The Absolute Best Fast Food French Fries Are Perfectly Crispy And Salty

When it comes to french fries in general, there's no shortage of different types, and among the many fast food chains in the US, they vary widely, from crinkle cut or shoestring, to curly or waffle cut. The quality ranges, too, with some showing up soggy or bland. But there's one quick service spot that Food Republic's taste tester said knocks the ball out of the park when it comes to its fries and it's none other than Five Guys.

Out of eight different joints that serve up fried spuds, the Arlington-based purveyor of burgers that now has more than 1,900 locations around the globe, was a hands-down favorite. Its boardwalk-style taters beat out its competitors thanks to its balanced texture, with an ideal thickness, and the fact that they sported just the right amount of salt. Not to be overlooked, too, was the fresh factor, coming straight out of the fryer, and that Five Guys is all about loading up that fry bag with a more than generous helping of potato-ey goodness.

Five Guys has a few other things going for it, too, when it comes to its fries. First, the tubers start whole and are hand-cut at the restaurants. Second, once those sliced slivers of carby deliciousness are dropped in to cook, it's in peanut oil. Peanut oil is perfect for frying potatoes given its high smoke point resulting in that crispy texture on the outside while allowing the inside to cook just enough to become soft and pillowy. Plus, the chain is also one of a few fast food restaurants with fries that are guaranteed to be gluten-free.  

While most fries can hold their own with just a sprinkling of salt, there's nothing wrong with options and Five Guys delivers with a second variety that can be ordered Cajun style. Then, you can also upgrade your fry experience from the typical swipe through a dollop of ketchup by leaning into the toppings menu. Spice things up with hot sauce, make them smoky with BBQ sauce, or dip them into the mayo that Heinz makes just for Five Guys. The latter is so tasty it had one Redditor saying, "Everytime [sic] I go to Five Guys I always find myself swooning over the mayo. The Cajun fries dunked in their Five Guys Heinz Mayo, damnnnn chef's kiss."

If you haven't stopped into the red and white burger joint in a while, you may notice a change in the way they serve their fries. The chain's classic presentation was in a cup, but that's been swapped out for a biodegradable bag which it says will keep the taters crisp for a longer period of time than the cups did. That said, despite that the bags are designed to absorb some of the oil on the fresh fries, the steam in the bag could potentially result in some soggy fries. If you're eating at the restaurant, simply rip the bag open as soon as possible. However, if you're headed home with takeout, you can always pop them in the air fryer, toss them in a pan, or take the advice of one of the owners and reheat them in the oven.