# Best Fries **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503 "2011-02-15T22:30:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/1 "2011-02-15T22:30:08Z")
There were a bunch of fast-food polls on here a couple months ago, but a search didn’t find a thread asking simply about the quality of the fries. My vote goes to Checkers, simply because they’re the only fries I can eat without feeling the need to add anything to them - they’re perfect as served. 5 Guys gets special credit for giving you an entire paper bag full of fries when you order the small. I don’t think anybody has EVER ordered the large. Also some credit to KFC - their fries are the only edible thing they serve. Worst goes to Burger King - are those warts or zits covering the breading? ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/2 "2011-02-15T22:37:26Z")
I agree with Burger King being the worst out of those I’ve tried. For best, of those I’ve tried I like McDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/3 "2011-02-15T22:40:52Z")
The old fries with truffle salt at Edzo’s Burgers in Evanston IL. Wiener and Still Champion gives them a run for their money also in Evanston. Seriously, in the last few years Evanston has experienced a burger and fries Renaissance that is difficult to comprehend. Wiener and Still Champ along with Edzo’s are the best, Five Guys is trailing the pack and the local places like the Celtic Knot and Buffalo Joes do some great burgers. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/4 "2011-02-15T22:45:12Z")
I picked “Other”. In recent memory, the best french fries I had were at the Cottage Cafe in Cle Elum, Washington. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/5 "2011-02-15T22:46:09Z")
There is an Australian chain called Red Rooster that does the best fries I have ever had from a fast food outlet. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/6 "2011-02-15T22:46:57Z")
I could have picked other now that I think about it. The thin fries from the Saturn Cafe in Santa Cruz are awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/7 "2011-02-15T22:49:10Z")
I picked Other. It’s not a chain, but Pomme Frites in the East Village (NYC) has the best fries I’ve ever had. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/8 "2011-02-15T22:58:47Z")
I picked other because fast food fries at their best are not like a true Burbank russet, hand cut and fried properly. McDonald’s fries are good for the same reason their fountain soda is good. Proper service of the macine. Temps and clean oil used only for fries are major part as well. The actual fry itself I find not all that great. Kinda mushy interior. Seems extruded and does not taste of potato. But it ranks high even in my mind due to proper exicution. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/9 "2011-02-15T22:58:49Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > The old fries with truffle salt at Edzo’s Burgers in Evanston IL. > > Wiener and Still Champion gives them a run for their money also in Evanston. > > Seriously, in the last few years Evanston has experienced a burger and fries Renaissance that is difficult to comprehend. Wiener and Still Champ along with Edzo’s are the best, Five Guys is trailing the pack and the local places like the Celtic Knot and Buffalo Joes do some great burgers. Mmmm…Wiener and Still Champion’s fries. And pretty much anything else they have on the menu. I’ve never been to Edzo’s though, and I lived in Evanston for five years. Need to trek out there. Of the ones listed, I voted Five Guys. They’re the closest in style to the type of fry that I like. Ten or fifteen years ago, I surely would have gone with McDonald’s, and they’re still my favorite when it comes to that style of skinless, golden fry. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/10 "2011-02-15T22:59:18Z")
McDonalds, with good reason. The other end of the spectrum is In-N-Out, 15 minutes after they are made. Good piping hot, but they go south very rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/11 "2011-02-15T23:00:54Z")
Of the places on the list that I’ve tried, Five Guys wins. Fresh potatoes hot from the fryer are hard to beat. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/12 "2011-02-15T23:23:38Z")
Of the choices I went with Carl’s junior. their waffle fries are great crispy and crunch exterior with a good potato flavor on the interior. I just tried 5 guys for the first time this weekend while the burger was very good I was unimpressed with their Cajun fries to the point that I’d say the curly fries from Jack in the box are better. I like In-n-out but there is a short window while they’re good. Wendys, burger king, and mcdonalds are all the same and I don’t remember the others that I’ve had so they obviously didn’t impress me. The best of the chains is Red Robin but I think of them more as a restaurant then fast food which is the point of this poll. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/13 "2011-02-15T23:49:59Z")
Sonic has very good Tater Tots and Fries. A lot depends on how fresh the oil is. Some places don’t change it often enough. The Sonic near me cranks out very good food. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/14 "2011-02-15T23:56:11Z")
McDonalds is still the gold-standard amongst the “majors”, but since 5 Guys is in the list, I had to pick theirs. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/15 "2011-02-16T00:09:29Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > There is an Australian chain called Red Rooster that does the best fries I have ever had from a fast food outlet. DING DING DING DING. Another vote for _Red Rooster_. Utterly glorious! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/16 "2011-02-16T00:42:38Z")
We tried the new Wendys fries. I suspect rancid oil was used. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/17 "2011-02-16T00:52:30Z")
Five Guys wins this easily. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/18 "2011-02-16T01:04:08Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Mmmm…Wiener and Still Champion’s fries. And pretty much anything else they have on the menu. I’ve never been to Edzo’s though, and I lived in Evanston for five years. Need to trek out there. > > Of the ones listed, I voted Five Guys. They’re the closest in style to the type of fry that I like. Ten or fifteen years ago, I surely would have gone with McDonald’s, and they’re still my favorite when it comes to that style of skinless, golden fry. I’m going to write in [Cross-Rhodes](http://www.crossrhodes.biz/) for the Evanston contingent. Dammit, now I want to schlep all the way over there! A feta burger or skirt steak sandwich from there would be a beautiful thing right now, too. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/19 "2011-02-16T01:18:17Z")
I had to go with Arby’s. I like their curly fries alongside a Market Fresh BLT. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503/20 "2011-02-16T01:34:35Z")
McDonald’s has the best fries, with White Castle’s fries at a close second. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fries/571503.md?page=2)