Parmesan truffle, sweet potato, and animal style. Fries come in all shapes in sizes but which chain restaurants have actually stuck to the never frozen philosophy?
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00:00Parmesan truffle, sweet potato, and animal style — fries come in all shapes and sizes.
00:07But which chain restaurants have actually stuck to the never-frozen philosophy?
00:13In-N-Out is very proud of the fact that the chain has no need for freezers or microwaves.
00:18It's not just the USDA ground chuck patties that are served fresh — the fries are, too.
00:24The chain's French fries are made from scratch at its numerous locations across the U.S.
00:29The potatoes are hand-cut in-house and fried in 100 percent sunflower oil.
00:35With so much effort put into the humble French fry, it's sad to see that it isn't exactly
00:40paying off.
00:41In fact, most fast food enthusiasts seem critical of In-N-Out fries.
00:46Conceding that the restaurant's French fries are fresh, food columnist Lucas Peterson notes
00:51that they are also,
00:52"...bland, crumbly little matchsticks that aren't improved by any amount of ketchup,
00:57salt, cheese, or salad dressing you want to add to them."
01:01Community reviewers seem to agree, and multiple Quora patrons have debated why the fries are
01:06not up to par compared with the competition, ultimately explaining it by the fact that
01:11In-N-Out doesn't fry the potatoes twice.
01:14There are a few ways to improve upon the standard fries, though.
01:18You can always order them well-done if you want more of that desired crisp, and of course
01:22you can always try the chain's animal-style fries.
01:26The secret menu item comes loaded with melted cheese, grilled onions, and a secret spread.
01:31"...that's what a French fry is all about!"
01:36Founded in 1986, Five Guys currently operates 1,500 locations around the globe, and there's
01:43a good reason why the franchise has grown — its delicious burgers, hot dogs, and sides.
01:49When it comes to French fries, the chain offers classic Five Guys-style fries and Cajun-style
01:55fries.
01:56Both are made from freshly cut potatoes that are fried twice in cholesterol-free 100% peanut
02:02oil.
02:03While most fast food lovers view French fries as a mere side dish, this isn't the approach
02:08taken by the family behind Five Guys.
02:11Chad Murrell, one of the sons of the chain's founder Jerry Murrell, explains,
02:16"...they are the hardest thing we have to do, but people think that it's the easiest.
02:20If you don't do them right, they're still kinda good and people don't complain, but
02:24that doesn't cut it with us."
02:26So what's the lowdown?
02:28Five Guys sources its Russet Burbank potatoes from Idaho for 10 months each year.
02:34When these get too soft for frying, the restaurant replaces them with spuds from Washington or
02:39Oregon.
02:40Once in the kitchen, the potatoes are sliced, rinsed, and soaked to eliminate excess starch.
02:46Then they're pre-cooked for around two and a half minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit,
02:51left out to cool for at least 10 minutes, and fried again.
02:56For Muya, fries are a serious business.
02:59The chain offers regular, hand-cut Idaho French fries and sweet potato fries.
03:04It also prides itself on its 24-hour, six-step, fatiguing fry frenzy.
03:10More specifically, the restaurant's fry-making process involves washing, cutting, rinsing,
03:16agitating, and double-frying in canola oil.
03:19The effort Muya is putting into its fries seems to be paying off.
03:23Nancy Nichols from DM Magazine writes that despite the fact that the Muya burger she
03:28sampled was delicious, it wasn't mouth-watering enough to make her repeat the experience.
03:33However, this wasn't the case for the French fries.
03:37Nichols describes,
03:38"...I found a slight crunch with every bite and a soft, hot center.
03:42At the bottom of the cup, I found a treasure trove of salty, crunchy nubs."
03:48While Wingstop is generally known for its flavored chicken wings, the chain also has
03:52plenty to offer in the French fries department.
03:55In fact, the restaurant's menu features four different takes on the ubiquitous side dish,
04:00all made with fresh-cut Idaho potatoes.
04:03While the seasoned fries are a Wingstop staple, you can also pick from cheese fries, buffalo
04:08ranch fries, and Louisiana voodoo fries topped with cheese sauce, ranch sauce, and Cajun
04:14seasoning.
04:15According to Don Odiorn, the vice president of food service at the Idaho Potato Commission,
04:21Wingstop consulted the organization about perfecting its fries.
04:25Odiorn shared,
04:26"...we had potato expert Greg Shannon — a consultant who used to do training seminars
04:31for Simplot — visit the chain on multiple occasions, and he developed a set of specs
04:36for the fryer equipment, the potato variety to use, storage requirements, and preparation."
04:43Wingstop's passion and commitment certainly show in the final product.
04:47One TripAdvisor reviewer praises the chain's fries, saying,
04:51"...I love hand-cut fries.
04:53My whole family does.
04:55We hate the pre-cut, pre-cooked frozen fries.
04:58Wingstop has the best.
05:00You get a huge portion, the best fries around, hot right out of the fryer."
05:05"...we make it our way, and in doing so, make it irresistible.
05:10Wingstop."
05:11With nine locations in Ohio, Melbar & Grilled is a regional grilled cheese chain that specializes
05:17in craft beer and classic American comfort food all dressed up.
05:22More specifically, the venue serves gourmet sandwiches with various types of cheese and
05:27other favorites, such as pulled beef brisket, homemade meatballs, and smoked turkey.
05:33The chain's selection of French fries is nothing to sneeze at, either, and includes cheese
05:38bacon fries, chili cheese fries, cheese gravy fries, and garlic Romano fries.
05:44The star of the menu, however, is the hangover fries, with pulled pork, gravy, mozzarella
05:50cheese, fried sunny-side-up egg, and scallions.
05:54So what's the verdict?
05:56Reviewers rave about the Melbar & Grilled fries, with one satisfied patron saying,
06:01"...fries are my obsession.
06:03These fries were perfectly salted and very filling.
06:06No ketchup was required because they were that good."
06:10Another reviewer recommends the chain's hangover fries, adding that they are a, quote,
06:14"...meal within themselves and to die for."
06:18The folks from BurgerFi proclaim in a post on the restaurant's Facebook page,
06:22"...we don't just tear open a bag of frozen fries and call it a day like those other guys."
06:27Instead, the burger joint's fries are made from russet potatoes, which are sliced, blanched,
06:33double-fried for added crunch, and seasoned on the premise.
06:37BurgerFi's fries seem to be a hit with community reviewers.
06:40One patron calls them,
06:42"...the best French fries ever.
06:44The burgers are great and the beer and tea are very good, but the fries are to die for.
06:49They are crunchy and not greasy at all like at Five Guys."
06:53Another fry connoisseur says,
06:55"...they were served sizzling hot and crispy.
06:58They were perfection, and the portion was a pretty good size."
07:01Rachel Askenasy, who reviewed BurgerFi for Insider,
07:05says that the fries arrived at her table salted and hot.
07:09She comments,
07:10"...the potatoes were cut to around one-half inch thick,
07:13varied in length, and some had brown potato skin on the outside, which I personally love.
07:18They were soft inside and had a semi-crunchy exterior."
07:22On the downside, Askenasy also writes that the fries didn't retain their flavor,
07:28turning cold and stiff within 30 minutes.
07:31Come in! Come in! Mayday! I'm losing your transmission!
07:35I said French fries!
07:38Boasting six locations around Atlanta and Athens, the Varsity specializes in hot dogs and burgers.
07:45And we all know that nothing takes these fast food staples to the next level like a batch of
07:50crispy, mouth-watering fries. Going back to basics, the Varsity serves its hand-cut Idaho
07:56potatoes fried in canola oil and salted. So how do the Varsity French fries measure up?
08:03Unfortunately, the community consensus probably isn't what the chain's founders envisaged when
08:08they first launched the fast food joint way back in 1928. One TripAdvisor reviewer said,
08:14"...never again."
08:15They also added that the restaurant's French fries were undercooked.
08:19Another fast food enthusiast called them the,
08:22"...worst French fries in the world."
08:24The side dish has also been described as limp and lifeless,
08:27dried and overcooked-looking, and greasy. You get the drift.
08:32Hubcap Grill is a regional chain with just three outlets,
08:36so you may be forgiven for not having had the opportunity to sample its menu.
08:41Nevertheless, the burger joint does make its fries from freshly cut potatoes,
08:45so we felt that we had to give it a spot on our list.
08:48While there's little information out there about the restaurant's fry preparation process,
08:53there's little doubt that it offers imaginative variations of the popular side dish.
08:59Some of the options on the Hubcap Grill menu include buffalo fries,
09:03smothered in blue cheese and wing sauce, or country fries with cream gravy and bacon bits.
09:09For more adventurous diners, there are the Hell Fries with cayenne and chili powder,
09:14sriracha mayo sauce, and jalapenos, as well as the affectionately named Stinky Fries with
09:20a splash of malt vinegar and garlic salt. The reception to the Hubcap Grill French
09:25fries has been lukewarm, suggesting that while they aren't bad, they aren't showstoppers, either.
09:31Although the fries are repeatedly described as good,
09:35they mostly seem overshadowed by other Hubcap Grill menu items.
09:39That being said, one reviewer says that they love the chain's Hell Fries,
09:43adding that they are very spicy.
09:46With 10 locations across the Houston area and one in Dallas,
09:51Beck's Prime is a regional chain that serves a huge range of dishes,
09:55from burgers and hot dogs to fresh salads. With a motto like,
09:59our only freezer is for the beer mugs, there's little doubt that all of the chain's offerings
10:04are made from fresh produce. And the restaurant's French fries are no exception. Hand-cut from
10:10Idaho potatoes, the chain's French fries come with optional melted cheddar or chili.
10:16Beck's Prime also serves Parmesan Truffle Fries and Sweet Potato Fries,
10:21although it's unclear if these also arrive at the restaurant fresh.
10:25The Leader News reviewed Beck's Prime and seemed particularly impressed with the franchise's
10:30Parmesan Truffle Fries, saying,
10:32"[The Parmesan had some extra zing and zeal to it, so much so that I found I had eaten them all
10:38before I had so much as glanced at the ketchup bottle on the table. The fries themselves weren't
10:43overly dry or oily and had a slightly crunchy texture."
10:47A Yelp reviewer echoes this sentiment, saying,
10:50"[The fries were also excellent with the right balance of Parmesan and truffle flavor.]
10:55"'Ding fries it done, ding fries it done, ding fries it done, ding fries it done."
11:00When it comes to fries, HopDotty offers some interesting choices,
11:04including hand-cut BBQ Ranch Fries, Buffalo Fries, Parmesan Truffle Fries, Green Chili Queso Fries,
11:12and Nacho Fries loaded with cheese, pico de gallo, avocado, and sour cream.
11:17There are also two types of Sweet Potato Fries, including Hot Honey and Sage,
11:22but the menu doesn't specify if these are also made from fresh potatoes.
11:27While we didn't find a lot of information about the restaurant's fry preparation process,
11:32it's likely that it involves frying sliced Kennebec potatoes in Mel-Fry oil.
11:37The community seems happy with the HopDotty fries. One French fry enthusiast says,
11:43"'Never have enjoyed French fries like I did here. Never ate so many fries as I did here.'"
11:48Patrons seem particularly impressed with the restaurant's Parmesan Truffle Fries,
11:53with one reviewer simply exclaiming,
11:55"'Get them!' and another highlighting that they are the real star of the show.
12:00One happy patron elaborates,
12:02"'Perfect for sharing. Or not, lol.'"
12:05Our waiter Michael gave us an awesome tip to try it with a side of Chili Green Queso.
12:10Trust me, your life will change and your taste buds will be taken out of this world.
12:16With nine locations in the Washington area, it's only fitting that Dick's Drive-In's French
12:21Fries are made from Washington potatoes. Hand-cut daily on-premises, the fries are
12:26fried in high-olaic sunflower oil. With so much thought and preparation, it's unfortunate that
12:32customers seem to find the accompaniment underwhelming. Daryl, who reviewed the
12:37chain for Soda Fry, says that while the fries tasted all right, they were overly greasy.
12:43He explains,
12:44"'They cut and soak the potatoes to remove some of the starch,
12:48but from what I can tell they don't double-drop the fries. Without that step,
12:52it's almost impossible to obtain a crispy exterior. It also causes the fries to soak
12:58up the cooking grease.'"
13:00Sarah Jackson reviewed the chain for Business Insider with similar results,
13:04the caveat here being that for some reason she only tried the food 30 minutes after purchasing
13:09it. She writes,
13:11"'The fries lost all semblance of crispiness and became soggy from the condensation in the bag.
13:17They were cold but tasted decent.'"
13:20The burger chain's very specific potato choice landed it in hot water at the end of 2022
13:26due to the state's potato shortage. After the restaurant replaced its spuds with other
13:30potato varieties, some patrons noticed the difference. Recognizing the problem,
13:36Dick's Drive-In's representatives even tweeted,
13:39"'Thank you for your patience as we make it through this week,
13:42and if you get a fry that isn't satisfying, please bring it back for a replacement.'"