The story of the french fry has unclear beginnings. Some people say it started in Belgium during the 1600s when villagers fried potatoes instead of fish during the cold months when rivers froze over. Others believe it began in France in the 1700s with street vendors selling fried potatoes. No matter where they came from, french fries have become a favorite food around the world.
There’s nothing quite like enjoying a side of hot, crispy fries at a restaurant. But since most of us don’t eat out every day, frozen fries are a good option to keep on hand. Today, you can find many types of frozen fries in stores. If you’ve ever looked through the freezer section, you’ve probably seen how many brands are available.
With so many choices, we decided to find out which frozen fries are the best. For this test, we focused on classic and homestyle-cut fries. We picked brands based on how widely available they are, how popular they seem, and how much they cost. Prices ranged from $4 to $8, with most falling around $5 at the time of our tasting. We also asked members of our editorial team to help choose the nine brands we would try.
After spending a long (and tasty) afternoon testing them, one brand clearly stood out with its “crunchy outside” and “soft, savory inside.”
Top Pick: Grown in Idaho Hand Cut Style Fries
Our testers were impressed right away by the “golden-brown color” of Grown in Idaho Hand Cut Style Fries, according to Mara, our director of groceries and shopping. Ali, our associate groceries editor, said they were “nicely salted and crispy, with a smooth, creamy center.”
These fries stood out from the rest. All eight testers enjoyed them. Maria, our associate art director, said they were “delicious” and had the “perfect crispy outside and soft middle.”
Highlights:
- Golden brown
- Delicious
- “Perfectly crispy on the outside”
Runner-Up: Grown in Idaho Super Crispy Shoestring Fries
It’s no surprise that another Grown in Idaho product ranked highly. The Super Crispy Shoestring Fries came in second and got strong reviews from our team. Sarah, our home projects editor, called them “CLASSIC” and said the flavor “reminds me of McDonald’s fries.”
Anna, our executive creative director, also liked them, noting their “great crunch.” The only reason they didn’t take first place was because some testers, like Ali, thought they needed a little more salt. (That’s easy to fix at home!)
Highlights:
- “Classic” taste
- Reminds people of McDonald’s fries
Good to Know: - Some felt they needed more salt
Honorable Mention: Alexia House Cut Fries
Many testers enjoyed the Alexia House Cut Fries. Phil, our chief financial officer, liked the “strong potato taste” and ranked them in his top two. Quinn, our senior lifestyle editor, said the fries were a “great size” and had a “good bite.”
The main reason they didn’t rank higher was that some of our team thought they were a little dry.
Highlights:
- Rich potato flavor
- “Good size and bite”
Good to Know: - May be a little dry
Honorable Mention: Kirkland Signature Crispy French Fries
Ali gave these Costco-brand fries “five stars” and loved their “crispy, savory flavor and rustic look.” She even said they were her personal favorite. Maria agreed and described the inside as “creamy and buttery, like mashed potatoes.”
However, not everyone was sold. Phil and a few others felt they weren’t quite crispy enough. Using an air fryer might help fix that. One big plus: they cost just under $8 for a 5-pound bag, which makes them the most affordable option on our list at 10 cents an ounce.
Highlights:
- Buttery taste
- “Five-star” pick
- Rustic look
Good to Know: - Great value
- Might need extra crisping
Wildcard Pick: Checkers Famous Seasoned Fries
Although we focused mainly on lightly salted fries, we made an exception for Checkers Famous Seasoned Fries. As the name suggests, these fries have a special seasoning blend that our testers enjoyed. The ingredients on the bag just say “spices,” but our group tasted things like cayenne, garlic, and onion powders.
Ali said the flavors made for a “really tasty fry.” Maria added that they were “super crunchy.” These fries earned a well-deserved mention even though they’re a little different from the rest.
Highlights:
- “Super crunchy”
Good to Know: - Heavily seasoned
How We Tested the Fries
We asked eight staff members to taste and rate nine types of store-bought frozen french fries. Before the tasting, our studio director, Vicky, and culinary associate, Ola, cooked all the fries based on the package directions. Each brand was labeled with a letter from A to I so no one knew which fries were which. Ketchup and water were provided for dipping and cleansing the palate.
Each person tried the fries in a random order so no brand had an advantage. They then rated the fries on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = No, thanks; 2 = Meh; 3 = Pretty good; 4 = Really like; 5 = Yes, please!) in four areas: appearance, smell, texture, and flavor. They also wrote down notes and answered one key question: Would you buy these fries?
Why You Can Trust Our Test
To choose the best frozen fries, we worked with eight testers from Apartment Therapy Media. They judged the fries based on taste, look, smell, texture, and how likely they were to buy them again.
Testers didn’t know which brands they were trying. They rated the fries on their own, without sharing opinions until all scores were collected. After everyone submitted their results, we added the scores to decide which fries were the best.
