5 Ordering Tips For The Best Arby's Curly Fries

Fast food customers take their fries seriously, and each chain is pretty much recognizable by its version of spuds: from McDonald's shoestring thin classic World Famous Fries to Shake Shack's crinkle-cut fries. And then there's Arby's Curly Fries, which, like magic, can conjure up almost whimsical childhood nostalgia from the chain best known for its towering roast beef sandwiches. As memorable as they may be, a few ordering tips can help make the most of the spiral-shaped spuds.

Founded in 1964 in Boardman, Ohio, Arby's got its start by focusing on roast beef sandwiches in a market saturated with burger chains. It eventually became a household name with over 3,500 locations. The original fries, then called Curly Q Fries, didn't join Arby's menu until 1988. They weren't the first spiral French fry, but the shape alone isn't what makes them so distinctive — it's the flavorful seasoning of onion and garlic powders, paprika coloring, as well as other spices. Although decidedly tasty on their own, the popular potatoes can pack an even bigger, spicier, sweeter, or cheesier punch thanks to a handful of ordering hacks.

The classic condiments — ketchup, mayo, BBQ, hot sauce, ranch, and mustard — all work brilliantly with fries, but some days call for a bigger upgrade. Enter cheddar cheese, the melted orange-hued delight that infuses velvety creaminess and a slight tanginess to everything it touches in an almost Midas-like fashion. It's the perfect accompaniment to Arby's Curly Fries. 

While not an official menu item, the warm cheddar cheese typically accompanies the chain's Classic Beef 'n Cheddar sandwich (which is one of our Arby's favorites). The Curly Fries already pack a lot of flavor and a slight bit of heat, so you don't need to add much: the cheddar does the trick. You can use it as a dipping sauce, or drizzle it over the entire portion for a more indulgent (though sloppier) experience. A Reddit thread shows some serious converts: "It is heavenly."

Fast food menus are no stranger to loading fried potatoes with a dizzying array of toppings — take Shake Shack's classic cheese fries or Waffle House's sumptuously loaded Hashbrown Bowls. Arby's doesn't currently offer something similar, but that doesn't mean you can't take a leaf out of the other chains' books, or even look to Arby's own past to do it yourself.

Back in 2015, the chain launched a Loaded Curly Fries menu item, with cheddar cheese — both shredded and a sauce — and bacon, topped with a drizzle of parmesan peppercorn ranch. Teased as being limited-time, it left U.S. menus in 2021. Although you can't order it, no one is stopping you from recreating it. One way is to deconstruct a Classic Beef 'n Cheddar, adding some of the meat and cheese to the fries. Make it closer to the original by adding Arby's Red Ranch sauce for a slightly tangy kick. The sauce is included in the Beef 'n Cheddar standard order, or you can ask for it. Or be adventurous and make your own copycat version.

Sometimes you can get the best main simply by combining two sides into a glorious, and in this case heat-filled, dish. Enter Jalapeño Bites, which are halved and fried jalapeño peppers filled with melted cream cheese. While these usually accompany the chain's sandwiches, go ahead and turn your Curly Fries into another improvised loaded potato bowl by chopping the jalapeño bites and scattering them onto your fry order.

To elevate the fries even further, use the Bites' Bronco Berry Sauce, a ruby-hued concoction of raspberries, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and seasonings. The sauce provides color and a fruitiness that brings out the freshness of the jalapeños and provides a sweet counterbalance, while complementing the seasoned spice profile of the Curly Fries.

Dip fries in a chocolate shake? Oh, the horror. Cue the wrath of food puritans. Turns out, it might be on the idiosyncratic corner of the culinary realm, but people have dipped fries in milkshakes since fast food became a thing. Doing so with your Curly Fries and Jamocha Shake at Arby's might not be quite as crazy as it sounds.

For starters, the Jamocha Shake is Arby's own unique frosty dessert, blending chocolate and coffee into a creamy drink that can be topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, chocolate or caramel syrup drizzle, cookie crumbs, espresso powder, or even a maraschino cherry for some 1950s diner nostalgia. Dipping fries in a vanilla shake might seem more palatable; doing so in a chocolate-and-espresso flavor seems like more of an acquired taste. But the flavor profiles clash less than you might think. The seasonings and spices in the Curly Fries are often paired with chocolate (think of a good dark chocolate bar with chili and sea salt flakes), while the coffee provides a somewhat bitter element that counterbalances the sweetness. Plus, the warm-and-cold combo can be quite tantalizing. Like anything, not everyone will be won over, but don't knock it until you try it.

We're so accustomed to having fries as a side that we often forget that they can hit the sweet spot inside sandwiches too. The Brits certainly know a thing or two about this with the popular "chip butty" — basically French fries between two buns. 

Try adding fries to the Classic Roast Beef, which itself is like a blank canvas. Its simplicity means the fries aren't crowded out by a million other fillings. For something richer, the Beef 'n Cheddar can also work well. To further boost the flavor profile — granted, Arby's Curly Fries are already pretty tasty as they come — try mixing Arby's Sauce with the horseradish-based, creamy Horsey Sauce for an improvised, tangy pink sauce to your makeshift beef-and-curly fries butty.