America's Favorite Fast-Food French Fries In 2024—Ranked

The only thing more Americana than the mighty french fry is debating about which french fries are the best. Year after year, we analyze the french fry landscape, dominated by popular fast-food chains, to determine which crispy side reigns supreme. Which is not an easy feat, considering the sheer array of different styles, cooking methods, shapes, and seasonings out there.

From waffle and curly fries to crinkle cuts and shoestrings, the variety alone ensures there's a fry out there for everyone. But the variety is far from stagnant. Sure, there are some bellwether basics that are tried-and-true, but for every enduring classic, there's a fast-food joint putting some spicy new twist on tradition—to varying degrees of success.

With the year-end in sight, it's time once again to step back and examine the world of fast-food french fries in America over the past year, recalling some of the innovations and newcomers that have joined the pack, while honoring the stalwarts that keep going strong. And without further ado, here is the definitely-definitive ranking of America's favorite fast-food french fries in 2024.

Arby's Crinkle Fries

It feels almost sacrilegious that Arby's, a chain practically synonymous with curly fries, would dare to roll out a rival fry. But that's precisely what it did a few years ago, and lo and behold, the other fries are still holding on, proving that there's room for more than two spuds on one menu. (Or, in the case of Arby's potato cakes, there's room for multiple kinds of spuds.) Points are given for the boldness and audacity of Arby's non-curly fries, which are described as having "accordion-style grooves" for maximum crispiness, and seasoned with kosher salt. However, it goes without saying that no matter how crispy, these can't hold a candle to the O.G. Arby's curly fries, as evidenced by the general shoulder shrug of a response the crinkle-cut newcomers have earned online.

 The Best French Fries in America, According to Chefs

In-N-Out Fries

For as feverishly popular as In-N-Out is, especially for its burgers, it remains true that the fries are…divisive, to put it mildly. For every chef endorsement, there's another list ranking them among the worst. Yes, they're famously and proudly cut fresh, using Kennebec potatoes, which is all laudable. But the fact that they're also infamously averse to frying them twice, or blanching them ahead of time, ensures that they turn into stale, room-temp matchsticks in mere minutes. Ordering them Animal-Style certainly improves the quality exponentially, but the caliber of a fry should stand on its own, not slathered in sauce. And while the chain's commitment to quality and craft is commendable, any french fry that inspires articles like "How To Order In-N-Out Fries That Don't Totally Suck" is surely not ranking much higher than this.

WingStop Fries

Burgers and fries are the undisputed champion of classic American food pairings, but here's a hot take: don't sleep on chicken wings and fries. Fast-growing Wingstop is clearly mostly known as a wings place, but the seasoned fries are most definitely not an afterthought here. The fries, which are fresh-cut, cooked to-order, and hand-tossed in signature fry seasoning, are as hot and crispy as the wings themselves. It's proof that fresh-cut can indeed be delicious, and maintain texture (take notes, In-N-Out), while the seasoning is the habit-forming secret addition that has spawned a slew of online think pieces and copycat recipes (which apparently utilizes a sweet and savory approach, with paprika, chili powder, and brown sugar). Of course, not all the reviews are glowing, but this level of effort and innovation— especially for a chain that specializes in wings—is impressive nonetheless.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Sonic Groovy Fries

A curious thing happened this summer, when Sonic started advertising its new fries—its first french fry update in a decade—as Groovy Fries. Sonic touted them as "hot, crispy, perfectly salted, and made with deep grooves," as if the chain invented the idea of crinkle-cut. Novel or not, you have to give credit for such a bold move, and to go all in with completely new fries for a menu that typically doesn't see such seismic change. Reception has been mixed, with one review calling them a "solid upgrade," while critics on social media decry the decision to completely replace Sonic's original fries with a lesser product. In this case, though, the grooves look like Sonic is mostly just leaning into the sauce of it all, by opting for fries that are better designed to hold sauce (which has earned considerably better reviews from commenters on Reddit).

Five Guys' Fries

Five Guys is the rare burger chain that is equally esteemed for its spuds as it its patties. That's because these "boardwalk-style" fries are the stuff of legend — fresh-cut, with crispy skin-on edges, they're cooked twice in 100% peanut oil, to ensure that the exterior is salty, golden-brown, and crunchy, while the inside remains light and fluffy. A favorite fast-food fry among chefs, who commend the chain for its fresh potatoes and dutiful frying technique, it's the extra effort that routinely ranks Five Guys among the best in the biz. That said, they are notoriously on the greasier side, and are regarded as some of the least-healthy fast-food fries out there, but a fresh-cut spud now and again never hurt anyone.

 The Healthiest Menu Items at Five Guys—and What To Skip

Culver's Crinkle Cut Fries

When it comes to fried sides, cheese curds probably earn the most attention at Culver's. But don't sleep on the crinkle-cut fries, which are some of the best sleeper-hit spuds in the fast-food game, and among some of the best fries from a burger joint. Like the rest of the menu, which skews decidedly more wholesome than plenty of its fast-food counterparts, the fries here are always made fresh to-order, using spuds sourced from the Pacific Northwest, to ensure a fluffy interior contrasted by gilded crunch on the outside. Perfectly salty, hot, and crisp, they're the benchmark for what a crinkle-cut fry can be. Reaction online can be a mixed bag, exhibited as an issue with consistency from store to store, but when they're operating on all cylinders, Culver's can make a diehard fan for life.

Shake Shack Crinkle Cut Fries

From opening a slew of new stores to swiftly shuttering several, Shake Shack has had a wild ride this year so far. Its burgers might be divisive, but its crinkle cut fries stand out as some of the best. In a taste test with In-N-Out, Shake Shack's burger may have come up short, but the fries earned top marks for the "perfectly crispy shell" and being "soft and light on the inside." They are also "salty without being too salty," which is a trickier feat to pull off than it sounds. It's what earned Shake Shack top ranks for its seasoned fries, and even outpaced other major chains in a deep-dive taste-test of fast-food fries.

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Taco Bell's Nacho Fries

It wouldn't be a proper year-end overview of fast-food french fries without another gobsmacked look at Taco Bell's infamous Nacho Fries. Taco Bell's Nacho Fries continue to be a roller coaster of mixed success, failure, spice, and sauce. One of the most love-it-or-hate-it items on Taco Bell's mixed-bag of a menu, Nacho Fries are constantly seeing changes and additions, from different sizes and spicier renditions, to a mouthful called Jalapeño Ranch Nacho Fries. If there's one thing that holds true with Nacho Fries, it's their capacity to both shock and awe. For every online takedown, there's an equally emotive thread singing their praises. Plus, any french fry distinct enough to warrant a saucy menu hack is clearly doing something right. Unafraid to polarize, it's clear that Taco Bell's Nacho Fries are certainly not the best fast-food french fry, but they are consistently the most exciting, interesting, and fun to try.

Chick-fil-A's Waffle Potato Fries

2024 will go down as the year that Chick-fil-A almost broke us. Earlier this year, amidst a spree of success and expansion, the chain inadvertently stoked panic when a TikToker (and apparent Chick-fil-A employee) posted that the chain was doing away with its timeworn Waffle Fries — a beloved menu staple since 1985 (!). The social media response was swift and started, which speaks to the devout following these fries have. Sure, they sound kinda basic on the surface, a familiar-looking waffle fry cooked in canola oil and sprinkled with sea salt. But they're pretty perfect, and there's a reason the recipe hasn't flinched since the '80s. Fortunately, the hoopla was all for naught, with the chain releasing a statement that they weren't going anywhere. It's true, however, that the chain has been testing new recipes in select locations (to which the response has been…mixed), but these crispy classics are here to stay.

 5 Major Changes Underway at Chick-fil-A

Burger King Fries

Burger King loves to play fast and loose with the definition of a french fry. From chicken fries to mozzarella fries (doesn't it know that mozzarella sticks are already a thing?), this is a chain that operates under the guise of "if it's vaguely shaped like a fry, it's a fry." Which, depending on your preference, may or may not prove appropriate. But when Burger King can exhibit some restraint, and stick to classics, it's pretty hard to quibble with the quality. Right up there with rival McDonald's, Burger King's fries command a devout, lifelong following that is well-earned for their slightly larger-than-shoestring shape, their extra-crispy exterior, and their wonderfully fluffy, always-hot interior. Of course, with a chain this iconic, it's bound to have its inevitable detractors, but a majority of the online discourse of late remains staunchly pro-BK, with Reddit threads calling them better than McDonald's, underrated, and quite simply, the best.

Arby's Curly Fries

Entering the upper tier of fast-food french fries, it's time to get curly. And by that, we mean discussing Arby's curly fries, one of the most legendary fast-food items of maybe ever? Love it or hate it, Arby's is a chain that isn't afraid to do its own thing and zig against the zag, and although the chain somewhat shockingly introduced a crinkle-cut alternative recently, it hasn't changed the fact that the chain's curly fries are as unique as they are undeniably delicious. Unlike any of the other prolific fast-food brands, Arby's made the wise decision a long time ago to go curly, and seasoning the spirals with a tasty blend of onion powder, cornmeal, garlic power, baking soda, and other spices. The result is a shape, a texture, and a seasoning unlike anything else you'll find in a drive-thru, earning them a reputation as some of the most popular fast-food fries of all time and a favorite among chefs. Fans on Reddit calling them the best fries ever. Is Arby's a perfect beacon of quality? Definitely not. But the curly fries have earned their rightful reputation.

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Wendy's Fries

One of the few chains to genuinely rival—and occasionally outpace—the mighty McDonald's (when it comes to fries, at least), Wendy's has come a long way from its third-wheel role alongside America's prolific fast-food juggernauts. Surprisingly simple and classic, Wendy's fries are always served hot and crispy and made from natural-cut skin-on potatoes, with a generous sprinkling of sea salt. It's that consistency, texture, and temperature that continues to wow—so much so that, as

America's second biggest burger chain, it has out-clipped Burger King in sales (even despite having fewer locations), and started inspiring online commenters to create Reddit threads like "Wendy's has better fries than McDonald's," and "Does Wendy's Really Make Better Fries Than McDonald's?" Regardless of where you stand on the discourse, the fact that Wendy's can realistically rival the long-reigning king of fast-food fries is notable. Plus, major props are earned for Wendy's genius pairing of fries with its classic Frosty. 

McDonald's World-Famous Fries

Let's be honest: barring any catastrophic upset, this list was never going to end on a higher note than McDonald's. There will always be detractors, and there will always be rivals, but there will only ever be one McDonald's—a chain that single-handedly defined what a fast-food fry should look, smell, feel, and taste like. To the point that, despite technically being a side dish, the fries often steal the spotlight from everything else on the menu, burgers included.

And McDonald's didn't get here by accident. The chain famously sources a rotating variety of fresh potatoes, including Russet Burbanks and Russet Rangers, to guarantee seasonal freshness and optimal texture and taste—no matter where you're ordering, or when. It might be an almost indistinguishable, modest focal point for the company, but it clearly has a palpable effect on its diehard loyalists, eternally drawn to the glow of the Golden Arches, and that of its golden-brown shoestring spuds, light and starchy on the inside, and perfectly crispy outside (with the exact right amount of salt for finger-licking supremacy).

Beloved by chefs, even when they're cold, McDonald's fries are undeniable and irresistable. And in case its sheer fame and fandom alone wasn't enough, surveys confirm their enduring success. There will always be detractors, especially with a brand this big, and a snack this hyped, but there's no denying the singular vitality of the most famed fries from the most famed fast-food chain of all time.