Fries Fries Fries
February 17, 2019 7:17 PM Subscribe
Five Guys rank is spot on. I don’t get the LA Times’ beef about the price when a regular fries is more food than the double cheese burger.
posted by ardgedee at 7:40 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by ardgedee at 7:40 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
I've had to come to terms with being the only person in the world who genuinely enjoys In-N-Out fries.
posted by betweenthebars at 7:43 PM on February 17, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by betweenthebars at 7:43 PM on February 17, 2019 [10 favorites]
And bringing up the rear is In-N-Out. Before you tell me there’s a way to “hack” these fries, or somehow make them better, either by loading them with American cheese and secret sauce, or by ordering them well-done, I will grant this: It certainly doesn’t make the fries any worse. Just as dumping the fries into a dirt pile on the shoulder of a highway access road and running over that pile with my car would also probably not make the fries any worse.
Lol. I always found In-N-Out fries pretty meh. I thought maybe I was just out of touch (in a mildly self-congratulatory I-guess-I'm-not-a-fast-food-connoisseur-anymore sort of way). Turns out I was being generous.
posted by bunbury at 7:47 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
Lol. I always found In-N-Out fries pretty meh. I thought maybe I was just out of touch (in a mildly self-congratulatory I-guess-I'm-not-a-fast-food-connoisseur-anymore sort of way). Turns out I was being generous.
posted by bunbury at 7:47 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
So, are A & W and White Spot only-in-Canada places? I know Harvey's is, but I thought A & W was in the States as well...
And yes, 5 Guys fries are amazing. Even good when reheated, which I always have to do because there's about twice as many fries as I can eat even in the smallest size.
posted by jrochest at 7:58 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
And yes, 5 Guys fries are amazing. Even good when reheated, which I always have to do because there's about twice as many fries as I can eat even in the smallest size.
posted by jrochest at 7:58 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
In and Out fries are fine... they just have the shortest half-life of any fast food fry I've tried. Like, you have to eat them before you leave the parking lot after the drive-thru.
posted by tavella at 8:03 PM on February 17, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by tavella at 8:03 PM on February 17, 2019 [5 favorites]
A&W Canada has no relation to the company that calls itself A&W in the US. They've been entirely different companies since the 1970s, and employee-owned since the 1990s. So A&W Canada fries would not be expected to be like an A&W in the States.
posted by bonehead at 8:03 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 8:03 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
In n Out fries have to be ordered well done. They are not particularly good, but they do taste of actual potatoes which is something.
posted by chaz at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by chaz at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
In'n'Out fried are marginally improved by getting them well-done. But yes, why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
In addition to being good, Five Guys also gives you way too many fries, which is also sort of good.
posted by GuyZero at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
In addition to being good, Five Guys also gives you way too many fries, which is also sort of good.
posted by GuyZero at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
I'm amazed that KFC serves what sound like the same fries they had when I worked there in high school, listening to a co-worker named Bob (aka "Mr. Chicken Stud") drone on about how he was the greatest guitar player in the world. He compared himself favorably to Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen to give you a sense of how long ago this was.
I thought the fries sucked then, and it doesn't sound like time has been kind to the concept.
I went to a KFC in Boston last fall, which was the first time in over a decade I'd been to one, and it never ever occurred to me that they even had fries.
posted by Ickster at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019
I thought the fries sucked then, and it doesn't sound like time has been kind to the concept.
I went to a KFC in Boston last fall, which was the first time in over a decade I'd been to one, and it never ever occurred to me that they even had fries.
posted by Ickster at 8:05 PM on February 17, 2019
Burger King fries are actually good. Please do not @ me.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:06 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 8:06 PM on February 17, 2019 [4 favorites]
Well, this is from the Los Angeles Times and the only Southern California Portillo's are in Riverside and Anaheim... and the only A&Ws is out Riverside way...
I'm semi-surprised Five Guys, Shake Shack and Steak N Shake are included, but semi-happy that they rated In and Out so low... not. a. fan.
Glad Carls Jr. is highly rated, but it just reminded me that at any place offering more 'sides' alternatives, I'll more often go with Onion Rings or Fried Zucchini. And Del Taco's fries I only consume with chili & cheese to make them fit in with the rest of the menu (and I'm one of the few Californians old enough to remember the Del before its merger with Naugle's)
But for me, the best french fries (quality AND quantity, which remain edible longer than most) near me are at Orcutt Burger, with two locations, one in Orcutt (of course) and the other near Pismo Beach.
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:09 PM on February 17, 2019
I'm semi-surprised Five Guys, Shake Shack and Steak N Shake are included, but semi-happy that they rated In and Out so low... not. a. fan.
Glad Carls Jr. is highly rated, but it just reminded me that at any place offering more 'sides' alternatives, I'll more often go with Onion Rings or Fried Zucchini. And Del Taco's fries I only consume with chili & cheese to make them fit in with the rest of the menu (and I'm one of the few Californians old enough to remember the Del before its merger with Naugle's)
But for me, the best french fries (quality AND quantity, which remain edible longer than most) near me are at Orcutt Burger, with two locations, one in Orcutt (of course) and the other near Pismo Beach.
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:09 PM on February 17, 2019
Speaking of A&W, their current promotion is Bring Back the Ampersand.
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:11 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:11 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
Jack in the Box deserves better, especially for their waffle fries. In and Out it correctly placed. I don't know how they manage to fuck up in-house-potato-to-plate fries, but God are they nasty shards of Styrofoam. Order them Animal Style, if you like condiments and cheese on your Styrofoam.
PS Five guys does that process right AND has malt vinegar available.
posted by es_de_bah at 8:13 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
PS Five guys does that process right AND has malt vinegar available.
posted by es_de_bah at 8:13 PM on February 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
This is all wrong. This list is dogshit.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:26 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:26 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Moo-Yah fries are even better than Five Guys.
posted by KazamaSmokers at 8:27 PM on February 17, 2019
posted by KazamaSmokers at 8:27 PM on February 17, 2019
Burger King fries are actually good. Please do not @ me.
I am @-ing you because you are correct. Burger King's fries are excellent.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:33 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
I am @-ing you because you are correct. Burger King's fries are excellent.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:33 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Weinerschnitzel is actually one of the better fries around, so there's no accounting for their low score. For the rest, they talk about "sense memory" for In-N-Out, but then rank McDonalds second highest? Talk about sense memory, McDonalds was bar-none the best when they fried in real lard, but nowadays? Barely better than average. The McDonalds rank is pure sense memory in action.
posted by tclark at 8:33 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by tclark at 8:33 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
I'm another of those weirdos who likes In N Out fries. Don't care for them well done, just eat em while they're hot. Animal Style is overhyped, ask for a pack of spread if you're feeling like a calorie bomb.
Portillo's fries aren't much to write home about, just decently executed. Kinda like Shake Shack's fries in that respect. The major fast food chains (McD, Wendy's, BK, Carl's, Jack) all seem a little too processed to me, but that goes with the territory.
Rally's/Checkers fries are ideal for late night existential conditions.
posted by Standard Orange at 8:44 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Portillo's fries aren't much to write home about, just decently executed. Kinda like Shake Shack's fries in that respect. The major fast food chains (McD, Wendy's, BK, Carl's, Jack) all seem a little too processed to me, but that goes with the territory.
Rally's/Checkers fries are ideal for late night existential conditions.
posted by Standard Orange at 8:44 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
In n Out fries actually taste like potato. They're salty and crisp potatoes! They're wonderful.
But yes: eat them immediately, for a cold In N Out fry is truly terrible.
posted by meese at 8:52 PM on February 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
But yes: eat them immediately, for a cold In N Out fry is truly terrible.
posted by meese at 8:52 PM on February 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
I absolutely understand that In N Out fries are bad but they’re sill my favorite fry when eaten right away. I’m not going to try to defend this choice to anyone else other than to say I generally prefer my fries on the thinner side and not the thicker Five Guys style which reminds me of eating a mashed potato most of the time.
posted by mikesch at 8:55 PM on February 17, 2019
posted by mikesch at 8:55 PM on February 17, 2019
If In'n'Out had white vinegar available they might be palatable.
I still remember the first time I asked for vinegar at a US McDonalds and they looked at me like a asked for a packet of squid ink or something. My sheltered Canadian upbringing.
posted by GuyZero at 8:58 PM on February 17, 2019 [8 favorites]
I still remember the first time I asked for vinegar at a US McDonalds and they looked at me like a asked for a packet of squid ink or something. My sheltered Canadian upbringing.
posted by GuyZero at 8:58 PM on February 17, 2019 [8 favorites]
Oh, I have opinions on this matter:
1. Chick-Fil-A waffle fries belong in first place.
2. Burger King fries are hot garbage. Last place would be too high.
3. I get that In-N-Out fries are polarizing, but last place!? Come on!
4. Arby’s curly fries are delicious but their true greatness is only revealed when eaten with Arby’s Sauce.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
1. Chick-Fil-A waffle fries belong in first place.
2. Burger King fries are hot garbage. Last place would be too high.
3. I get that In-N-Out fries are polarizing, but last place!? Come on!
4. Arby’s curly fries are delicious but their true greatness is only revealed when eaten with Arby’s Sauce.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:05 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
While I agree that In-N-Out fries deserve their ranking, all potatoes are good potatoes.
posted by peripathetic at 9:11 PM on February 17, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by peripathetic at 9:11 PM on February 17, 2019 [5 favorites]
cold In N Out fry is truly terrible.
In N Out fresh anything is pretty good. The veggies are fresh, everything got done about 20 seconds ago from when you eat it. Fries Animal style totally the way to go. But they have the shelflife that makes a mayfly look ancient.
posted by zabuni at 9:25 PM on February 17, 2019
In N Out fresh anything is pretty good. The veggies are fresh, everything got done about 20 seconds ago from when you eat it. Fries Animal style totally the way to go. But they have the shelflife that makes a mayfly look ancient.
posted by zabuni at 9:25 PM on February 17, 2019
I found this odd as I would have ranked In-and-Out as #1, but like everyone has said, there's a time limit on enjoying them.
Specifically, if you order from the Drive-Thru, you need to consume both your fries and your animal-style Double-double before leaving the parking lot or else there was no point in ordering them.
Also, Jack in the Box deserves better (order the curly fries!) and Del Taco fries are not food and should not be included in a list of foods.
posted by mmoncur at 9:30 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Specifically, if you order from the Drive-Thru, you need to consume both your fries and your animal-style Double-double before leaving the parking lot or else there was no point in ordering them.
Also, Jack in the Box deserves better (order the curly fries!) and Del Taco fries are not food and should not be included in a list of foods.
posted by mmoncur at 9:30 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
popeyes def should be higher ranked
posted by LeviQayin at 9:42 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by LeviQayin at 9:42 PM on February 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
all potatoes are good potatoes.
They're good fries, Brent.
But yes, why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
For me it's because they've got a certain style of char-burger down pat, one that hits the right notes for me and clearly a lot of other people, and then on top of that it's fast and convenient even with long lines (up to a point).
This is also clearly not the *only* way a burger can be good, nor necessarily your favorite way. I can definitely think of better burgers in LA... but not anywhere quite as ubiquitous as In'n'Out.
The fry ranking I agree with, though. I like animal style fries... until I burn through the cheese-onion-sauce mix, by which time the heat has also faded, so they're pretty meh, and fries should not be meh.
I suspect you could fix this by reversing the portion of fries to animal-toppings -- serve me a crust of fried potatoes covering a mantle of cheeseonionsauce! Or maybe even go 50-50. But the thing is, at this point, we are not really talking about french fries anymore, just a special form of potatoes au grautin, and so even in this imaginary better world of fry-style animal stuff, the dish can't really move up the scale of an axis it's no longer on.
posted by wildblueyonder at 11:15 PM on February 17, 2019
They're good fries, Brent.
But yes, why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
For me it's because they've got a certain style of char-burger down pat, one that hits the right notes for me and clearly a lot of other people, and then on top of that it's fast and convenient even with long lines (up to a point).
This is also clearly not the *only* way a burger can be good, nor necessarily your favorite way. I can definitely think of better burgers in LA... but not anywhere quite as ubiquitous as In'n'Out.
The fry ranking I agree with, though. I like animal style fries... until I burn through the cheese-onion-sauce mix, by which time the heat has also faded, so they're pretty meh, and fries should not be meh.
I suspect you could fix this by reversing the portion of fries to animal-toppings -- serve me a crust of fried potatoes covering a mantle of cheeseonionsauce! Or maybe even go 50-50. But the thing is, at this point, we are not really talking about french fries anymore, just a special form of potatoes au grautin, and so even in this imaginary better world of fry-style animal stuff, the dish can't really move up the scale of an axis it's no longer on.
posted by wildblueyonder at 11:15 PM on February 17, 2019
"Burger King fries are actually good."
I've always found it perplexing that they taste so exceptionally bad to me. I don't eat at BK very often and so I'll think "I love fries" and then when I taste them I remember that I hate these fries. But, clearly, they must appeal to many people: BK is the closest competitor to McD's and they couldn't afford to have genuinely objectively bad fries. What they need to be, apparently, is distinct from McDonald's fries but also sort of similar, which they certainly are.
I'm definitely in the "McD's fries are the best fast-food fries" camp and, honestly, that sort of perplexes me, too. When I look at them, I want them to be thicker. Or maybe they ought to have character, like Wendy's fries do. But, no, they are soulless, micro-engineered twigs of insidious deliciousness. (Though you need to eat them within 6-8 minutes.)
"Weinerschnitzel is actually one of the better fries around..."
I wouldn't know because I've never, ever -- not once -- ordered them without that inimitable chili and cheese. Oh, how I miss those chili-cheese dogs. (The chain isn't where I now live.)
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:34 PM on February 17, 2019
I've always found it perplexing that they taste so exceptionally bad to me. I don't eat at BK very often and so I'll think "I love fries" and then when I taste them I remember that I hate these fries. But, clearly, they must appeal to many people: BK is the closest competitor to McD's and they couldn't afford to have genuinely objectively bad fries. What they need to be, apparently, is distinct from McDonald's fries but also sort of similar, which they certainly are.
I'm definitely in the "McD's fries are the best fast-food fries" camp and, honestly, that sort of perplexes me, too. When I look at them, I want them to be thicker. Or maybe they ought to have character, like Wendy's fries do. But, no, they are soulless, micro-engineered twigs of insidious deliciousness. (Though you need to eat them within 6-8 minutes.)
"Weinerschnitzel is actually one of the better fries around..."
I wouldn't know because I've never, ever -- not once -- ordered them without that inimitable chili and cheese. Oh, how I miss those chili-cheese dogs. (The chain isn't where I now live.)
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:34 PM on February 17, 2019
I've had fresh In-n-out fries and they're still terrible; the texture is just all wrong. While people like what they like, I really feel like In-n-out in general is just consistently overrated. The fries are the worst, but their shakes are pretty mediocre (I mean, I guess they're cheap at least?), and their burgers are fine, but nothing outstanding in my book. Sure, Five Guys is more expensive, but I at least feel like I'm getting my money's worth.
posted by Aleyn at 11:47 PM on February 17, 2019
posted by Aleyn at 11:47 PM on February 17, 2019
Wait - Wendy’s don’t serve curly fries anymore? Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy :(
posted by Faintdreams at 2:32 AM on February 18, 2019
posted by Faintdreams at 2:32 AM on February 18, 2019
But yes, why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
I've never figured that one out myself. To me they're in the same category as Krispy Kreme or Coors where their mediocre reality could never match their previous unobtainable legend. I don't hate the burgers or the fries but I don't get the hype either.
posted by octothorpe at 3:47 AM on February 18, 2019
I've never figured that one out myself. To me they're in the same category as Krispy Kreme or Coors where their mediocre reality could never match their previous unobtainable legend. I don't hate the burgers or the fries but I don't get the hype either.
posted by octothorpe at 3:47 AM on February 18, 2019
The only true test for me is how fries taste after they've gone cold. McDonald's is the worst.
posted by rmmcclay at 3:51 AM on February 18, 2019
posted by rmmcclay at 3:51 AM on February 18, 2019
Oh, and to add some regional hot takes to this thread:
1. Bojangles' cajun fries would lap the field if they were eligible for this list.
2. Cook-Out's seasoned fries are pretty good, but I never get them because overall, Cook-Out is secretly garbage. Most of their food is cafeteria-quality at best, and their famous shakes are unacceptable to anyone who actually likes ice cream.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:27 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
1. Bojangles' cajun fries would lap the field if they were eligible for this list.
2. Cook-Out's seasoned fries are pretty good, but I never get them because overall, Cook-Out is secretly garbage. Most of their food is cafeteria-quality at best, and their famous shakes are unacceptable to anyone who actually likes ice cream.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:27 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
And yes, 5 Guys fries are amazing. Even good when reheated, which I always have to do because there's about twice as many fries as I can eat even in the smallest size.
That's their schtick. "Topping" the fries. It's a genius move for customer goodwill.
Since I do pretty strict portion control, and I love a good burger, Five Guys is my go-to for "Fast Food" ( and they give you peanuts while you wait ) so I've had to figure this out. . My standard order is: Junior Bacon cheeseburger, "all the way", extra pickles, bacon, and onion, and a junior cajun fries NO TOPPER. And I go the extra mile saying, "I would just throw the extra out...", and I get a normal portion of fries.
The only true test for me is how fries taste after they've gone cold. McDonald's is the worst.
Previously: When eating McDonald’s fries, do not dilly-dally
posted by mikelieman at 4:52 AM on February 18, 2019
That's their schtick. "Topping" the fries. It's a genius move for customer goodwill.
Since I do pretty strict portion control, and I love a good burger, Five Guys is my go-to for "Fast Food" ( and they give you peanuts while you wait ) so I've had to figure this out. . My standard order is: Junior Bacon cheeseburger, "all the way", extra pickles, bacon, and onion, and a junior cajun fries NO TOPPER. And I go the extra mile saying, "I would just throw the extra out...", and I get a normal portion of fries.
The only true test for me is how fries taste after they've gone cold. McDonald's is the worst.
Previously: When eating McDonald’s fries, do not dilly-dally
posted by mikelieman at 4:52 AM on February 18, 2019
Clerk: you want fries with that?
Me: of course
Location not important. Love the one you're with.
posted by MorgansAmoebas at 5:57 AM on February 18, 2019 [4 favorites]
Me: of course
Location not important. Love the one you're with.
posted by MorgansAmoebas at 5:57 AM on February 18, 2019 [4 favorites]
Good to see Steak 'n' Shake fries rated high. There are few things better late on a Saturday night, when every other place is closed, than to dive into a plate of hot SnS fries. Definitely kings of skinny-fry land.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:02 AM on February 18, 2019
posted by Thorzdad at 6:02 AM on February 18, 2019
I adore Rally's seasoned fries, which are essentially a vegetable version of deep fried chicken skins, and their low ranking on this list makes me wonder if the fellow just had a bad batch. Also, Rally's has funnel cake fries, and honestly I don't know how one could not consider those the Best Thing Ever.
And also, spot on about the In-N-Out fries. I love me a Double Double animal style, but there's no defending the fries.
posted by jscalzi at 6:21 AM on February 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
And also, spot on about the In-N-Out fries. I love me a Double Double animal style, but there's no defending the fries.
posted by jscalzi at 6:21 AM on February 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Steak 'n' Shake fries are excellent when they're hot. This could be just my local Steak 'n' Shake, but the fries I get are never hot, and when they're cold they're terrible. SOP seems to be to scoop the fries onto the plate while the burger is being cooked, then add the burger, then let the finished plate sit in the pass for a few minutes, then bring it out, by which time the fries are only slightly less cold than the shake.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:39 AM on February 18, 2019
posted by Daily Alice at 6:39 AM on February 18, 2019
They have fries at Sonic? #Tots4Life
posted by ShawnString at 7:53 AM on February 18, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by ShawnString at 7:53 AM on February 18, 2019 [4 favorites]
Never had an order of fries from Five Guys that wasn't a sad pile of soggy and tasteless. That's why I stopped eating there, and it's probably why they've closed many locations in Chicago.
posted by dnash at 8:11 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by dnash at 8:11 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
How can a Los Angeles Times article on fast food fries miss The Habit, which is a chain based in SoCal!? And their fries are good too!
And In-N-Out fries are fine, because if you’re a burger place you kind of don’t want your fries to outshine your burgers.
posted by FJT at 8:15 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
And In-N-Out fries are fine, because if you’re a burger place you kind of don’t want your fries to outshine your burgers.
posted by FJT at 8:15 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
I'm quite possibly the only person in the world who feels this way, but : Arby's potato cakes are my favorite. The only burger joint fries I'm happy to get more than a small size of are McDonald's; everything else is just meh.
posted by LionIndex at 8:18 AM on February 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by LionIndex at 8:18 AM on February 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Five Guys fries are gross. Every time I've been to a Five Guys they've been too salty, burnt-tasting while also managing to be soggy at the same time, and inexplicably cold. I've never been to a Five Guys and not come away feeling like I just had a sub-McDonald's burger experience while paying about 75% more. Also their restaurants are cold and loud and have harsh, surgical-style lighting.
I have no idea what the appeal is other than the free peanuts.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 8:39 AM on February 18, 2019 [3 favorites]
I have no idea what the appeal is other than the free peanuts.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 8:39 AM on February 18, 2019 [3 favorites]
No Whataburger on the list? Totally invalid then.
Whataburger currently has no location in California - it's like Del Taco - the beloved California export that no one in Texas wants.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:51 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Whataburger currently has no location in California - it's like Del Taco - the beloved California export that no one in Texas wants.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:51 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Specifically, if you order from the Drive-Thru, you need to consume both your fries and your animal-style Double-double before leaving the parking lot or else there was no point in ordering them.
This is a real indictment.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:10 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is a real indictment.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:10 AM on February 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Probably lost now in the mists of fast foods past, the fries at Nathan’s in NYC were simply in a league of their own. Double fried, ridge cut, and, I suspected for years, given a rinsing/soak in lightly sugared water, cause they came out a little sweet, Served in a paper cone, with little extra crispy bits to harvest from the bottom.
Dang, I’m hungry now!
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:08 AM on February 18, 2019
Dang, I’m hungry now!
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:08 AM on February 18, 2019
> McDonalds was bar-none the best when they fried in real lard, but nowadays? Barely better than average.
McDonald's used to use tallow in their fry oil, not lard. Which made sense, what with all that beef they were processing.
I can't recall a difference between Wendy's and Burger King's fries. Basically flavorless, bar the salt. Maybe Wendy's had a somewhat better texture? It's been a long while, but not long enough to forget the lack of positive impression.
> Cook-Out's seasoned fries are pretty good, but I never get them because overall, Cook-Out is secretly garbage. Most of their food is cafeteria-quality at best, and their famous shakes are unacceptable to anyone who actually likes ice cream.
Do we eat at the same Cook-Outs? Cook-Out is more about cheap fast food rather than good fast food, but like In N Out they're hackable, since you can turn their $5 tray into an all-potato festival of tater tots and fries, or an all-chicken dinner of strips and nuggets. The burgers are genuinely not bad; they taste of meat that lacks the artificial flavoring aftertaste that McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, et al have. And I think the shakes are good. For one thing, they're drinkable unlike most fast food shakes.
posted by ardgedee at 10:26 AM on February 18, 2019
McDonald's used to use tallow in their fry oil, not lard. Which made sense, what with all that beef they were processing.
I can't recall a difference between Wendy's and Burger King's fries. Basically flavorless, bar the salt. Maybe Wendy's had a somewhat better texture? It's been a long while, but not long enough to forget the lack of positive impression.
> Cook-Out's seasoned fries are pretty good, but I never get them because overall, Cook-Out is secretly garbage. Most of their food is cafeteria-quality at best, and their famous shakes are unacceptable to anyone who actually likes ice cream.
Do we eat at the same Cook-Outs? Cook-Out is more about cheap fast food rather than good fast food, but like In N Out they're hackable, since you can turn their $5 tray into an all-potato festival of tater tots and fries, or an all-chicken dinner of strips and nuggets. The burgers are genuinely not bad; they taste of meat that lacks the artificial flavoring aftertaste that McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, et al have. And I think the shakes are good. For one thing, they're drinkable unlike most fast food shakes.
posted by ardgedee at 10:26 AM on February 18, 2019
In'n'Out fried are marginally improved by getting them well-done. But yes, why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
Not everyone will agree with this, but to me an In-N-Out burger is an Animal Style Double Double, and that's a damn good burger.
I didn't actually know people were down on the fries, though - is it the lack of crispiness?
posted by atoxyl at 10:57 AM on February 18, 2019
Not everyone will agree with this, but to me an In-N-Out burger is an Animal Style Double Double, and that's a damn good burger.
I didn't actually know people were down on the fries, though - is it the lack of crispiness?
posted by atoxyl at 10:57 AM on February 18, 2019
I didn't actually know people were down on the fries, though - is it the lack of crispiness?
They have a distinct potato underdone-ness
In'n' Out fried are marginally improved by getting them well-done
I swore by this briefly, but the excess grease produces horrible aftereffects.
posted by Going To Maine at 11:07 AM on February 18, 2019
They have a distinct potato underdone-ness
In'n' Out fried are marginally improved by getting them well-done
I swore by this briefly, but the excess grease produces horrible aftereffects.
posted by Going To Maine at 11:07 AM on February 18, 2019
why does everyone love In'n'Out so much?
The burgers taste fresh and cost $2-$4. People comparing them to the Shake Shacks and Five Guys of the world should take into account that those places charge double or triple the price.
But yes, the fries are garbage.
posted by Emily's Fist at 11:28 AM on February 18, 2019
The burgers taste fresh and cost $2-$4. People comparing them to the Shake Shacks and Five Guys of the world should take into account that those places charge double or triple the price.
But yes, the fries are garbage.
posted by Emily's Fist at 11:28 AM on February 18, 2019
Chick-Fil-A waffle fries belong in first place.
Boooooooo half the reason I posted this was because I was glad to see someone preach the truth that CFA waffle fries are gross. How can a place that gets the chicken sandwich so right get French fries so wrong?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:25 PM on February 18, 2019
Boooooooo half the reason I posted this was because I was glad to see someone preach the truth that CFA waffle fries are gross. How can a place that gets the chicken sandwich so right get French fries so wrong?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:25 PM on February 18, 2019
I realize that Red Robin is fast casual and not a "proper" fast food place, but they do seem to serve a lot of fries. I wonder if they deserve inclusion here. Also, I realize steak fries are polarizing, but properly done I really like them.
Improperly done they're a bad mashed potato.
posted by GuyZero at 3:27 PM on February 18, 2019
Improperly done they're a bad mashed potato.
posted by GuyZero at 3:27 PM on February 18, 2019
The Rally's in LA must be different than the Rally's in Pittsburgh (sadly the one I went to on the North Side is long gone), because their fries were the effing best.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:50 PM on February 18, 2019
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:50 PM on February 18, 2019
I thought that Rally's went out of business. They all shut down here maybe a decade ago.
posted by octothorpe at 8:00 AM on February 19, 2019
posted by octothorpe at 8:00 AM on February 19, 2019
Regarding Cook Out (no hyphen!): the fries are meh. I get other sides with a tray instead. A corndog, for example. The burgers are pretty darn good. I was pleasantly surprised. The shakes are good. My god, you can get chunks of cheesecake IN your shake. Also, they have malt, which you don't see very often. My favorite combos: Chocolate Peanut Butter malt. Strawberry Malt. Strawberry Cheesecake shake, Mint Chocolate Cookie shake. Rock Steady and Argeedee, we ought to have a Cook Out meetup this spring. At some location that has outdoor seating to go with the walkup window.
posted by Stewriffic at 10:33 AM on February 19, 2019
posted by Stewriffic at 10:33 AM on February 19, 2019
I stand by my Cook Out hot take (I guess I thought the hyphen was hidden in the... flaming spatula?). I do not care for it. We can meet up in Fuquay where the Cook Out is basically across the street from a Bojangles' and I will get a cajun filet biscuit with a friend egg and mayo, fries and a dirty rice, and I'll meet you at the picnic tables.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:55 PM on February 19, 2019
posted by Rock Steady at 12:55 PM on February 19, 2019
That's not fair because I like Bo's fries too.
Can we compromise on a Biscuitville?
posted by ardgedee at 1:37 PM on February 19, 2019
Can we compromise on a Biscuitville?
posted by ardgedee at 1:37 PM on February 19, 2019
The best French Fries in North America are any random poutine shop in Quebec City.
hth
posted by Yowser at 9:44 AM on February 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
hth
posted by Yowser at 9:44 AM on February 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
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