3 Fast-Food Chains with the Best Waffle Fries, According to Chefs
French fries are one of the greatest things to eat. Whether you love them lightly salted or dipped in your favorite sauce, fries are perfect on their own or paired with burgers and sandwiches. Plus, the texture is ideal–crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They’re the ultimate comfort food, and waffle fries take that experience to another level. While plenty of fast-food spots serve fries, only a handful have truly mastered the waffle-cut. To find the best ones, Eat This, Not That! asked Emma Sullivan, home chef and recipe developer at DailyCookingRecipe.com, to share her top three places.
Chick-fil-A
No surprise here—Chick-fil-A practically defined waffle fries in the fast-food world. Their version is golden, lightly salted and made with skin-on potatoes for extra flavor. Sullivan calls them the “gold standard.” She explains, “The ridged shape means more surface area, which means more crunch, and they hold up way longer than regular fries without going limp.” Sullivan adds, ‘My kids ask for these by name. The Polynesian sauce alongside is the only dipping sauce I ever need.”
Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr.’s waffle fries are seasoned more boldly than most. Chefs point to their consistent crunch and savory coating as a standout feature, especially for those who like fries with a little extra punch. According to Sullivan, the waffle fries are “well seasoned, and they hold up under toppings if you want to go that route.”
Checkers/Rally’s
Famous for seasoned fries, but waffle fries have appeared as limited-time items. When they’re not in the restaurant, you can find the delicious waffle fries in the frozen food section of your local grocery store. “These have a cult following, and they deserve it,” says Sullivan. The seasoned coating gives them a crunch that stays crispy on the drive home, which almost nothing does.” She adds, “Once you try them, you start judging every other fast food fry against these.”