Why Fries Dipped In A Wendy's Frosty Will Always Be The Best

Some fast food combinations are simply classics, and the Frosty and fries from Wendy's is a prime example. Many people have fond memories of the first time they tried dipping a salty Wendy's fry into the sweet and creamy ice cream treat (that's definitely different from a milkshake). Now the brand itself has celebrated the practice with posts on X that say things like "If you don't dip your fries in your #Frosty, you aren't living life." If you've ever watched someone dip their fries in a Frosty with a raised eyebrow, though, you may have wondered what exactly makes the combination so beloved. As it turns out, there's a scientific explanation.

While a Frosty is smooth, cold, and sweet, french fries are warm and salty. Both the flavors and the temperatures play against each other, creating a complex and delicious combination. American University professor of chemistry Matt Hartings told Thrillist, "When you look at how chefs develop their meals, they want to strike balance of flavors, and make sure everything play well together [...] The fries have to be crispy and hot, the Frosty has to be cold. The fries bring the savory and the Frosty brings the sweet. It's basic chemistry, really." And though the flavors are working against each other, they also enhance one another, as salt is a flavor enhancer that can even be used to improve store-bought ice cream.

While the Frosty was formerly only available in a couple of flavors (typically the chocolate and whatever seasonal flavor was available at the time), Wendy's updated its Frostys with two new customizations. Though limited-time flavors will change, there are currently 16 Frosty flavors available on Wendy's website, including the special edition Raven's Blood Frosty to celebrate the second season of Netflix's Wednesday. This means that choosing a Frosty to dip your fries into is a much harder decision now than it ever has been.

You can get chocolate or vanilla by themselves or swirled with brownie batter, strawberry, or caramel syrup. Wendy's also offers what it calls Frosty Fusions, which include Oreo brownie twist, Pop-Tarts strawberry, and caramel crunch, all of which are available in either chocolate or vanilla. The Frosty Fusions are probably not the best choice for dipping fries into, as they include chunks of candy that will get in the way of your fries. The swirled Frosty options, however, are fair game, and the caramel offerings might be a superior choice.

After all, salted caramel is a classic candy for a reason; the salt both enhances the caramel's sweetness and cuts through it to prevent it from being saccharine. For a more classic choice, plain chocolate or vanilla works well, though Tasting Table has ranked every Frosty flavor if you need more guidance.