USA TODAY 10Best
Fry favorites: Top 10 fast food restaurants with the best fries
Best Fast Food Fries (2024)
In the immortal words of "Weird Al" Yankovic, you "might as well face it, you're addicted to spuds." The math checks out too, as National Geographic estimated that the average American devours nearly 30 pounds of french fries a year. But whose fries are the best?
USA TODAY 10Best's editors and a panel of french fry fanatics nominated their top picks for restaurants that serve up fries in a flash, then our readers voted for their faves.
Here are the 10 best places to enjoy fast food fries.
- Popeyes
- Arby's
- Whataburger
- A&W
- Chick-fil-A
- Five Guys
- Golden Chick
- McDonald's
- Jack in the Box
- Del Taco
Photo courtesy of Popeyes
No. 10:
Fans of Popeyes' chicken find it hard to resist the chain's battered and Cajun seasoned fries. Their peppery kick may be a perfect counterpart to the restaurant's equally-hard-to-resist buttery biscuits.
Photo courtesy of Arby's
No. 9:
The corkscrew shape of Arby's curly fries sets them apart from all the fried batons of taters out there. A tad peppery and nice 'n' crisp, the coiled contours encourage ketchup to stick around.
Photo courtesy of Whataburger
No. 8:
The shoestring fries at Whataburger keep it simple: thin-sliced potatoes that are salty and golden. And with dipping options like spicy ketchup, they only get better.
Photo courtesy of A&W Restaurants, Inc.
No. 7:
The fries at A&W can be ladled with chili and cheese or enjoyed perfectly naked, albeit there's still some skin in this potato game. The light seasoning won't get in the way of piling them right on your burger or dog or dunking them into your A&W root beer.
Photo courtesy of bhofack2 // Getty Images
No. 6:
There's lots of love in the fry connoisseur universe for the Waffle Potato Fries at Chick-fil-A that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The surface area means your fries will hold more ketchup or Chick-Fil-A sauce than its commonly shaped competitors.
Photo courtesy of Five Guys Press
No. 5:
The spuds at Five Guys are hand cut in store, soaked in water to lessen starch, precooked for a minute or two to get rid of the water, then fried in peanut oil when you order them. And you'll get a generous, heaping portion of these beloved fries.
Photo courtesy of Golden Chick
No. 4:
Famous for fried chicken, Golden Chick offers a bunch of Southern sides. But when only fries will complete your meal, you can't go wrong with this restaurant's battered fries, which have a crispy texture on the outside and a fluffy texture on the inside. They're especially good dipped in gravy.
Photo courtesy of Nikolay_Popov // Getty Images
No. 3:
McDonald's World Famous Fries could be the gold(en) standard by which all others are judged: thin, crispy, salty, and satisfying. What gives them their iconic flavor? It may be the natural beef flavoring that's mixed with the oil in which they're fried.
Photo courtesy of Jack In The Box
No. 2:
The seasoned curly fries at Jack in the Box are a favorite among diners. But you can order your spuds in a traditional straight cut, curly, or "Halfsies" — half seasoned curly fries, half hot and salty french fries.
No. 1:
Known for its Mexican-inspired menu, Del Taco racks up plenty of fans for its crinkle cut fries. The shape holds salt and crispiness which really helps if you order them covered in chili, queso, or carne asada.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,... Read More
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50... Read More
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
