I Tried Every Fast Food Fry Blindfolded — The Results SHOCKED Me (You Won’t Believe #10!)
There are few debates more heated than the one over who has the best fast food French fries in America. From the golden arches of McDonald’s to the cult following behind In-N-Out, everyone has their favorite. But what happens when all branding is stripped away and the fries go head-to-head in a blind taste test?
On this episode of Random Recess, we took on the ultimate fast food fry challenge. We blind taste-tested fries from 11 of the biggest fast food chains, and yes—we included all the heavy hitters: McDonald’s, In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Five Guys, Wendy’s, and more. The goal? See if Abed could guess each one without seeing the packaging… and find out which fries actually taste the best when the bias is gone.
Let’s break it down. 🧂🍟
The Setup: No Labels, No Ketchup, No Mercy
To keep things 100% fair, all fries were unboxed and transferred into identical, unmarked containers labeled 1 through 11. No logos, no colors, and—just to make it even harder—no sauces allowed. (Yes, Abed had to go dry. Cruel.)
While Abed was upstairs gaming on the Switch 2 (priorities), the fries were laid out and ready. The question was: Would all those strong fry opinions survive under pressure?
“For me, what makes a good fry is all about the texture, a little crisp, and salt. Potatoes by themselves? Kinda bland.” — Abed
Blind Taste Test Results: Guessing, Rating, and Fry Fails
Here’s how the fry showdown went down:
🥇 #1: Jack in the Box
Guess: McDonald’s
Reaction: Wrong out the gate!
Abed’s confidence plummeted after this one. The blandness and generic look threw him completely.
#2: Wendy’s
Guess: Wendy’s ✅
He recognized the skin-on fries and potato-forward taste immediately. “Not as salty as they used to be, but unmistakably Wendy’s.”
#3: Chick-fil-A
Guess: Chick-fil-A ✅
The waffle shape was a giveaway. But he threw some shade at their new seasoning: “What is this weird dust?!”
Check out our full video to see the rest!
Trying EVERY Fast Food Fry! Can We Guess Them All?
Final Fry Scorecard: 8 Out of 11 Correct
Even with curveballs like Sonic’s unexpected crinkle cut, Abed walked away with a respectable 8/11 correct. But beyond the score, there were some key takeaways when taste—not branding—took the wheel.
The Best Fast Food Fries (Ranked by Taste)
🏆 Best Overall Fry: Five Guys
Crispy, greasy, and bursting with flavor. These were the fries that had Abed going back for more. “They’re not uniform, but that’s how you know they’re fresh cut.”
🥇 Best Crinkle Cut: Shake Shack
High quality, perfectly crispy, and great with sauce. Shake Shack edged out Culver’s thanks to its signature cheese fry pairing.
😲 Biggest Surprise: In-N-Out
Abed expected to hate them—and still isn’t a fan—but admitted they were better than usual. “Letting them sit might be the trick.”
😬 Biggest Disappointments: McDonald’s & Whataburger
Both iconic. Both underperformed. “They desperately needed ketchup to even taste like anything.”
Fry Philosophy: Dipping vs Dry
Another part of the challenge? No dipping sauces allowed.
This led to a heated debate off-camera: Are you a dipper, or do you pour ketchup on your fries? Or go in raw (fry-only, of course)?
Abed's take:
“I’m a dipper—I like to control the ratio. But if we had Whataburger ketchup on the table, it would’ve changed everything.”
What This Taste Test Proved
Brand bias is real. Even iconic fries can fall flat without their packaging or the "experience" factor.
Crinkle cut is making a comeback. With Sonic switching it up and Shake Shack leading the pack, this trend is rising.
Fresh cut matters. The top performers—Five Guys and Shake Shack—offered texture and flavor that generic fries just couldn’t match.
Sometimes, nostalgia lies. McDonald’s and Whataburger might be crowd favorites, but their fries did not deliver here.
Your Turn: What’s the Best Fast Food Fry?
We want to hear from you!
👇 Comment below with your all-time favorite fry and whether you agree with our rankings.