The Absolute Best Fast Food French Fries In 2026

It's a truth universally acknowledged: No self-respecting fast food chain, whether it deals in burgers or chicken wings, would leave french fries off the menu. But though the french fry is a ubiquitous drive-thru side item, each incarnation is separated by a world of differences, from batters to seasonings to the oil it get's fried in. Today, even the classic rectangular shape has gotten a revamp, with the crinkle fry, waffle fry, and curly fry all becoming more prevalent options. With all of these choices flooding the market, it can be difficult to determine which ones truly deserve the fan fare. 

To build an elite list of french fry heavy hitters, I set out to try as many fast food french fries I could, from traditional McDonald's fries to the wacky Taco Bell nacho option. Admittedly, fry preferences can be subjective. One person can find the batter-dipped fries from Checkers to be an oily abomination, while another would make a midnight pilgrimage to the chain just to get a small taste of said fries. With that in mind, I tried to highlight a wide variety of different french fry stars, from a thick and fluffy waffle cut to a perfectly crisp classic. Basically, if it was an expertly tasty option of a deep fried potato, I added it to the list. Without further ado, here are the chain restaurants that are serving up the best fries, full stop. 

Here's what I like about Arby's when it comes to the fries. First off, the curly fries are iconic. Those deep-fried coils have been a fast food mainstay since 1988, offering a welcome departure from the classic rectangular formula. Are they even remotely enjoyable 15 minutes after buying? No, but very few fries on the planet are edible once cooled from the fryer. It goes with the territory. 

While the chain could have traded on those fries alone, it decided to add crinkle fries to the mix as well. These aren't phoned in crinkle fries, either. They're crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and have a nice coating of salt. I'd put them on the same level as other heavy hitters like Raising Cane's or Culver's crinkle fries. Basically they're better than they have any right to be. If a fast food franchise is going to offer two solid french fry options to the average consumer, then it's earned a spot among the greats. 

Though it once was an isolated Texas-based chain, Whataburger is expanding like never before. That's great news for burger fans — I'd pick it's Patty Melt over most other chain's signature burgers in a heart beat — and even better news for traditional french fry lovers. At first glance, these fries look, taste, and feel like a more famous fast food rendition of the side item, i.e. the classic McDonald's french fries. But there's one glaring difference between the two. 

These taste a thousand times better than McDonald's. There, I said it. While it may be controversial to dethrone the Golden Arches for one of its most famous items, comparing the quality between the two fries shows how McDonald's has backslid considerably. Whataburger serves up a crunchy, medium-cut fry that has a pleasant, mildly salty aftertaste. In a word, they're perfectly, compulsively delicious. It's offers the kind of easy enjoyment that McDonald's used to specialize in, but now I'll be heading to Whataburger to get those deep fried potato kicks. 

If you were under the impression that Popeye's didn't serve fries, join the club. When I was drawing up the of places to review, Popeye's Cajun Fries (along with Taco Bell's ill-conceived Nacho fries) seemed to be the most random entry on the list. But, man, am I glad that I got acquainted with these deep fried delights.  

Part of the charm to these fries is the method in which Popeye's makes them. These are double fried, first at a lower temperature (about 300 degrees Fahrenheit) so the interior gets cooked properly, then at a higher one (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit) so that the exterior can get supremely golden and crunchy. This process makes the fry crust extra craggy and crunchy, perfect for picking up all of that delicious Cajun Seasoning. Which brings me to the second standout feature of these fries: the seasoning. Punctuated by a blend of garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and a number of other spices, this hits all the best notes in the Cajun repertoire without being overly salty or spicy. Now, I increasingly find myself dreaming not of Popeye's fried chicken, but the chain's perfect side dish of Cajun Fries.  

Freddy's first launched in Wichita, Kansas with an eye towards the nostalgic food of the 1940s and '50s. Smash burgers, custard shakes, and shoestring fries are cornerstones of the franchises signature style. As opposed to matchstick fries, shoestring fries tend to have a bit more heft, giving you just enough interior potato to feel less like a rectangular chip and more like a true french fry. Still, it can be a fine line between an enjoyably crisp fry and brittle, oily skewer.

Freddy's walks this fine line with ease, producing french fries that make the most of a narrow shape. These are truly "shoestring" style, delicate and thin and a proper throw back to a retro diner side dish. Admittedly, if you're a fan of fries that pack a bit more starchy fluff, these won't work for you. But for the individuals who prize crispness over all else, Freddy's is hard to beat.  

Once upon a time, I was on the fence about waffle fries. I didn't necessarily get the appeal of the super dense, potato-forward formula. After all, I thought fries should be all about the crispy, crunchy ridges rather than the interior starchy fluff. But Chick-fil-A has slowly but surely converted me into a fan with its reliably crisp yet chewy waffle fries. 

The diversity of texture between the different waffle fry bits is a feature, not a bug. Certain pieces have the weight and feel of potato wedges, while others come out with nicely crisp edges reminiscent of a typical french fry. I also like that you can find potato skin on some of the pieces, and that the frying isn't so severe as to feel like a rigid shell. In short this is one of the few fries on the market that actually looks, feels, and tastes like an actual potato. It's a welcome dose of reality in the realm of fast food fakery. 

When I went to each of the fast food chains, I made a point to ask them to make the fries fresh each time. It seems a sad day when you need to request that, but plenty of fast food now suffers from less-than-appetizing shortcuts. Of all the places I patronized, Culver's was the only place I knew I didn't have to say anything about it, because I knew each item is cooked to order at this Midwestern gem. 

Unlike the Arby's crinkle fries, these were slightly thinner cut, making them a good bit crispier in execution. I liked the Arby's fries, but these are the ones I've fallen in love with. Again, if other restaurants were as dedicated to freshness, these might not get the same level of fanfare from me, but fast food standards aren't what they used to be. If you love a crinkle-cut fry that always tastes fresh, you can trust Culver's to deliver the goods. 

Of the many fries that I tried for this review, very few offered a peek at any actual potato skin. That's a bit of a shame, as the peel can add a new element to the overall texture, aiding in crispiness. I also think it helps boost that signature potato flavor as well, something that's harder to taste when you aren't working with a fry shape that has a more generous amount of potato filling, like the crinkle fry or the waffle fry. Needless to say, that potato peel is what gives the Wendy's fries an edge over so many of the other fast food options.  

The Wendy's testing crew supposedly tried out 20 different cuts before they landed on this thicker, natural shape of fries, peel included. The other fry that I could reasonably compare this one to are the thick cut fries from Burger King. Sadly, those suffered from a similar off-putting aftertaste that McDonald's has, and the wide cut made the fries go softer much faster. Wendy's had it beat on both flavor and texture, serving up the best peel-on french fry in the fast food business. 

There have been a lot of changes at this burger franchise over the past couple of years. Looking to win over a new generation of customers, Steak 'n Shake has switched focus from being a fast casual sit-down restaurant to a true drive-thru throwback that doesn't cut corners on quality. One way this restaurant tried to revamp its image was making a brilliant oil switch for the french fries.  

The reason that Steak 'n Shake fries are so good is the same reason that the McDonald's fries used to be the best in the biz: These crispy frites are cooked in pure beef tallow. And yes, even though McDonald's still uses beef tallow flavoring for its fries, you can absolutely taste the difference from the actual beef tallow flavor versus the artificial one. It has a rich savory flavor that just can't be faked. Oh, and they're also perfectly thin and salted. Finally, lest I forget, Steak 'n Shake makes every dish to order, so you know your fries are coming out piping hot and expertly crisp. Of all the fries on this list, these are the one's that call to mind the bygone beauties that America first fell in love with on the road.  

I recently called out these specific fries as one of the best fast food items to ever exist. And while I'm not backing down from that claim, I do have to admit that an item can be iconic and still suffer from a serious dip in quality as time marches on — looking at you, McDonald's. I was genuinely worried that a trip to Checkers/Rally's would yield some disappointing results. Luckily, longtime fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief, as I can confirm that the Checkers fries are as crispy and well-seasoned as ever.

The secret to these fries is the batter that they're dipped in, a flour and seasoning-spiked coating that helps create an extra crispy exterior when deep fried. There can be a slight catch with this formula, because battered and deep fried potatoes transcend the label of side item. They're heavy enough to eclipse any burger, hot dog, or whatever else you may order from the main menu, and they're borderline tastier than anything else on that menu too. 

I tried 15 different fast food french fries for this list, whether they were traditionally shaped or curly, waffled, or crinkled. I didn't evaluate fast casual restaurants like Shake Shack or Five Guys. Of course, not all of the fries I tried merited a mention. McDonald's, Burger King, Sonic, Zaxby's, KFC, and Taco Bell are brands I also tried but did not think deserved a place in this best-of list. My exclusion of McDonald's may feel controversial — it's perhaps the most famous french fries in America — but I think the quality has been on a major ebb over the years. With brands like Freddy's, Steak 'n Shake, and Whataburger stepping up their game, McDonald's has officially lost its footing as a top tier french fry purveyor.  

The key factors I used to separate the wheat from the chaff was taste, texture, and originality. For taste, I looked for a balanced level of salt and, if present, how the seasoning blends complemented the overall flavor. Aftertaste was also a big factor, as some fries (cough, McDonald's) left an unpleasantly chemical essence behind. For texture, I awarded points for excellent crispiness, but I also noted if a fluffy waffle or crinkle fly had a nice juxtaposed mouthfeel as well. If a fry changed up the format successfully, like in the case of the batter-dipped Checkers fry or the whimsically shaped Arby's Curly Fry, I gave it kudos for a refreshing change to the formula.