8 Fast Food French Fries That Aren't What They Used To Be, For Better Or Worse

Burger and fries go together like peanut butter and jelly. Think about it, when was the last time you ordered a burger and weren't immediately offered fries? It doesn't happen. And when it comes to those delectable, salty, crispy, hot potatoes, consumers become obsessive over their favorite burger sidekick.

While most fast food restaurants started out with a standard, generic, shoestring fry, many have since evolved. In fact, over the year's most fast food restaurants have attempted, and sometimes completely changed, our beloved fry in many different ways — curly, hand cut, battered, seasoned, and sometimes covered in sauce. And when these changes occur, customers have not been quiet.

When you change a signature item, like the french fry, it's going to cause some kind of stir. Many people choose their burgers based on what fries are going to be paired with them. So, if someone is going to be making changes, they better be good ones.

McDonald's fries have been iconic since first hitting the fryer. And while those fries still rate high on America's favorite fry scale, and stay very close to the original product, those who know what the fries tasted like before July 23, 1990, know it's just not the same.

The secret to the perfectly hot golden fry, with a crispy outer layer and tender fluffy insides was all due to a vegetable oil and beef tallow blend the fries were prepared in. Deemed Formula 47, in homage to McDonald's already legendary 47 cent meal, the famous oil blend created fries the whole world craved.

In the '90s, however, McDonald's started taking huge hits about the fat content in its food. Full page ads were taken out in major newspapers, billboards went up, all publicly condemning the health risks McDonald's food was perpetuating. Even with the best fight McDonald's could muster, it was hard to ignore the persecution of the fat food shaming era. So, the legendary Formula 47 was changed to pure vegetable oil (cite atlaso).

It was then that the best fry in the world became a sad shell of itself. Nowadays the fries have to be eaten hot, generally right out of the bag, or you end up with something gummy and unsatisfying. The vegetable oil tends to leave a strange mouth coating that is hard to clear from the palate. And forget about there being consistency in the salt ratio from store to store.

It's true that many still flock to McDonald's for iconic french fries. The fries are still beloved. Sadly, it's also true that there are many who have to simply shake their head and just remember when.

There was a time when Wendy's classic square burger came paired with thick-cut steak fries. And it was absolutely wonderful. Not too crispy, these fluffy fries were a great burger partner. But after having the same recipe for over 40 years, Wendy's decided it was time for a change.

In 2010, Wendy's made the leap to a natural cut fry. And in 2021, it upped the game with just a few tweaks after noticing a trend of more people adopting a drive-thru or food delivery lifestyle. Wendy's wanted to make sure its fries stayed as true to restaurant dining quality as possible wherever they were eaten. So, it added just a hint of batter-like coating.

It took over two years to perfect that small change and get the fry ready for launch. Besides staying hot, the spud had to hold up to one more very important caveat — it had to taste good when dunked in the signature Frosty. Wendy's certainly does know its customers.

While some may miss the steak fries of the past, many are satisfied with the natural cut side option. The fries do indeed stay nice and hot for a long time. You are sure to get something flavorful, fluffy in all the right places, with just the right amount of sea salt. And don't doubt the dunkability, the fries are indeed still yummy when swirled in a Frosty.

Hardee's and Carl's Jr. once produced one of the most delicious curly fries you could find at a fast food burger chain. While a generic straight potato fry was always an option, it was nice to have the choice of something the other burger places didn't offer.

In 2006, a rebrand was announced, and that generic plain fry was switched to a thick, natural-cut fry that would compliment the new Angus beef ThickBurgers that now adorn the menus. A bigger fry for a bigger burger, aiming for both to resemble something one might find in a less casual, more upscale burger establishment. But why? Hardee's and Carl's Jr. did nothing to change the face or interior of the restaurants to reflect this new target. And as for making a better fry, that's not a target it necessarily hit either. While the natural-cut fries may be bigger, the ratings are not. The fries don't get horrible reviews, but no rave ones are coming in either.

What you may find people talking about when it comes to Hardee's and Carl's Jr. fries is where did the curly fries go? Kept on the menu for a while after the natural cut took the spotlight, those curly treats have slowly disappeared altogether.

For decades, Sonic rested on its tator tot laurels to appease the potato appetite. And it did so successfully. Up until 2024, not many people gave much thought to the generic, straight fast food fry that had always been offered at Sonic, without many takers.

Then Sonic did a complete overhaul of its fry menu by getting in on some crinkly fried goodness. And with that, Groovy Fries (what most consider to be just a silly named crinkle fry) debuted. But it didn't come alone. Sonic felt its burger sidekick needed a sidekick of its own to take it to the next level.

So, along with the new Groovy fries, customers were introduced to Groovy Sauce — imagine a siracha/ranch-style dip. While Groovy fries were made to be dippable, Groovy Sauce was created to show just how dippable the new fries are. And it worked! Thick, crinkled, crisp, and salty, these fries are definitely a groove to get into.

Whether the fries are a scoopable delivery system for a tasty ice cream treat, gobs of ketchup, or the signature sidekick sauce, Sonic has a winner. Thankfully, Sonic was smart enough to keep its legendary tots on the menu as well.

With such iconic fries already on its menu, why would Arby's think about sending one of its fries out naked? Well, it has. The brand also hired Ving Rhames to be the voice behind the debut. Sugar Ray's hit song "Fly" was even respun to soundtrack the announcement. A lot went into the launch of these fries. But again, why?

It seems like Arby's is veering into other fast food lanes and its new fries happen to be one of those lanes. A crinkle cut fry that is seemingly nostalgic is now available on the Arby's menu. However, words like "mediocre," "undercooked," and "limp" have been thrown about. And while the fries are supposed to be lightly salted, apparently it goes very hard on the light. To the point of no taste, or what some have defined as just strange.

Regardless, these new fries are not the reason people go to Arby's. It won't be the reason people don't go to Arby's. And it certainly will not ever be the go-to side. Arby's has iconic curly fries! Who's not going to choose those? And that is great. Who cares if Arby's doesn't have the best regular fry? It is loved for what it does best.

If fans are what it takes to make cult classic status, rank Shake Shack at the top of that list. Because Shake Shack fans are overly dedicated, loud, and loved by the company. It's all of these things that keep the company coming back from any fry deviation.

Shake Shack started out, and stayed with, frozen crinkle cut fries. Everyone loved the popular side item. Then, in May of 2014, Shake Shack wanted to offer its customers something a little better and decided to take it up a notch with fresh, hand-cut fries.

Talks of boycotts rang out. People were mortified. And the Execs that were 100% behind the launch, quickly did a 180 just a few months later. Crinkle-cut fries were brought back before all of the stores could even make the initial switch. It was quite the victory for Shake Shack fry fans, who've lived happily since. 

In 2023, Shake Shack decided it was going to try changing its frying substance to something healthier and more sustainable: sugarcane oil. Two locations in New York City tested out fries cooked in sugarcane oil from Zero Acre Farms, and the results were positive. In fact, our own reviewer called the fries a "game changer." Shake Shack and Zero Acre Farms are planning a second collaboration in 2025.

Jack in the Box seems to have a handle on serving just about everything its audience wants and doing it well. Today followers flock to the box for the iconic tacos, fast food breakfast 24/7, and other seemingly random menu choices. So, it's not a strange turn of events that the restaurant's fry game is just as unconventional.

Jack in the Box started out with a natural cut, skin on fry and evolved to a more standardized, generic fry in 2010. This is quite the opposite of what competitors were doing at the time. But it was apparently something customers were asking for . So, in the same style of menu diversity and excellent execution that had been applied to the rest of the menu, Jack in the Box gave just as generously to its fry game.

Today, customers have their choice of the thinner, shoestring crispy fry, can choose to opt for Jack's signature curly fries, or order Halfsie fries to get the best of both worlds. In addition, customers that miss the skin on, thicker cut, can order the potato wedges, spicy or classic, sauced and loaded. So, no matter what kind of fry is up your alley, it looks like Jack in the Box may be the place to order it.

It seems like since the very beginning, Burger King has been chasing its fry fantasy, only to be disappointed again and again. In the late '90s the King tried to give its fries more crisp by adding an outer starch coating that could best its rivals. It didn't work.

In 2013, Burger King introduced a healthier fry named Satisfries, which did anything but. Supposedly a healthier option, and definitely one with a higher price point than the previous fries, the new Satrisfries had a science backed batter that was supposed to absorb less fryer grease. Another swing and a miss that ended with Satisfries being taken off the menu in 2014.

Since then, the King has chosen to just take a completely different approach with the fry game. Leaving its potato fries to remain lackluster, in 2014, BK instead decided to bring back its popular menu item Chicken Fries.

Seemingly winning in the non-potato fry game, in 2024 BK went even further left field by introducing its new "Fiery" menu, complete with Fiery Mozzarella Fries and Fiery Chicken Fries. And it seems to be completely happy with this decision.

During the last decade, there have been no talks of changing the BK french fry. And thanks to the iconic Whopper and crazy sans potato fry options, BK seems to believe that no one is really looking at its tators.