McDonald's fries still beat all 10 fast food rivals in Delish taste test

McDonald's fries still rule the drive-thru. Delish food writer Steven Morea pitted fries from 11 fast food chains against each other and the Golden Arches won again, holding up as the standard he compares every other fry to "for years."

The test judged each order on flavor, texture, seasoning and overall enjoyment. Morea's rule was simple: a good fry has to stand on its own, no ketchup or dipping sauce to rescue it.

What makes McDonald's the winner isn't a flashy seasoning blend. "The flavor isn't overly complicated, but the balance of potato, salt, and that familiar fried taste just works," he wrote. "I know what I'm getting when I order them, and that's exactly what I want."

The rest of the ranking

KFC came in second with fries Morea called "wonderfully crispy," praising a deep, almost kettle-cooked potato flavor. Burger King was the biggest surprise of the bunch, landing third on the strength of its crunch and noticeable potato taste despite low expectations going in.

Taco Bell's Nacho Fries took fourth, with Morea loving the cheesy, savory seasoning but wanting more crunch. Wendy's rounded out the top five for its skin-on, earthy potato flavor.

At the bottom, Raising Cane's fries took the last spot for being soft and limp, while Shake Shack landed at number 10 for overseasoning that "bordered on unpleasant." Popeyes, despite the boldest Cajun seasoning in the lineup, was dragged down by greasy texture.

After tasting all 11, Morea's takeaway was blunt: "I still haven't found a fast food fry that makes me want to abandon the Golden Arches. Sometimes the obvious choice really is the best one."