4 Chain Restaurants With the Best Tater Tots, According to Chefs
When I’m craving something salty and crunchy, tater tots are always at the top of my list. They’re perfect, bite-sized nuggets of crispy comfort food, and while the amount I can eat is impressive, it’s also a little alarming. When done right—extra crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, finished with a dash of salt and a side of BBQ sauce—there’s truly nothing better. The problem? Finding a great order isn’t always easy. To separate the standout tots from the merely average, Eat This, Not That! turned to chefs to share their favorite spots. Here are the top four.
Sonic Drive-In
When Ryan Allen, a home chef, food content creator, recipe developer and the founder of Slow Cooker Meals, is hungry, he tastes food as quickly as possible to help understand how his audience eats, “at a time when they have no patience for mediocrity.” That’s exactly why, when it comes to tater tots, Allen considers Sonic Drive-In the gold standard. “Fried to order, these tots are crispy and fluffy, aggressively seasoned, and never greasy,” he says. “I’ve conducted numerous blind taste tests with families across the country, and eight out of 10 times, everyone chose the tots over fries. Sonic is also the only chain that delivers the same perfectly consistent tots at noon and at midnight.”
Bojangles’ Bo-Tato Rounds
Bojangles’ Bo-Tato Rounds may not be called tater tots, but they absolutely qualify. “They’re thicker and crunchier than a fry,” says Allen. “If you like a tot with an attitude, this is for you. Seven out of 10 home cooks I spoke to preferred them to the other classic tots I found.”
Sheetz
Sheetz is a family-owned convenience store that’s been around since 1952 and according to Allen, the spot has some of the best tater tots, calling them a “sleeper hit.” “Customizing their hot, crunchy tots with cheese, chili, eggs or bacon turns a simple side into a full meal. The same story said that nine out of 10 people prefer Sheetz tots to fries in late-night food scenarios.”
Smashburger
Smashburger isn’t only famous for its fresh burgers and the unique smashing technique onto a blazing-hot flat top. The tater tots are a must-have, says Jessica Formicola, chef, cookbook author, TV personality, and recipe creator with Savory Experiments. “By far, smashburger- I love the Smashtots with loads of garlic and a hint of rosemary, they are amazing, but so are the Scorchin’ hot tots.” Chef Jessica explains, “Both can be made fully loaded, so you can make them a whole meal.”