These Are The Best Ways To Reheat McDonald's French Fries

Nothing makes worse leftovers than the thin, crispy, perfectly soft McDonald's fries. One of the highest-ranked fries across all fast food brands, McDonald's fries, when eaten warm, are perfectly salty, thin, crispy, and even fluffy. But as soon as the fries go cold — or worse, are refrigerated — they lose all of the qualities that made them so delicious when warm. Microwaving only makes them worse, and turning on the oven for a few spare fries is never worth the hassle. Is there a way, then, to return McDonald's fries to their former glory? Good news: There are two, and they can get you pretty close.

The first method uses America's favorite new kitchen appliance: the air fryer. Best used for crispier fries, this method uses convection heating to re-fry the French fries with just a spray of oil. For chewier, softer fries, try the second method instead, which simply uses a skillet over a hot stove. Both methods take less than five minutes and return your fries to the crispy, fluffy snacks you know and love — so you never have to feel dread about an unfinished Happy Meal again.

For the first method, you will need an air fryer and some cooking spray. With its recent rise in popularity, there is an abundance of budget-friendly air fryers on the market, meaning anyone can reheat fries, pizza, fried chicken, and more with just the touch of a button. 

If you haven't jumped on the air fryer trend yet (or simply don't have the counter space to do so), the other method you can use to reheat French fries only requires a skillet. We recommend cast iron for the crispiest results, but any good skillet will do.

If using an air fryer to reheat your McDonald's French fries, preheat it to 375 F. You'll be cooking the French fries for two to four minutes; two for a softer fry and four for a crispier fry.

If you have an air fryer with a basket, spread the french fries into the basket, keeping them in a single layer as much as possible. If your air fryer is built more like a toaster oven and has racks that pull out, spread the fries on the top rack in a single layer. Spray lightly with just enough oil to coat the fries.

Air fry the french fries for up to four minutes. If you're using a basket, pause halfway through cooking and shake the basket to rotate the fries; this is especially important if your fries are not in a single layer. Your french fries will be hot and crispy with a soft interior.

If you don't have an air fryer, you can also use a skillet. Grab a cast iron or otherwise sturdy skillet and place it over medium heat. Do not add any oil.

Add the fries directly to the skillet and cook, stirring or tossing constantly. The fries will become oily and cook in their own grease. They're finished when the oil has absorbed and the fries are crispy to the touch, which takes about two minutes.

The most common way to store McDonald's french fries is in their original red cardboard box. The only problem with storing this way is that the box is not sealable and the fries are exposed to the rest of the refrigerator, which can dry them out and lead to a chewier, less fluffy fry.

Instead, wrap the fries in a paper towel and store them in a zip-top plastic bag. The paper towel absorbs the grease and the resealable bag prevents them from drying out. You can store the french fries for up to five days in the refrigerator with this method.

Now that you are equipped with the best ways to reheat McDonald's french fries, you can enjoy a quick, warm, crispy snack at any time without needing to sit in the line of a drive-through. With some creativity, you can also make a meal out of it. Any leftover fry can be turned into Canadian poutine, which requires just gravy and cheese curds for a simple, classic, gooey meal. If cheese curds aren't really your thing, you can also pile nacho cheese and meaty chili on top of the warm fries for loaded chili cheese fries.

You can also consider using the french fries for breakfast. Try making either a breakfast hash with crumbled pork and scrambled eggs, or a twist on homemade chilaquiles, topping the fries with salsa, beans, and fried egg instead.