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

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

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

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

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

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.