# Why are McDonald's french fries so tasty?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mcdonalds-french-fries-so-tasty/487291>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 24, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mcdonalds-french-fries-so-tasty/487291 "2009-02-24T23:02:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mcdonalds-french-fries-so-tasty/487291/61 "2009-02-27T01:32:01Z")

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> [@featherlou](#):
>
> I’m on board with the sweet potato fries, too - they have to have a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce, though - ketchup doesn’t cut it with the sweet taters (garlic mayo or something savoury like that).

Aaah! I try to avoid sauces whenever possible to reduce caloric intake, particularly when I’m already blowing it on fries. What I love about sweet potato fries is that, while not exactly a healthful preparation method, they are more nutritious than white potatoes and they offer a wonderful sweet but salty complexity that russet fries do not. I think they taste just fine with just a little salt on them, preferable a large crystal salt such as sea salt. Ketchup destroys the sweet/salty balance with its acidity, so I can see going for a mayo-based dip, though.

**levdrakon** , I hear you. “Yams” with brown sugar (I don’t like marshmallows, though) are yummy for Thanksgiving, but mostly all that sweetness overpowers the sweet potato. A little butter and salt are all you need really. Come visit the South and don’t forget to order some sweet potato fries. 🙂

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**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mcdonalds-french-fries-so-tasty/487291/62 "2009-02-27T04:30:29Z")

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I’ve always liked McDonald’s fries, but when BK switched to their weird fry recipe that everybody else in the world hated, I loved BK’s even more.

Still, Rally’s wins. (Out here on the East Coast, Checkers, I guess, is the same as Rally was back in the Midwest.)

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**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mcdonalds-french-fries-so-tasty/487291/63 "2009-02-27T04:39:21Z")

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> [@Markxxx](#):
>
> I am in the minority but I think Burger King has much better fries. McDonalds fries are OK but if you let them sit more than 5 minutes they are almost inedible.

I guess I am too. Although I’ve found that it often depends on which of the restaurants I visit in the area, Burger King fries are often VERY tasty. They are so crispy. There’s nothing wrong with McDonalds’ fries, I just prefer them not so flaccid and mushy. I would more prefer McDonalds’ with ketchup, where Burger King’s I have no real preference.

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