I like their fries better than most other fast-food fries…a friend of mine claims the trick is to order them without salt, so you’re guaranteed to get them fresh from the frier (and then salt them yourself.)
A Big Mac would be a lot better with bigger patties, it’s just too bready as-is.
If spicy fries are a different category, I’m not sure which regular fry I’d label the best. Other than those 2 places, I normally don’t get fries.
McD fries really aren’t bad, just not outstanding. Big Macs are good too.
I mostly endorse the above, although Whataburger’s fries are certainly in the running for worst, IMO. They’re pretty much a limp, soggy mess from the moment they go in the bag.
Regarding other mentions, the ideal Big Mac for me was the Grand Mac McDs was selling as a limited-run item a while back. Just the right ratio of meat to sauce to bun, again IMO. I also quite like the Filet ‘o’ Fish, although I’m rather concerned about overharvesting of our precious Squarefish resources.
Some independent places do. There used to be a hot dog stand here called Hot Doug’s that had duck fat fries twice a week. And there’s a number of bars and eateries around the city that have duck fat fries.
I’ll be honest. I went there one day and had both the regular fries and the duck fat fries (which were only like $2 more) and, honestly, I don’t think I was able to tell the difference. Which is odd, because I definitely taste it in potatoes roasted in duck fat, but for some reason, I couldn’t tell with the fries.
Oh, looking online, there is a place I go to with some regularity that has beef tallow fries: Top Notch Beefburger in the Beverly neighborhood. I never noticed, but now I want to try them again, knowing that they fry them in tallow.
I find they can be great if you get them actually hot and fresh. But they still aren’t the best, even then. When they are warm, they’re fine. When they get to lukewarm or colder, however, they start becoming some of the worst (compared to other cold fries).
Unfortunately, they are also the only ones I can trust, as McDonald’s is the only place where I know for sure they keep their fry oil separate, including when they clean the used oil. I just get them fresh and keep them well insulated so I can eat them when I get home, so that they’re actually good.
The ones I remember liking the most were Burger Kinds, since they did something that that made them crunchier on the outside. Wendy’s, I believe, were the ones I hated the most. They were the only fries I had to each with ketchup.
You can just order them fresh directly, and say you’re willing to wait the 10 minutes or so. Ever since a employee friend recommended it, I don’t do it any other way.
I find the big mac relatively tasty, and the fries are adequate (plus you get a bigger serving than some other fast food brands). Generally it’s good value – I think people forget that aspect when comparing it to burger king et al.
Pseudo-pitting fail 
They’re OK, they’re not Steers chips, but they’re OK.
All this french fry talk had me hankering for some. Last night I cut up two potatoes (steak fry style), soaked them, dried them, sprayed them with oil, seasoned, then airfried them for ten minutes at 400F.
I can say with confidence that I make the best french fries.
Pretty much all French fries suck. Yet, I’ll eat them, because they’re filler, like plain, boring white rice. I’ll eat them with ketchup, because ketchup tastes good, and fries are pretty efficient at getting the right amount of ketchup to the taste buds. Any place that allows me to substitute something else, such as onion rings, gets the substitute order, even if there’s a slight upcharge.
If I’m stuck with fries and they forget to put ketchup into the bag, then I’ll try to eat some of them by dragging them through whatever sauce is available on whichever sandwich I’ve ordered.
Proper french fries are the kind that are included in poutine. Each one is about four times the volume of a McDo ‘fry’, and should be hot and limp. They should not be greasy – that’s a sign the deep fryer isn’t hot enough – but they should obviously have been cooked in oil.
And they shouldn’t be made from frozen potatoes, because then they get mealy.
If I want crisp, I’ll order potato chips.
The fries are the best fast food ones out there. And glancing thru the thread I see I am far from alone on this.
Their fries and shakes are basically their only items I would eat.
Why would someone presume that most people hate Mickie D’s fries?
My son loves McDonalds (he’s 5), so I try it regularly. Everything there disappoints, including the fries. It’s not made to be good, it’s designed not to offend.
I much prefer Wendy’s fries.
Pretty much everything I’ve ever heard about McDonald’s fries is how they used to be good. So that’s pretty much saying they’re not good anymore.
Man, I think this has all been covered but my opinion:
My favorite fast food fries are Steak N’ Shake, I love the crispness of the shoestring cut fry. Cover them in cheese sauce and caloric heaven. That said, I accept by many definitions Steak N Shake may not be considered fast food.
So all things being even; best case scenario I do think McDonald’s fries are the best out there for the options available in our city. In no particular order:
[ul]
[li]Wendys - Probably 2nd or 3rd favorite but the drop-off from McD’s is steep. Fries I get from them are always limp, collapsed, and somewhat greasy. Never a good crisp outer with fluffy inners.[/li][li]Arbys - I will eat their curly fries but I’m not really a fan. Gimme sticks of fried potato, not pig tails and bits-n-pieces.[/li][li]In-n-Out - We don’t have them here but when I travel to an area with one I try to always stop. I love-love-love their burgers but I find their fries to be average. I agree with the other poster that in theory they should be great but the end result is just (for me) filler between bits of a double-double.[/li][li]Burger King - No. I hate everything at BK, just gross.[/li][li]Chick Filet - Okay, I probably prefer their waffle fries to most others but I don’t eat there for… uh… I don’t eat there often for… um… I try my best to not eat there often… for reasons related to politics. shakes fist Curse you for your tasty chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, great service, and religious views extended to your corporate behavior! shakes fist[/li][li]Five Guys - Their burgers are really good but I’ve never been a fan of the fries. I don’t like that style of fry, closest to what I would describe as “State Fair Fries”. Just not my thing. My wife who prefers that style of fry and loves them.[/li][li]Penn Station (sub shop) - Same style of fry as Five Guys, fresh cut with skin on “Fair Fries” which I don’t care for.[/li][li]Sonic - I’d not know because 99% of the time I pull into a Sonic around here they’re closed for business. I do like their breakfast burritos and tater tots though.[/li][/ul]
Damn, now I’m really hungry and debating hitting the McD’s drive thru.
Always limp soggy and awful. My kids like them so I get a small fry and as usual they overflow the bag with enough extra fries to feed a family and soak through the bag. I take a couple of the crispier ones and leave the rest.
I’m going to preface this by saying that, with the exception of a couple of breakfast meals over the years, I have managed to successfully avoid eating in a McDonalds for at least the past 20 years or so. I used to work at a company that was literally next door to a McDonalds. It was just too convenient to ignore. Unfortunately, the place was always busy during lunch hours and had extremely slow service. I found that they had a great deal of difficulty in getting my order right. Furthermore, after a few burgers that were simply so bad that they tasted like cardboard (and the ketchup was no help since I’m not a fan of smathering anything in ketchup), I tried switching to their salads. Unfortunately, the salads were worse – the salads typically contained lettuce that had started to liquify (I have no idea what causes that, but it’s disgusting). The ONLY part of the meal that was usually edible were the fries. I could not say how those fries stack up against other fries, but they were nothing to write home about. Thank god that the breakfasts are edible. Not ‘good’, mind you, but edible, which is a huge step beyond their burgers and salads.
Anyway, I have been ‘forced’ to eat at McDonalds a couple of times since then. One friend insisted once (he was not big on compromise), and another time, I was kind of stranded waiting for my car to be repaired and the McDonalds was the only place in walking distance that sold food. The breakfasts are ok.
Anyway, if tomorrow, McDonalds went out of business and sold all of their restaurants to either Burger King or Wendy’s or even (god forbid) White Castle, I wouldn’t shed a tear.
I like Jack-in-the-Box and Five Guys for fries. McDonald’s is okay, but their quality is inconsistent, and that probably has to do with the fact that management quality has been in a long, slow decline over the past 10 years or so.
I guess I have low standards, then. A McDonald’s egg McMuffin (of any stripe) or sausage McMuffin (without egg) is pretty much the perfect fast food breakfast to me. Even just a good breakfast overall. I make my own egg muffin sandwiches at home, but none compare to the deliciosity that is McD’s.
THeir product line ain’t the problem; it’s just the consistency of service that sometimes blows.