McDonald's And Burger King Use The Same Potatoes For Fries — But One Chain Still Dominates

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There are some strong debates over whether McDonald's or Burger King offers the best burgers, but when it comes to french fries, almost everyone agrees that one brand is better than the other. That near-universal consensus is actually a bit of a surprise, because both chains get their potatoes largely from the same place. Both companies have their massive demand for fries met by multiple suppliers, but a major provider for both is an iconic potato company named J.R. Simplot. And yet, McDonald's fries are widely seen as being far superior to Burger King's.

Saying that "everybody" likes McD's fries more isn't actually much of an exaggeration. The internet has no shortage of rankings of fast food french fries, and almost all of them put McDonald's fries at or near the top spot. Meanwhile, Burger King usually ranks near the bottom. In fact, our own rankings for fast food fries – which still ranked McDonald's at number two — is pretty unique in thinking that Burger King deserved a spot in the top six. Customers agree with the professional reviewers, too. A survey from restaurant supplier KaTom had McDonald's fries ranked with at the top with 51% of the vote. Social media discussions on places like Reddit are also almost unanimous in choosing McD's over BK.

There are a few factors in preparation that seem to make McDonald's fries better. The first is size. Burger King changed its fry recipe back in 2011, making them thicker and adding a coating to make them crispier. However the thicker fry makes them more potato-heavy, while the coating makes them taste more artificial. Meanwhile, McDonald's fries are praised for their perfect ratio of exterior-to-potato, which gives them crispy outsides and fluffy insides.

But there is one other secret weapon McDonald's has. As some people may know, the chain's fries used to be cooked in beef tallow. That stopped years ago over health concerns, but to retain that signature flavor, McDonald's still adds natural beef flavor to the oil the fries are cooked in. That means McD's fries have an extra source of flavor beyond salt and fat.

Burger King itself might even be conceding that McDonald's fries are currently better. The chain is currently rolling out its "Reclaim the Flame" initiative, which is meant to fuel a Burger King comeback by improving its quality and customer experience after years of declining sales. That started with Burger King improving the Whopper, but in Canada, the chain has also been trying out new fries. So far, fan reports say they are thinner and crispier than before, making them reminiscent of McDonald's offerings. There's no currently-announced plan to bring these new fries to the U.S. yet, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them show up eventually.