Ranking 21 of the best Fast Food French Fries

Welcome back, dear readers, and this time we’re ranking 21 of the best fries found at some of the many fast food restaurants the world over—or at least in North America. And like a previous article on the Snapple flavors, I’ve decided to rank them from worst of the best to best of the best. So get ready to get a craving for the golden, crispy wonder that is the fry.

But where to go, where to go, to satisfy that craving? Maybe we’ll help you narrow that down with this list, friends.

And as is my fashion, I’ve included some restaurants that might not be exactly near where you live, but if you decide to take a trip to say, I don’t know, Québec, Canada, you’ll know all about just where to get your kicks in the form of fabulously delicious fries (and everything that can be done with said fry) that is. So stay tuned and read on if that makes you curious. I know I would.

So here are the top 21 fries for your buck, ranked from worst of the very best to absolute best

21. In-N-Out

The chain was founded way back in 1948. It was actually the very first hamburger drive-through in all of California. But enough of the history lesson for now. They make the list, and although their burgers outclass their golden fries, they at least make number 21 in my book. I mean, I’d take them over the other places that didn’t make the list, quite obviously.

20. Wahlburgers

Okay, okay…it’s a celebrity owned business, but a dang good one at that, friends. If you haven’t tried their burgers, you’ve seriously missed out on something. And their fries truly are delicious. And heck, if you just so happen to visit the location in Boston, Massachusetts, you may run into one of the Wahlberg brothers.

19. Dairy Queen

So you didn’t ask for a list on the best ice cream in town, and I won’t disappoint; don’t worry. They actually have decent burgers, if you ask me, and their fries are equally acceptable.

18. Whataburger

1950 was the year that this restaurant first opened, and it’s been 71 years since they served their very first burger. Their fries are more than acceptable, dear readers, but I think you might know that, as they are one of America’s greatest chains and most successful. And at a revenue of over $2 billion, I’ll say a definite top chain for sure.

17. Rotisserie Fusee

Okay, so here’s one of those restaurants you might have to travel for, but it’ll be worth it. This restaurant is one of the greatest rotisserie chicken restaurants in Québec, Canada, but they also happen to have the greatest fries. And their poutine is to go gaga over; especially if you order it with what they call ‘hot chicken sauce.’

16. La Belle Province

Now…if you just so happen to travel to La Nouvelle France, as Québec is quite known, and you try the aforementioned Fusee, then you might as well stop off at La Belle Province. They are known across the country for their fries, and they’d be worth your bus ticket friends. Trust me on that one.

15. Sonic Burger

Sonic is one of those places where you’re not really going for the fries, but if you order them, you aren’t really disappointed.

14. Carl’s Jr.

Good old Carl’s Criss-Cut fries are a novelty worth trying but aren’t the best. That goes without saying, seeing its placement on this list, but worth a mention.

13. Five Guys

Again, this place is a place you should visit for their burgers, as they do them well. They go a tad insane on the cheese if you ask me, but otherwise they make a tasty burger. The fries are great, but they always seem to need a lot of salt. Or is that just me?

12. A & W

These can at times taste bland or rather boring as far as texture is concerned. But then you take a bite of their meat and welcome the blandness in their fries; almost serves as a palate cleanser.

11. Popeyes Cajun

This fry offers quite a wee bit of diversity and when it’s change you want these Cajun fries certainly do the trick.

10. Burger King

I love me a whopper, but their fries have always dropped the ball in terms of taste, in my opinion. But they are saved with massive amounts of ketchup, so they land at number 10.

9. KFC

Okay, so we went to KFC for chicken, the craving for fried chicken stronger than our resolve to stick to grilled and healthier options. So while you’re there, you might as well get the fries. They are actually pretty great if you ask me.

8. Wendy’s

We’re getting close to the numero uno, people and on the way to that top spot, you have to place Wendy’s on this list and good old Wendy and Dave (you can’t forget good old Dave Thomas), make it at number 8.

7. Shake Shack

If you’re gonna go crinkle-cut, it’s gotta be the Shack. Enough said.

6. Jack In The Box

The craving for curly fries can come over you like a wave of heat, or a cool breeze; whichever temperature suits you best. In this case, the curly fries over at Jack in the Box happen to be pretty awesome and are worth a try if you’ve never had them.

5. Arby’s

Doesn’t it feel like an Arby’s night indeed? It does for me, and when I think about Arby’s, yes it’s the meat I think about, but often, it’s these fries I think about…their golden brown texture, their crispy exterior and soft interior. Ah…Arby’s.

4. Harvey’s

Here’s yet another fast food restaurant you’ll want to visit when in Canada. Their grilled meat burgers are the star of the show, and like Subway’s, you dress the burger yourself, asking the counterperson what to put on your very own custom burger (garnish-wise). But their fries are incredible; especially with a salt and pepper mix and of course white vinegar.

3. Chic-Fil-A

Aha! Yet another chicken place that has epic fries. A conspiracy I tell you. The chicken fast food restaurants are trying to take over the industry. To that I say: watch out burger kingdoms…watch out!

2. Taco Bell

Yeah…Taco Bell makes number two, and for very good reason. I love thin crispy fries and they go extremely well with their cheese sauce.

1. McDonald’s

McDonald’s fries. There is no greater fry. If piping hot out of a clean fryer, with new oil, and properly salted, there is no greater experience if you ask me.

I often talk about epic bites and the simple bite of a simple cheeseburger at McDonald’s with an accompaniment of fries is enough to make you sit back as you chew and be grateful; grateful for the bird that happens to sit on the hood of your car in the very parking lot you used to park in with your first girlfriend; or maybe your cousin; even your sister on a long drive when life was simpler and both of you were different people; or even your mom on a weekend walk through the park. Finally you think about the woman you brought there on your first date…the woman you’d convince to be your wife. And in the end, as you chew that morsel of food, you’re grateful too, to simply be alive.

And all that in one bite. Simple, eh? The power of food never ceases to amaze me.

If you happen to have a child, or a nephew and niece, as is the case for me, to see the look on their face when they place a McDonald’s fry in their mouth…it’s priceless, folks.