The Best Fast Food French Fries, Ranked

Sure, home-cooked meals and fancy sushi dinners are fun, but sometimes, the only thing that will satisfy your craving for something salty, starchy, and with just the right amount of crunch is hitting up your local drive-thru for french fries.

While our fast food meals may no longer come with a tiny toy (annoyingly, we're adults now) fries are enough of a treat to make up for it. We may not be able to have them every day, but when I do? They're special.

Yet not all fries are created equal, and everyone has their own rankings for which potato sticks reign superior. We like to think of our list as the ultimate one, but see how your mileage varies with this ranking of our favorite (and least favorite) fast food fries.

7. Five Guys

Maybe it's the peanut oil, but these fries just don't do it for us. They're always a little dryer than they should be, and there are always so many burned potato skins. Why are there always so many burned potato skins?!

(via Five Guys)

 

Also read about: A Definitive Ranking of Everything You Can Put in Your Chipotle Order

 

6. In-N-Out

Californians know that while In-N-Out is the superior fast food chain on the west coast, their fries leave much to be desired. They're dry and tasteless on their own, and perpetually under-salted. However, order these Animal Style (along with a fork) and they'll give your taste buds new life.

(via In-N-Out)

 

5. Arby's

Perfectly seasoned, with an excellent texture, these Arby's fries really make a winning side here! However, french fries purists know that these fries are simply in a category all on their own here due to shape alone. A curly fry will simply never beat a stick fry of equal deliciousness. Sorry, not sorry.

(via Arby's)

 

Also read about: We Tried, and Ranked, Every Chicken Wing Flavor From Wingstop

 

4. Wendy's

So middle of the road, it's ridiculous. It's not that these fries are bad, but they're so forgettable. If you get these at a drive-thru, you don't finish the bag before you get home, but you may snack on one or two to hold you over.

(via Wendy's)

 

3. Shake Shack

While they're thicker than we prefer our fries, Shake Shack's french fries always offer the ideal level of crunch and come with a side of cheese. Cheese fries are the best fries. If only they had an Animal Style version.

(via Shake Shack)

 

Also read about: A Definitive Ranking of Every Entree From Panda Express

 

2. Burger King

Honestly, these get a bad rap! They're crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and always have just the right amount of salt. Just because you're not fancy doesn't mean you're bad.

(via Burger King)

 

1. McDonald's

The Golden Arches set the golden standard for french fries, and no other fast food place will ever truly live up to these beauties. They're never overcooked, have a great crunch, and go surprisingly well dipped in a milkshake, if you're into that sort of thing. All in all, a 10 out of 10.

(via McDonald's)

 

Want to read more food rankings? Click HERE to see an official ranking of every LaCroix flavor.