There are side dishes, and then there are french fries. The golden, salty, straight-from-the-bag kind of snack that rarely makes it all the way home untouched. No two fast-food chains serve them exactly the same, and nearly every fast-food fan has a strong opinion about which one does them best.
To find out which fast-food fries Americans crave most, we surveyed over 2,500 people across all 50 states. Respondents rated fries from 20 different fast-food restaurant chains, only evaluating fries they had personally tried. We then ranked each chain based on its average overall rating.
Key Findings
- McDonald’s ranked No. 1 overall, earning the highest average fry rating at 7.3 out of 10.
- McDonald’s also dominated the state-by-state results, taking the top-rated spot in 36 states.
- Five Guys and Chick-fil-A nearly tied for second place nationally, with both chains earning a rounded average rating of 6.7 out of 10.
- Thin / shoestring fries were America’s favorite fry type, chosen by 35% of respondents.
- Ketchup remains the classic dipping favorite, with 42% of respondents choosing it as their preferred fry sauce.
America’s Favorite Fast-Food Fries Overall
Across all 20 chains included in the survey, McDonald’s finished first overall with an average fry rating of 7.3 out of 10. It was also the most widely tried chain by far, with 99.7% of respondents saying they had eaten McDonald’s fries before. That combination of familiarity and strong ratings helped the Golden Arches pull ahead of the rest of the pack.
The national top 10 highest-rated fast-food fries were:
- McDonald’s — 7.3/10
- Five Guys — 6.7/10
- Chick-fil-A — 6.7/10
- Arby’s — 6.3/10
- Wendy’s — 6.1/10
- Checkers / Rally’s — 6.0/10
- Popeyes — 5.9/10
- In-N-Out Burger — 5.8/10
- Shake Shack — 5.8/10
- Culver’s — 5.8/10
Five Guys and Chick-fil-A were virtually tied for second place, both earning an average rating of 6.7 out of 10 when rounded. Five Guys edged out Chick-fil-A by just 0.01 points. Five Guys performed especially well in the state-by-state results, while Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries helped the chain stay near the top nationally.
Arby’s ranked fourth overall with a 6.3 average rating, proving that seasoned curly fries can still compete with the classic straight-cut style. Wendy’s rounded out the top five with a 6.1 average rating, while Checkers / Rally’s and Popeyes followed close behind.
The middle of the rankings included several chains known for distinctive fry styles. In-N-Out Burger, Shake Shack, and Culver’s all averaged 5.8 out of 10, while Burger King, Steak ’n Shake, Raising Cane’s, and Whataburger landed in the mid-5 range.
At the bottom of the national list were Zaxby’s, Bojangles, White Castle, and Cook Out. However, lower national rankings do not necessarily mean a chain lacks local love. Bojangles, for example, ranked 18th overall but still earned the top fry rating in South Carolina.
The Highest-Rated Fast-Food Fry in Every State
When the results were broken down by state, McDonald’s once again dominated. McDonald’s earned the highest-rated fries in 36 states, making it the clear winner on the state-by-state map.
Some states were especially enthusiastic about McDonald’s fries. Respondents in Massachusetts and Alabama gave them an average rating of 7.9 out of 10, among the highest state-level scores in the survey. New Mexico, New Jersey, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Louisiana also gave McDonald’s fries especially strong ratings.
While McDonald’s had the widest reach, Five Guys was the only other chain with a major showing across the country. It earned the top fry rating in nine states: Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wyoming. Its strongest state-level performance came in Maine, where Five Guys fries averaged 7.6 out of 10.
A few other chains carved out smaller but notable wins. Arby’s came out on top in Alaska and Oregon, showing that curly fries still have a loyal following. Chick-fil-A claimed the highest fry rating in Delaware and Utah, while Bojangles stood out as South Carolina’s top-rated fry pick.
No surprises here: McDonald’s was the only chain to win in every major part of the country. Still, the scattered wins from Five Guys, Arby’s, Chick-fil-A, and Bojangles show that fry preferences can shift depending on region, chain availability, and local loyalty.
What Makes the Perfect Fry?
When Americans picture the perfect fry, they’re most likely thinking of a thin, crispy classic. Thin or shoestring fries were named the best fry type overall, earning 35% of the vote. That made them more than twice as popular as the next highest-ranking style.
Curly fries came in second at 16%, thick-cut or steak fries and waffle fries were nearly tied, each earning 13% of the vote. Another 12% of respondents said they had no preference in fry shape, proving that for some people, a hot, salty fry is enough, no matter how it’s cut.
The full fry-type ranking was:
- Thin / shoestring fries: 35%
- Curly fries: 16%
- Thick-cut / steak fries: 13%
- Waffle fries: 13%
- No preference in shape: 12%
- Crinkle-cut fries: 10%
- Sweet potato fries: 5%
When it comes to dipping, classic ketchup still ranks first. Ketchup was America’s favorite fry dipping sauce, chosen by 42% of respondents. That made it more than three times as popular as ranch, which came in second at 12%.
A surprising number of people said fries do not need any help at all. “No Sauce Needed” ranked third, earning 9% of the vote and beating out options like fry sauce, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and cheese sauce.
The top dipping sauces were:
- Ketchup: 42%
- Ranch: 12%
- No Sauce Needed: 9%
- Fry Sauce: 8%
- Honey Mustard: 8%
- Barbecue Sauce: 5%
- Cheese Sauce / Queso: 4%
- Garlic Aioli: 4%
So, what does America’s ideal fry order look like? Based on the data, it’s probably a hot batch of thin, crispy fries with ketchup on the side, unless you’re part of the loyal group that believes a great fry should stand on its own.
Closing Thoughts
French fries may seem simple, but the results show just how much variety exists in one of fast food’s most familiar menu items. McDonald’s led the national ranking and topped the map in most states, while Five Guys, Chick-fil-A, Arby’s, and Bojangles proved that different fry styles still have loyal followings. Americans also made their ideal order clear: thin, crispy fries with ketchup on the side.
For restaurants, delivery services, and other food businesses, popular items like fries are a reminder of how quickly customer demand can shape day-to-day operations. When familiar favorites drive repeat orders, businesses need dependable systems behind the scenes to keep transactions moving smoothly.
For merchants in high-demand industries, including food delivery, reliable payment processing can help support a better customer experience from checkout to pickup or delivery.
Methodology
To determine which fast-food chain has the best fries, we surveyed 2,544 people across all 50 states. Respondents rated fries from 20 different fast-food restaurant chains on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 was terrible and 10 was excellent. Respondents only rated fries from chains they had personally tried.
We calculated each chain’s average overall fry rating and ranked all 20 chains from highest to lowest. To determine each state’s highest-rated fast-food fry, we calculated average ratings by state and identified the top-scoring chain in each state.
Respondents were also asked which type of french fry they think is best overall and which dipping sauce they prefer with fries. Those results were ranked based on the percentage of respondents who selected each option.
Fair Use
You are welcome to use, reference, and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts, and context.
