Are McDonald's Fries Better Than Wendy's?

If you love french fries, you probably know that one fast-food retailer reigns supreme. McDonald's french fries are an iconic part of the American fast-food landscape and most people will tell you that fries from the Golden Arches are the best on the market.

That's probably why Twitter users were in an uproar over fellow fast-food giant Wendy's clever ad campaign bashing McDonald's famous fries. The ad took the form of a billboard and featured the Wendy's logo beside a sad, doubled-over french fry on a bright-red background that looked suspiciously similar to McDonald's Golden Arches logo. Beside the fry, the ad read, "Hot and crispy fries don't arch. Just sayin'" (via Entrepreneur). 

Twitter had a lot to say about Wendy's cheeky ad, with most users in approval of the fast-food chain's boldness. User @rbillie said they had tears in their eyes from "laughing so much," a sentiment that was echoed by @ViciousPinky who said Wendy's had "no chill." 

Despite the obvious humor in the ad, other users expressed their opinion that McDonald's fries are still upper crust. "I love y'all @Wendys but @McDonalds fries are god tier. Y'all okay though," tweeted user @LolaSkye_93. So which chain actually has the best-tasting french fries in the land? It turns out science may have the long-awaited answer.

It's often said that McDonald's fries have an almost addictive quality to them, and according to science, there are more than a few reasons why. The fast food classic's iconic taste starts the moment you walk through the restaurant's doors and smell the aroma wafting through the room from the frier. According to McDonald's, the smell is actually based on a natural flavoring substitute for beef fat. While the fries are 100% plant-based, the smell is part of what makes the fries so delicious. McDonald's also uses a combination of salt, fat, and sugar in their fries, creating a flavorful threshold scientists call the "bliss point," according to The New York Times Magazine. 

Fast-food fans also seem to agree that McDonald's fries are superior to Wendy's and have taken to Reddit to make that point clear. Redditor draugen_pnw said, "McDonald's takes their fries INCREDIBLY seriously. They source a very particular type of potato, and have strict company procedures for shipping, handling, processing, storage, and preparation. Any McDonald's executive will tell you that fries are the company's signature product."

While McDonald's fries seem to be the popular choice, certain media outlets have proclaimed Wendy's to have the better fry, with The Columbus Dispatch declaring its fries to be the winner. 

No matter which chain's fries you prefer, we think taste-testing them is the best part of the debate.