior. Lazy Dog trophy cabinet in San Mateo, CA location. Texture (8/10) The fries were really crispy and crunchy, and there was definitely a batter that coated the fries, adding to the texture. It seemed like these were natural cut, but due to the heavy batter layer and the dusty crunch, we had to debate whether they truly were natural. The abundant seasoning on the outside adds to the dusty sensation. The stuffing inside the structure was well cooked as well, soft and filling. Overall, we have to say that the texture was execellent. The dusty exterior with heavy seasoning can be visually seen. The structure of these fries are solid. Flavor (7/10) When you first look at the fries, you think, “Oh, there's a quite a bit of seasoning on them” with the orange dust and green parsley bits. You wonder whether the seasoning would be delightful. But when you actually bite into the fry, your pupils widen as you are smashed with a super sour and slightly spicy fry, almost doused in chili lime. It was so much to a degree that we all cringed at the thought of going for the seond stick. But though we originally thought the fries weren’t tasty, we realized that when paired with the somewhat sweet dip that comes with the fries, they form this weird balance and the two start to work together. Also, the flavor really grows on you, and it gets easier to eat and enjoy the fries the more you eat. It was strange. We were getting more addicted each and every bite. Shape (5/10) The fries are short, but we were also disappointed in their lack of consistency. One stick might be average length, but then the very next is shorter than your thumb. Though the length is definitely shorter than average, the thickness of the fries and also how much stuffing is in them is redeeming. The fries aren’t floppy or thin and again, their structure holds up really well, bite after bite. If the length had been just a bit longer and more consistent, we would have given a much higher raing for their shape. The fries are really short but with solid structure. Presentation (8/10) The fries are served in a metal tray lined with parchment paper, which definitely adds to the rustic and warm vibe they have going on. The tray is pretty big and circular, about the size you would serve a medium-sized pizza on. The fries are tossed on the tray carefully to form a mound, and there are some parsley leaves that are sprinkled on top that adds to the mouth-watering visuals. The green leaves contrast the heavily orange seasoning quite well as a color accent. The semi sweet sauce also is placed within the tray. If this was a fast-food restaurant, we would have given them a near perfect score on presentation but we took into account the price point as well as the different type of dining environment. Even so, this was a solid presentation. The fries were carefully placed in a round tray with a glowing orange dust and green parsley leaves. Experience (7/10) Lazy Dog's mountain lodge interior and its rustic and warm vibes all play into the sit-down experience. The fries are served for $10.95, which we think is a pretty good deal, considering how good the fries are and the large quantity. The fries go okay with the rest of the food but clearly these cajun fries were meant to stand on their own. The sour spice will absolutey punch you in the face and wake you up, and we think this is unique and refreshing. The fries came out quite fast after ordering, and the service was great. Yes, it is difficult to compare an intentional sit-down restaurant vibes to a more traditional fast-food chain but we quite enjoyed the ambience Lazy Dog provides. Texture 8 Flavor 7 Shape 5 Presentation 8 Experience 7 Overall 7.0 / 10 Conclusion Lazy Dog Cajun Fries is one of the most unique fries we have reviewed. Overall, these fries were pretty good in many ways, except for the shape which they could improve by making the fries longer and consistent. We have never tasted such sour fries ever before, and could not have imagined ourselves sucking the last bit of seasoning off our fingers as they plate became empty. If you are a fries enthusiast, you must try these fries whenever you pass by a Lazy Dog. Lazy Dog really leans into the canine motif.

Recently founded in 2017, Dave's Hot Chicken (DHC) started in the West Coast of the US - a parking lot in East Hollywood - and has now grown into hot stuff if you love spicy chicken. With over 348 locations in the US locations and a handful global outposts like Candana, UAE, UK, and the Middle East, they are going through an explosive phase of grwoth. They may be known for their Nashville-style hot chicken, but do their fries stack up? Can Dave’s Hot Chicken keep up the heat as we compare their fries against various other contenders? Here is our review of their crinkle cut fries. Dave's Hote Chicken in Sunnyvale, CA. As a young brand, their story is proudly displayed in the store. Texture (7/10) There is an evident crisp on the exterior of the fry, especially on the tips, and you can get a guaranteed crunch on every single bite. To back it up further, their interior is nice and soft, but not too mushy as to overpower the pleasant exterior skin, which creates a very good balance difficult to find in such thick fries. One aspect holding it back however, is that the ridges are not as crispy as the rest of the fry. We believe that is a must-have criteria to hit the pinnacle of a crinkle cut fry. But again, the texture is solid. Crinkle fries with a decently golden texture. It is difficult to get the texture right for fries of such thickness and DHC pulls it off well. Flavor (6/10) The fries were nicely seasoned, evident with the bold orange and red dust particles spread lightly all over the fries. We appreciated the fact that the seasoning was sprinkled evenly and consistently across all the sticks. The seasoning itself was a combination of what tastes like pepper, paprika, and garlic. However, it was a bit disappointing that the density of the seasoning was sparse as it left larges patches of blandness on a given stick. Also, these were not natural cut fries but rather crinkled fries made with ground potatoes, which often then is seasoned in the innards as well. However, the potato pulp was absolutely bland, making it feel like the flavor was not engraved into the soul of the fry. We could see what Dave's Hot Chicken was going for, but it felt emotionless. Good approach, but it lacked passion. Shape (5/10) These crinkle cut fries are not naturally cut to create their ridges. This is fine, however, the ridges fail to do the job they are supposed to, which is to make a crispier surface and make a larger surface area to put the seasoning in for. These ridges do not contribute to either of those purposes, making them just a visual tease. On the other hand, the shapes were straight and consistent, as with any pulp-based fries should be but due to the manufacturing method, we cannot give bonus scores there. Giving a score of 3 here could be a bit harsh but considering that they could have molded perfect shapes, we are considering this as somewhat being negligent. The shape isn't too bad. But given the method to mold and create, they get a bit of a penalty. Presentation (3/10) The presentation was nothing special, and almost disappointing yet we understand the pragmatism. Typically, when you to a takeout, you get fries in the regular container (carton or cup) in a brown bag. As for Dave's Hot Chicken, it came in a black to-go box which was placed in a regular plastic bag. There were no logos, no ads, no special meaning to any of this. Now, when we judge the presentation, we like the flare of the restaurant to be embedded into a visually pleasing package. But there was literally zero of that. We do praise the pragamatism as to the fries were easily accessible from all around the table. Also, they were visually verifiable in their color and degree of seasoning. And perhaps the black to-go box accentuated the orange hue of the fries. But this is literally a "random" box containing fries that we may not have known where it came from. The chain seriously needs some work here. The black to-go box container surprised us. Never have we seen anything like this in a fast-food chain. Experience (5/10) The experience was mediocre, even as fries itself was quite good and they did give a lot of fries for their single-sized option, which was priced around $5.49 and we thought it was a great deal. The reason for mediocrity comes from the fact that the chain boasts a lot of character, whether it is their founding story, their funky looking chicken logo, and their colorful brand theme and interior, yet the entire fries munching experience was vanilla at best. We think they could have made the entire fries experience into something more unique and special. And perhaps that's what they do for their chicken. Unfortunately, the fries experience was forgettable. Texture 7 Flavor 6 Shape 5 Presentation 3 Experience 5 Overall 5.2 / 10 There's a lot of character in the brand. This is one of the walls in the Sunnyvale, CA store. Conclusion Overall, the fries, which seem good on paper due to their nice texture and flavor, do not succeed in the main goal of the fry which is to create a better experience for the consumer and enhance the brand. It had poor presentation, and a mediocre experience, as it forgot to treat these fries as a main subject and highlight of the restaurant identity and chain. Dave's Hot Chicken is a funky and exciting brand that is going through explosive growth. We believe the core substance of their fries is there. They just need to pay a bit more attention in placing their fries in a way that is in tune with the rest of their "heat" and we think we will have something special here. We love the psychedelic vibe of the brand. This is the visualization for their heat.