8 Fast Food French Fries, Ranked Worst To Best

"Do you want fries with that?" Everyone who's visited a fast food chain is familiar with the popular phrase-turned-joke. That's because french fries are the most popular fast food side dish around, serving as the default add-on for virtually every major chain's combo meals. 

But if you're posed the classic question, you might want to think twice before saying yes. Though french fries are universally popular and readily available, not every chain does them equally well. While there are a number rankings dedicated to which chains make the best fast food burgers or chicken sandwiches, we've decided to skip the entree and make one of America's signature side dishes the star of the show.

To do so, we've rounded up french fries from some of the most popular fast food chains in the United States and put them to the test. Using factors like saltiness, crunchiness, cut, and value (all fries were purchased at locations in the New York City metro area, and naturally prices may vary by location), we've ranked popular fast food french fries from worst to best. As is typical with fast food, we understand not every fry order is going to come out perfect every time, but truly great french fries shine through no matter what. So which chain's came out on top and which fries should you consider skipping?

In my opinion, french fries with some potato skin left on have a more rustic, authentic quality to them. With that in mind, I really wanted to love Wendy's Natural-Cut French Fries; unfortunately, they left a lot to be desired. Wendy's served up what I deemed to be the least salty fries of the day, leaving them relatively bland and ultimately lacking in the flavor department. They also fell short when it came to texture. Despite their relatively thin cut, the fries weren't particularly crispy. Even the smaller, darker fries in the batch — you know, the ones that you can typically count on for an extra crunch — were surprisingly lacking.

Perhaps the only redeeming quality of Wendy's fries was their value. At $2.79, it was the third-cheapest order of the day and came with a generous portion for the price. I also appreciate the thin, shoestring-like cut — at least in theory. Maybe on a better day (or with a slightly fresher batch) Wendy's could've climbed higher in this ranking. But when you don't capitalize on that thinner shape to deliver a satisfyingly crisp exterior though, it's hard to fully appreciate it.

While Shake Shack is considered one of the best American burger chains, it's safe to say its fries aren't the reason behind that reputation. At $4.99, the chain had one of the most expensive french fries of the day — and ultimately, they didn't do much to justify that price tag.

Like Wendy's fries, Shake Shack's were a bit bland. They lacked the saltiness critical to a good french fry, making each bite relatively underwhelming. While the portion size was decent, it wasn't enough to make the nearly $5 price feel worthwhile.

Texture was the biggest redeeming quality here. These fries earned a leg up on Wendy's by at least delivering a crispy exterior, while the crinkle cut added an interesting textural element to each bite. But when another chain serves up well-salted crinkle cut fries for almost half the price (no spoilers yet!), it's hard to hand Shake Shack's version too many extra points.

While Chick-fil-A may have the best fast food spicy chicken sandwich on the market, I fear the same can't be said for its fries. Look, I love waffle fries as much as the next person, but it's safe to say this batch didn't make the cut.

There was a decent amount of saltiness to each fry but little to no crunch. Each one lacked that crispy exterior I look for — especially when it comes to balancing out a thicker cut. It almost felt like I was eating a potato wedge rather than a traditional french fry. If you prefer a thicker, potato-forward fry, Chick-fil-A might be a good pick for you. But if you're looking for something extra crispy, you may want to steer clear.

Still, Chick-fil-A ranked higher than some of the other chains on this list thanks to its fries' creative shape and ability to serve as the perfect vehicle for one of its many delicious sauces. Plus, at $2.65, it was the second-most affordable fry of the day.

Falling in the middle of the pack is Burger King — a well-earned placement considering the chain's french fries were relatively middle-of-the-road themselves. They checked all the virtual boxes, but just weren't a real standout. Burger King's french fries were the first of this bottom tier to strike a solid balance between saltiness and crispiness. Despite their thicker cut, they had a nice crispy exterior and a flavorful bite overall. Still, they were a bit more potato-forward than, say, a thinner shoestring fry you'd get at Wendy's or McDonald's.

At $3.51, their value was pretty middle-of-the-road, too. They cost more than some of the more affordable chains on this list but less than a pricier chain like Shake Shack. Notably, while Burger King did nail the balance of salt and crunch I was looking for, the fries lacked that extra textural element or distinctive quality that could have pushed them higher in my ranking. Though they were an all-around solid fry, against some pretty stiff competition, they didn't quite do enough to crack the top four.

In all honesty, the top four fries were a bit of a toss up. Each order had its own strengths and unique qualities that could have earned it the top spot. With that said, the fourth spot ultimately went to McDonald's.

On its best day, I think McDonald's could have placed a lot higher (if not snagged first place) in my ranking. The chain's fries are as classic as they come, exactly what you would expect of a french fry: salty, crispy, and perfectly thin. The only reason why McDonald's landed where it did is because it felt like this particular order of fries didn't seem fresh. They weren't piping hot like some others I received and lacked the crunch of a batch recently out of the fryer, and I wanted to judge the fries as they were served.

Still, there was plenty McDonald's got right. The fries were perfectly salted (to the point where I could see the salt crystals on each one) and that classic shoestring thinness. Plus, though the portion was small, it was the most affordable fry order of the day at $2.19, giving McDonald's a great value for the price.

I was pretty surprised to see Raising Cane's make its way into the top three. When I order the chain's fries as a part of a three-finger combo (which you can try adding to other recipes), I typically think of them as relatively forgettable — average saltiness, average crunch. Nothing to write home about. But perhaps ordering them as a standalone side is where it's at.

The fries were perfectly salty and crispier than I usually find them in a combo meal. Perhaps that has something to do with the lack of steam from the chicken, which I think might make the fries a bit softer by the end of my 20+ minute drive home (though that's just a working theory). Raising Cane's fries also brought the textural intrigue of a crinkle cut without being overly thick, ensuring they weren't too potato-forward. To me, they far surpassed Shake Shack's crinkle-cut fries — and for almost half the price, too. At $2.99, Raising Cane's served up one of the most affordable fries of the day, with a generous portion size to boot.

Popeyes earns its second place ranking for serving up the absolute crunchiest french fries of the day. As a chain specializing in fried chicken and boasting one of the best fast food chicken sandwiches out there, perhaps it's no surprise that the chain knows how to fry things up. Still, I couldn't help but be impressed by just how crispy these fries were, especially since Popeyes' fries fall in the middle of the pack when it comes to Reddit users' rankings of fast food fries.

Flavor-wise, Popeyes' fries certainly have their own thing going on. The Cajun seasoning gives them a distinctive flavor that sets them apart from the more traditional fries on this list. Still, I personally could've done with a bit more salt. In fact, the buttery, seasoned flavor reminded me more of the chain's biscuits than the classic salty french fry I was looking for. The unique seasoning blend definitely gave Popeyes a leg up, but that missing bit of salt kept it from earning my top spot. Still, that doesn't take away from how good these fries were. They were one of the most flavorful of the day and so satisfyingly crunchy that they felt well worth the $4.19 price tag.

If this was a "most aesthetically pleasing fast food french fry" ranking, Five Guys would comfortably come in dead last. The nondescript brown paper bag appears almost ominous. But it's what's inside that makes these fries truly special.

Five Guys' fries are perfectly crispy and salty. They're thicker than a classic shoestring fry but not to the point of being too potato-heavy. They are exactly what a french fry should be. If I had to critique any element of the chain's fries, it would be that they lean on the oilier side (I mean, just look at the bag). But they're also fried right before your eyes, so bonus points for that extra freshness.

Also, can we acknowledge that this is the chain's so-called "Little Fry"? Beyond the solid portion already provided, the brown paper bag was jam-packed with even more french fries than the usual portion can fit. I ended up having a large Chinese food container's worth of leftovers, proving just how much bang for your buck you can get with even the smallest size. At $5.39, Five Guys did serve up the priciest order of the day, but for the sheer amount you receive (and the high quality to boot), they more than earned that price tag, as well as the coveted No. 1 spot.

To determine my rankings, I conducted a taste test of french fries from a variety of fast food chains. Notably, I was unable to review fries from every major fast food chain on the market as I was limited to the ones available in the New York City metropolitan area. In order to maintain consistency in my ranking, I ordered the smallest size of each chain's fries (with the exception of Raising Cane's and Shake Shack, which both offered just one size option for a side of fries).

The most important factors I considered were flavor, texture, cut, and value. A Ffench fry was most successful when it delivered a salty flavor and crunchy texture with a cut that wasn't overly thick. I also considered whether each order of french fries earned their price tag, taking into account the portion size and how it compared to similarly priced competitors. An order of french fries lost points when it lacked salt, leaned on the soggier side, was overly potato-forward, or didn't offer enough value for its price.