We have all had the experience of getting a beautifully stacked burger dripping with cheese and oozing out fry sauce. And then you get to the fries: they are soggy and lack glistening salt. The question is how do you avoid this life altering disaster? Where to get the best french fries is more controversial than Will Smith hitting Chris Rock. I went to the top five places students sent into our Instagram @bhsprospector and will rate each one with such intense detail that by the end I promise you will be craving fries.

There are four important components to make the dream perfect french fry: texture, saltiness, freshness, and finally price. Here is a quick overview of how all fries are not cut the same.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s overall was a solid 8.5/10. The biggest issue I found was that they lacked consistency. Some of the potato strips had a soggy aftertaste while others were so crispy they could break a tooth when attempting to consume it. However the second that one of these angelic fries reaches your taste buds there is an explosion of goodness. Happiness is possible, since perfect fries can be found inside of the red box. 

In-n-Out

In-n-Out was the most disappointing of all the fry places and overall got a 7.5/10. The potato strips lacked flavor and it seems the chef forgot that salt existed. However the price made up for it since it is a price that someone on a high school job budget could afford. The best part of the fries was that the fries were actually crispy. The downfall of the crispness was that they were so hard that I could have used some of those fries as a lethal weapon. 

Five Guys

Five Guys’ fries were gloriously crispy and the salt gleamed under the light and overall were scored an 8/10. The biggest problem was that it seemed the salt wasn’t the only thing gleaming. There was so much oil in these fries that they could have been considered my drink. These fries were also on the pricier side of things. The flavor was there, but with the problems, it almost seemed like a half-completed group project. 

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-a’s total score was 8/10. While they had a lovely waffle shape, the fries struggled to be more than mediocre when it came to the crispness. The fries fell over like a child begging their parents for a happy meal. The taste of the fry itself made up for the sad look and texture. The fries had the perfect amount of salt when compared to the other places.

Red Robin

Red Robin was a solid 9/10. The flavor was immaculate and was overall the most consistent out of all of the other places. The only issue with Red Robin is the price—for a snazzy billionaire it’s chump change, but for a full time student it rivals the price of gas. Overall the taste of the fries was better than finding out the ice cream machine at an unnamed fast food chain is in order.

The French Fry Dilemma is a national issue—to be crispy or not to be crispy is something that most of us can relate to and have sadly struggled with. Overall the delectable treat was Red Robin’s fries; however, considering that they cost more than a down payment on a house, I’m going to have to give McDonald’s the win. Whether you’re looking for the crispiest or the saltiest fries, I can help through my diagram of The French Fry Dilema.

Here is a comparison of all the places we went to.