14 Popular Frozen French Fry Brands, Ranked Worst To Best
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In the United States, french fries are everywhere you look. People of all shapes, sizes, and ages love these fried potato strips. While the best fast food fries are undeniably addicting, the best frozen fries are equally as wonderful. If you find a yummy frozen french fry brand, you can have delicious fries whenever a craving hits. With the growing popularity of easy to use air fryers, you don't even have to turn on your oven in order to have a batch of delectable fries at your fingertips in a matter of minutes.
At your local supermarket, you can find multiple brands of frozen french fries. But before you go out and grab a bag or two, review this ranking so that you don't accidentally buy yucky fries that will make you regret your purchase. Keep reading to find how we rate the most popular french fry brands, starting with worst, and finishing with the absolute best.
14. Red Robin
If your favorite part about a trip to Red Robin is the chain's bottomless french fries, you may be tempted to purchase their frozen seasoned steak fries. But the moment you taste these fries, you'll instantly regret succumbing to that temptation. While frozen Red Robin onion rings are really good, their frozen fries are an unmitigated disaster.
First of all, the seasoning is completely different. At their restaurants, the fries are so tasty that you'll be licking your fingers between each fry. Their frozen fries, on the other hand, have very little seasoning. Secondly, the texture inside the fry is way too dry. As a result, eating Red Robin's frozen fries is like you're chewing on potato-y chalk. It's a really gross proposition, even if you douse all the fries in a mountain of ketchup.
If you want Red Robin's fries at their best, go to one of their restaurants. They taste far superior to the frozen variety, plus you can get an unlimited amount. That's a win-win and a disaster averted.
13. Green Giant
If potatoes don't do it for you, Green Giant has a line of veggie fries. The three options to replace the potatoes are zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli. While these veggie fries may look yummy on the packaging, they will undoubtedly let you down.
When you bite into one of these fries, the mushy texture is so off-putting that it may cause you to spit it out into the trash. With no flavor that's worth writing home about, Green Giant's veggie fries will taste like diet food the entire time it's in your mouth. The only positive thing about these imitation fries is that they will make you cherish real french fries made with potatoes that much more. There's something magical about the oily, salty, potato flavor that can't be replicated by zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli or any other vegetable.
If you can't eat real fries, pick something else rather than these forgettable veggie fries. They're not worth your money.
12. Nathan's Famous
Nathan's Famous is famous for their hot dogs — and for a very good reason. If you're looking for grocery store hot dogs, their wieners can't be beat, and the competition isn't even a tight one. Once you try a Nathan's Famous hot dog, nothing else will ever compare to it. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the frozen fries that they sell.
You can find Nathan's Famous Jumbo Crinkle Cut French Fries in the freezer aisle (you will instantly recognize their iconic green and yellow packaging). But if you make the mistake of purchasing these fries, you'll soon be disappointed. These things lack crispiness and saltiness — two attributes that make a high-quality french fry. While Nathan's Famous has the reputation for being a premium brand, these fries are most reminiscent of those crinkle cut fries you ate in your elementary school's cafeteria. They're entirely forgettable and should be avoided.
11. Kroger
According to a survey conducted by Mashed, over 26% of our readers selected Kroger as the brand that has the worst frozen french fries. While we don't have their fries at the bottom of our list, it's definitely true that Kroger french fries are best to be ignored. There's absolutely nothing you'll enjoy about these things. Even if they're the cheapest fries in Kroger's frozen section, you'd be much better off paying a few more bucks for a brand that's closer to the top of this ranking.
No matter if you cook Kroger's fries in an oven or in an air fryer, you'll always be dismayed by the sogginess of the resulting fries. Even using a game-changing frozen french fries trick like using a cooling rack doesn't help — soggy fries are always the unavoidable outcome. Flavor-wise, these fries are a little bit better than the three brands mentioned previously. That said, they're still a far cry from the best of the best.
10. Trader Joe's
While Trader Joe's has cult food items that are so unbelievably good that it's okay to obsess about them, they also have a number of overrated food items. Sadly, Trader Joe's Handsome Cut Potato Fries are closer to the latter than the former. Although these fries are priced right, are only 140 calories per serving, and have an aesthetically-pleasing uniformity about them, they're not good enough to recommend. Handsome or not, you'll want to look the other way.
Trader Joe's fries taste average. They are a little bit on the bland side of the spectrum but it's the texture and not the flavor that will make you shake your head with sadness. These fries are a little too chewy. It's almost like leather got mixed into the recipe at some point in the process. Trader Joe's has a lot of food items that are a great match for your air fryer. These fries, though, aren't one of them.
9. Arby's
If you're looking for fast food curly fries that are seasoned to perfection and always have the optimal texture, head to Arby's. You'll never be disappointed. So it would make perfect sense to buy frozen Arby's curly fries that you can store in your freezer until the time is right. Tragically, the idea turns out to be too good to be true. These fries are okay-ish but they can't hold a candle to the curly fries Arby's hands you at their drive-thru windows. The seasoning is lighter and the texture just isn't what we've grown accustomed to from Arby's.
For these frozen curly fries to taste their best, you'll need to use a deep fryer. But even then, they're still not as good. Save yourself the aggravation and go to Arby's when you want awesome curly fries. It's always worth the trip to get your hands on those bad boys.
8. Member's Mark
At Sam's Club, you can discover a number of Member's Mark products that were obviously inspired by the food available at Chick-fil-A. From the Member's Mark Chicken Sandwich to the Member's Mark Chicken Bites, Sam's Club hopes that you'll think about Chick-fil-A's Chicken Sandwich and Chick-fil-A's Nuggets when you see these food items in their freezer section. Similarly, Member's Mark Waffle Fries look exactly like the Waffle Potato Fries available at Chick-fil-A.
Though the waffle fries look the same, the Member's Mark version isn't as good. Then again, if you buy these fries at Sam's Club, you won't be too disheartened, as they're still a decent-enough facsimile. Even though they're not as good as the waffle fries from Chick-fil-A, they're tasty enough to be considered average on this ranking. These things are a little bit dry but if you use a whole lot of dipping sauce, that dryness won't become too much of a problem. What's the best sauce for these waffle fries? Chick-fil-A's famous sauce, of course!
7. Grown in Idaho
When only the best potato will do, one state immediately comes to mind: Idaho. Located in the Pacific Northwest, the Gem State has the perfect growing conditions for potatoes. Amongst potato connoisseurs, no other state's potatoes can compare, and for that reason, the Grown in Idaho brand of frozen french fries comes with lofty expectations.
As long as you know which varieties to pick, you'll be really happy if you select Grown in Idaho fries. While their crinkle cut fries and waffle fries are nothing to brag about, look for their Super Crispy Steak Cut Fries or their Super Crispy Dipper Fries. The steak cut fries are big and flavorful. They're crispy on the outside and exploding with flavor on the inside. The dipper fries are like the french fry version of Lay's potato chips and they're even better than you'd expect. There's no way that you'd be able to eat just one of these dipper fries.
6. Great Value
If you're factoring in value when selecting your frozen french fry brand of choice, Great Value fries deserve to be in the conversation. This Walmart brand of frozen fries comes with a very reasonable price tag and the fries are tasty enough that you won't mind too much about missing out on a name brand.
While there are a lot of options when it comes to Great Value frozen fries, the best choice is their crinkle cut fries. Sure, it may look like food that you'd find at a cafeteria, but you'll be shocked at how delicious it tastes. If you're feeding a group of ravenous children, Great Value crinkle cut fries are one of the rare foods that practically no kid will turn down — especially when there is ketchup available for dipping purposes.
If you can't find the crinkle cut fries, Great Value's seasoned fries are also better than average. The seasoning is perfectly balanced and is so potent that you won't need to dip it in anything.
5. McCain
When it comes to frozen french fries, McCain is an extremely trustworthy brand that has decades of experience. In fact, this company has been making frozen fries in the Canadian town of Florenceville since 1957. They've had so much success and so many satisfied customers that these days Florenceville claims it's the french fry capital of the world.
If you can't decide which of McCain's many french fry varieties to try first, go with the Classic Cut Fries. These beauties look very much like McDonald's fries and they also taste similar. If you're looking for frozen french fries that are most like what you'd find at McDonald's, this is what you should buy.
McCain also has great options for those who are short on time. Their 5 Minute Fries and their Quick Waffle Fries will allow you to speed up the process without losing any of the goodness that you know and love.
4. Checkers
Don't let the aforementioned unpleasantness sold by Red Robin and Arby's make you think that it's impossible for restaurant brands to create worthwhile frozen french fries. Famous Seasoned Fries made by Checkers (also known as Rally's) are truly glorious.
In case you don't know, Checkers and Rally's are owned by the same company. They used to be two different fast food chains but they merged and now the food is basically identical at both establishments. Depending on which region of the country you're in, you'll see either Checkers or Rally's.
If you've eaten at a Checkers or a Rally's, you know full-well about the deliciousness of their fries. Truth be told, their fries are usually the best part about your visit to one of these fast food establishments. Sometimes their burgers are scrumptious but you can always rely on their fries. Somehow, someway, their frozen fries are just as tasty — or maybe even a little bit tastier! It almost classifies as a culinary miracle.
3. Whole Foods 365
Whole Foods isn't exactly known for having low prices but they do have some amazing 365 products on their shelves that are worth every additional penny. One such item is their Crinkle Cut French Fries. These Whole Foods 365 branded fries are spectacularly good even though there is no salt added. They also sell an organic version of these same fries that is slightly more expensive but equally as delightful. For those searching for the healthiest possible fries that don't sacrifice even one iota of yumminess, head to Whole Foods.
While Whole Foods 365 finished third in our ranking, this brand actually finished second in a Mashed survey of best frozen french fries. Either way you slice it, it's safe to say you'll agree that this store brand of fries wholly deserves one of the top spots. You'll be stunned that these things taste so marvelous despite lacking any extra salt. The potato flavor itself is what will blow you away.
2. Alexia
Even though Alexia is a relative newcomer to the world of frozen french fries, they've quickly become a force that must be recognized. Alexia, which was founded in 2002 by chef Alex Dzieduszycki (via Food Business News), is proud of using high-quality ingredients and ensuring that all of their seasoning is finely tuned. The result is a line of products that are sure to thrill your taste buds far beyond your expectations.
While their Organic Yukon Select Fries are the way to go if you're craving traditional french fries, it's Alexia's Sweet Potato Fries that will steal your heart. These fries are the ultimate combination of savoriness, sweetness, and saltiness. Moreover, the texture of each and every fry is perfect. Even if you think you're not a fan of sweet potatoes, there's still a high probability that you will adore these fries. After the first time you taste these fries, you may never switch back to regular potatoes ever again.
1. Ore-Ida
If you've ever purchased frozen french fries, you're familiar with Ore-Ida. This ubiquitous brand can be found in every corner of the country. Ore-Ida, which was founded on the border of Oregon and Idaho, has been selling frozen fries since 1951 (via CNN). While this brand is perhaps most well known for inventing tater tots, it's their extravagant fries that allow them to stand out from the competition.
Ore-Ida produces more than a dozen types of frozen fries and they're all delectable. From their Golden Shoestring French Fries that are better than any fast food fries to their Zesty Curly Fries that will wow you with their shape, seasoning, and texture, this brand has everything your fry-loving heart could ever want.
The only downside to Ore-Ida is that since all of their varieties are so stupendous, you'll need to try them all. Then again, that's the most delicious downside in the history of frozen foods. By the end of your Ore-Ida taste-testing journey, you'll understand why this brand is the runaway winner.