Why In-N-Out Has Some of the Worst Fast Food French Fries

Finding truly crispy french fries at fast food restaurants can be just as difficult as making them at home. To help us all avoid another disappointing potato hunt, Chowhound's Alex Springer sat down and ranked fast food french fries from best to worst. One of the worst picks ever? In and out.

While this California-based chain is beloved by many people for its fresh, premium burgers, including legends like Anthony Bourdain, who considered In-N-Out one of his favorite fast food restaurants, its french fries are not as popular. Springer sees the restaurant's appeal in impressing its guests by julienning and frying them right in front of their eyes. While this freshness and transparency might win In-N-Out points in the flavor department, it's actually a pretty frowned upon culinary technique. When frying freshly cut potatoes, the potatoes do not have time to release excess moisture. For this reason, most french fry fans choose to blanch their fries before touching them to hot oil. Failure to do so results in mushy, textureless potatoes, which Springer says is the biggest problem with In-N-Out's failed french fries. For a better, crispier side, Springer acknowledged that many customers order their fries well-done, which gives them extra time in the fryer. But this does not fully repair the damage caused by the rushed preparation process.

While Springer ranked In-N-Out's fries low on his list, fans of the chain will be happy to know that it wasn't the worst portion he tried. This award goes to Dairy Queen and its truly flavorless and “unforgettable” french fries.

While In-N-Out's fries are low on Alex Springer's list, he's far from the only one to hold this opinion. Most of the chain's customers know that receiving lackluster fries is exactly the price you have to pay to get the real deal here – the juicy, delicious burger. You can order the accompanying fries “well-done” or “animal-shaped” to hide their disappointing qualities, but a bad fry is a bad fry.

If you're looking to rejuvenate your taste buds after a trip to In-N-Out, Springer has a good idea where you could go instead. (But never Dairy Queen. Save this chain for those late-night ice cream cravings, as it was intended to be.) If you want a universally popular, reliable choice, stick with McDonald's fries. It's rare for a fast food restaurant to match the flavor of these crispy, salty golden sticks of heaven, which is why Springer calls them the best fast food french fries of the 15 chains he's tried. However, for something more unique, Springer also praises Shake Shack's crinkle-cut fries and Taco Bell's perfectly seasoned nacho fries. As long as you stay away from In-N-Out when satisfying your french fry craving, you should be in for a good batch of crispy potatoes.