Review: Sweetgreen's New Ripple French Fries Pass The Crunch Test

Sweetgreen, which originated in Washington D.C., is a popular salad chain company that has over 140 locations around the country. It was originally founded by three college students who wanted to create a fast food option that provided more nutritional value than what was currently available. The students succeeded, and Sweetgreen is now a staple fast-food brand in many major cities.

The menu features many types of salads — from options that include steak, chicken, and even fish to other options like protein bowls, kids meals, and sides like focaccia bread. The menu is always evolving, and most recently, an exciting new side has been introduced to the menu: ripple fries.

I got the opportunity to taste-test this new menu item before the big release on March 4, 2025. When speaking with the head of culinary at Sweetgreen, Chad Brauze, he shared that the purpose for this new addition to the menu was originally to incorporate potatoes into the menu more. From there, the team realized that they had the opportunity to make a version of a fast-food french fry that wasn't drenched in seed oils or fried. Instead, they created a better-for-you french fry option in the form of a ripple fry — and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Along with our taste test of the ripple fries, I also got the opportunity to taste two new dipping sauces as well, so stay tuned to find out the official consensus.

Since I was able to speak directly with the head of culinary at Sweetgreen, Chad Brauze, and company co-founder Nicolas Jammet, I got all of the details of how these fries are made. To start with, russet potatoes are cut into thin, chip-like slices with a rippled surface. Then, they are coated with a bit of potato starch, salt, and dried parsley. Lastly, they're air-fried in avocado oil.

One of the most impressive things about these ripple fries is that they are air-fried — and Sweetgreen is actually the first national chain to air-fry its french fries. Air frying is known to be a healthier cooking option because not as much oil is needed to achieve the level of crispiness that you need when using a traditional fryer. It's America's favorite kitchen appliance for a reason!

When inquiring about incorporating air frying into the kitchen at Sweetgreen, I discovered that the company didn't have to buy an entire new batch of appliances to make the air-fried ripple fries a reality. The ovens that are in each location already have the capability to air fry, and Chad Brauze shared that they're able to adjust the air flow and humidity of the ovens, creating an air frying effect.

Since these ripple fries are made in a completely different way than other fast food french fries are, I was extremely curious to see how they stacked up nutrition wise. One serving size of the ripple fries weighs 130 grams, and they are listed to be 240 calories with the pickle ketchup dipping sauce. By comparison, a medium McDonald's french fry is about 114 grams and is listed to have 320 calories in that serving. If you translate that to the 130-gram size of the Sweetgreen ripple fries, there would be 365 calories in the McDonald's fries — and that's without any sauce.

When it comes to fat, that's where I figured we would see the most difference in nutrition. At the core, both fries are made with potatoes and oil. It's the type and amount of oil that makes a difference in nutrition. Sweetgreen uses avocado oil, while McDonald's uses a canola-blend oil. In a 130-gram serving, the Sweetgreen ripple fries have 7 grams of fat. The McDonald's fries, on the other hand, have about 15 grams of fat. This makes the Sweetgreen fries a better option on the fast food market for people who are watching their calorie or fat intake. It also allows a healthier pairing of the fries with a meal (like a Sweetgreen salad) because they aren't as high in calories as other fast food options tend to be.

The Sweetgreen ripple fries, as well as its dipping sauces, will be available storewide on March 4, 2025. Only one size is available, and they will be $4.95 per order. The size of these ripple fries is comparable to a medium-sized french fry at other fast food establishments. In my opinion, the portion size is perfect for a snack or to pair with a meal from Sweetgreen.

The pickle ketchup sauce and the garlic aioli sauce will both be available as a free side with your fries. When you order, you will be able to choose which sauce you prefer. I thought that both sauces were delicious, and I would love to pair them with a protein plate from Sweetgreen. At the tasting that I attended, I asked if that could also be an option when ordering a meal at Sweetgreen. I was told that depending on the location, workers would most likely give you a side of one of the sauces for free with any meal or item that you order.

When the french fries first came out, they looked incredibly crispy and enticing. At first glance, they almost look like potato chips, but they are definitely thicker than a chip and have a true french fry consistency. Just by smelling them alone, I could tell that the fries were fresh and not bathed in oil. As someone who indulges in a container of McDonald's french fries often, I'm used to sensing an overwhelming amount of oil and salt when eating or even smelling a fast food french fry.

Upon the first bite, I was thrilled to see that the Sweetgreen ripple fries passed my "crunch test." Personally, I don't enjoy a french fry that doesn't have a bit of a crunch when you bite into it. These fries were incredibly satisfying when it came to the texture because the crunch on the outside was juxtaposed with a softer, fluffier center. The fries aren't too thin or too thick, allowing for a perfect crunch-to-fluff ratio.

As for the flavor, I absolutely loved how the dried parsley and light salt added just a touch of flavor. It made the fries taste a bit more fresh, and dare I say, "healthy." I was also a little bit apprehensive when it came to the avocado oil, but I honestly couldn't taste a difference in the overall flavor of the fries compared to other fast food fries that use canola or corn oil. The true difference was that the fries didn't feel drenched in oil, and instead, they were crisped up to perfection.

One of the choices for a dipping sauce with your ripple fries is the garlic aioli sauce. This sauce is a light white color that has small speckles scattered throughout. Although I don't necessarily jump for a creamy sauce when it comes to french fries, the smell of the sauce intrigued me. It has a sweet, creamy smell that makes you salivate slightly, itching for a dip.

The ingredients in this sauce are mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, and umami seasoning. With such simple ingredients, the sauce truly does taste fresher than other garlic aioli sauces that I've tried. Although there is maple syrup, it doesn't come across as too sugary or overwhelming. The main flavor that I could taste was the mayonnaise base, and the amount of garlic that was mixed in was the perfect amount. It wasn't overpowering to where it tasted overwhelmingly garlic-y, but it gave it enough of a kick to be an enjoyable sauce for the fries.

Although I did enjoy tasting the garlic aioli, I wouldn't say that it would be my first choice as a dip for the french fries. The consistency is a bit thicker than I'd prefer. If I'm in the right mood — I could definitely enjoy it. However, I personally prefer a sauce with a thinner consistency to go with the starchiness of a french fry.

As a huge fan of both ketchup and pickles, I was incredibly excited to give this sauce a try. It has a darker red color to it, almost as if it's a tomato sauce versus a standard ketchup. The consistency, to my appreciation, wasn't too thick and wasn't too thin. It had an average ketchup thickness, where it didn't feel like it was too heavy of a sauce to eat but still felt like enough to be satisfying. The sauce is labeled to contain ketchup, maple syrup, and dill.

This pickle ketchup sauce is honestly one of my favorite fast-food sauces that I've ever tried. It has a very pure tomato flavor to it that isn't masked by sugar — something that I notice in other ketchups. The best part, however, is the pickle flavoring. It has a nice kick to it that excites and amplifies the high-quality tomato flavor and immediately makes your mouth water, wanting more. I thought that they were also a perfect pairing with the ripple fries.

Since the fries are also so fresh tasting, yet they don't pop with any one flavor, the pickle ketchup is the perfect dipping sauce to add a little bit of excitement to the snack. The freshness from both items matches together perfectly, keeping with the "fresh and healthy" theme, yet the bursting flavor components of the ketchup really drive it home.

I'm incredibly excited about this launch from Sweetgreen. The ripple fries bring something new to the fast food world — a french fry that isn't completely covered in oil and filled with calories. Instead, there's now the option to pick up a serving of fast-food french fries on the go, and you can actually feel good about eating them.

Another thing that I love about the ripple fries is that they are a great side dish to a salad. It's become increasingly popular to have a Caesar salad and an order of french fries out at a restaurant, and now you can do this at a popular chain salad restaurant, too. For me, personally, I never quite feel satisfied after eating just a salad. I always need some sort of snack to go along with it, so I usually opt for a bag of chips. Now that I know I can get a warm order of french fries to go with my salad at Sweetgreen, I will probably be heading there a lot more often.

Lastly, I think that both of the sauce options will be popular amongst customers. Your favorite will definitely depend on your taste and texture preferences, but the fact that they are both included with your fries is a great perk. Both sauces are done incredibly well, aren't made with too many ingredients, and taste great. Overall, I think that the ripple fries at Sweetgreen are definitely a menu item to be excited about.