McDonald’s French Fries are indeed the best-selling menu item that tastes heavenly. Their classic thin-cut style and flavorful seasoning have helped hook customers for decades. But is it worth it? Let’s do a quick McDonald’s French fries review. 

McDonald’s fries stand out for their crisp exterior and fluffy & soft inside. They feature a perfectly salty and savory profile from natural beef flavoring added to the vegetable oil they’re cooked in. The starting price of fries is at $3.89. 

The fries on the McDonald’s menu are available in four sizes: kids, small, medium, and large. The fast food chain has always kept their fries quality up to the mark no matter where they sell worldwide. 

To decide whether McDonald’s serves the best fast-food fries, read our full review. We will explore what customers and critics say about factors like taste, texture, etc. By the end, you’ll be well-equipped to judge if these thin cuts deserve their acclaimed status.

What’s In McDonald’s French Fries?

McDonald’s French fries are the ultimate menu item mainly ordered at the fast food chain. Let’s look at the ingredient list of French fries below, as mentioned on McDonald’s official website:

• Potatoes, Vegetable Oil 
• Natural Beef Flavor 
• Dextrose
• Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate 
• Salt
• Hydrolyzed Milk

How Does McDonald’s French Fries Taste?

McDonald’s fries have a unique flavor that is savory and salty. Natural beef flavoring is the secret ingredient that gives the fries their signature flavor. Moreover, the fries have a crispy texture and classic taste. 

When I had my first bite of McDonald’s fries, the crunch was what I loved the most. The fries have a fluffy and soft interior. Moreover, they are not so greasy, but they have a slight oiliness.

Additionally, the saltiness of the fries is perfectly balanced. The beef flavoring is not overpowering and will give you a delicious taste. Apart from that, the fries have a slightly sweet flavor from potatoes. 

Overall, The fries are also well seasoned with salt and sugar, which makes them crave-worthy and addictive. The salt and beef flavoring gives fries a savory and umami-rich condiment. 

Why Does McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good?

Here’s a reason McDonald’s fries are so iconic and beloved worldwide. So what exactly is it that makes their fries so uniquely crave-worthy? Here are the top four factors that contribute to the magic of McDonald’s fries taste:

1. Beef Flavoring

Did you know that in the 1950s, McDonald’s fries were cooked in a blend of oil and beef tallow? Yes, you heard it right! This imparted their fries from other competitors with beefy flavor. 

It was a perfect savory boost given to the fries. But later, McDonald’s stopped using beef flavoring and switched to natural beef flavoring. Due to this, McDonald’s fries have unique meaty flavor notes that make the fries so savory. 

2. Smell Of The Oil That Affects The Flavor

McDonald’s only uses canola oil for a clean, neutral flavor as it crisps up the fries to crunchy perfection. This oil allows the potato and seasoning to sing without oiliness overpowering the taste.

3. Salt And Sugar 

McDonald’s nails down the taste of fries with salt and sugar ingredients. The perfect balance of these two ingredients coats the fries and gives them a unique salty and slightly sweet flavor. Overall, a balanced blend of salt and sugar elevates the natural potatoey richness. 

4. MSG Is Created During The Cooking Process 

During the high-heat cooking process, ingredients like potatoes, hydrolyzed milk, and other ingredients hit the bubbling hot oil, and they naturally produce monosodium glutamates. This MSG enhances the savory, meaty taste we crave from McDonald’s fries and gives fries their umami-rich flavor. 

What Do People Say About McDonald’s French Fries?

We will look at what people say about McDonald’s French fries and share all the reviews below:

A customer reviewed fries and commented on the Chick Advisor forum, “They are a great snack salty, hot, little greasy. I love opening my food bag before getting home to munch some fries.”

Many gave reviews on the SheSpeaks website, and one commented, “These are the freshest, crispiest French fries I have ever had. They also have just the right amount of salt.”

A YouTube channel, Food Review UK, mentioned, “McDonald’s fries have a unique and definitive texture. They are a bit chewy and crispy and give you a big greasy hug in your mouth.”

According to USA Today, “What gave McDonald’s the top mark was its consistency in its saltiness and crunch. The golden-brown shoestring fries came crispy and tasty every time, holding some of that crisp even after an hour of sitting out.”

A famous food website, The Takeout, mentioned, “Across the entire fast food landscape, I don’t think any fry has a more alluring smell than McDonald’s. The fresh oil wafts out of the bag and into your nostrils for the entire ride home. 

They added, “I also recall these fries having a more savory taste overall. McDonald’s has continued to use some form of beef fat to flavor its fries, and I think lard and potatoes are a winning combination.”

Does McDonald’s Have The Best French Fries?

McDonald’s fries are a favorite snack for many. People enjoy their crisp outer layer and fluffy interior. The perfect crunch and taste make McDonald’s fries hard to resist.

I tried McDonald’s fries to see if they were the best. When I took a bite, it was an utterly savory punch. As people mentioned in their reviews, the salty, hot, and crispy fry is the monopoly of McDonald’s. 

Other fast food chains attempt to copy McDonald’s recipes but fail to achieve the same excellence. Only McDonald’s possesses the secret for creating the ideal fry. They strike the perfect balance of flakiness, salt, and hot oil. Bite after buttery bite satisfies my craving. When I want a tasty, comforting side, McDonald’s always fulfills.

In the end, McDonald’s holds the top spot for French fries. Generations have found their unique flavors irresistible. Even with new contenders, McDonald’s fry remains a true classic. They hold the gold standard that imitators strive towards but never surpass. For an incredible, crispy fry, nothing beats McDonald’s.

Who Has Better French Fries – McDonald’s Or Wendy’s?

Everyone has an opinion, and with this in mind, we must clear the air by comparing Wendy’s fries vs. McDonald’s fries. Both have good and bad points, so let’s see who keeps their game up in this debate.

McDonald’s fries are consistently good overall. Wendy’s also has excellent fries, and tastes relatively better. So, what’s so different between them? 

Wendy’s creates a crispier, thicker fry with a distinctive square shape. They soak their potatoes in cold water before cutting to remove excess starch, ensuring a light and fluffy interior. Then, they season the fries with sea salt and fry them to golden perfection.

You can taste each rich, savory layer with every bite. The sea salt accentuates the natural potatoey sweetness. 

Now, let’s look at McDonald’s fries. McDonald’s fries are excellent as well. They season and fry their fries to achieve a perfect balance of crisp and soft. Of course, we must take on its beefy flavor from natural beef flavoring. 

So, while both offer delicious fries, people say McDonald’s fries don’t stay up long crispy and often become soggy. At the same time, Wendy’s fries stay crispy and hot longer. So, who wins this battle? Any guesses?

Both are winners in this battle of Wendy’s vs. McDonald’s as both fast food chains focus on different aspects of fries. One focuses on its uniformity and structure, while the other focuses on its unique flavor. 

Is McDonald’s Fries Better Than Burger King?

Yes, McDonald’s fries are better than Burger King’s fries. McDonald’s fries use unique beef flavoring and salt and sugar coating.

McDonald’s uses a unique blend of oil, beef flavorings, salt, and other ingredients, making their fries tastiest. Moreover, They also have the perfect balance of crunch and softness. Their fries perfectly combine potato, beef flavoring, and salt. 

Also, they use a perfect coating of salt and sugar that gives the McDonald’s fries an edge.

Now, let’s talk about Burger King fries. So, their fries are crispy and firm. But what makes them less competitive is that they must be more varied in taste. The salt seasoning could be better, for which people prefer having fries. 

In the face of the McDonald’s fries vs. Burger King fries battle, BK’s fries are mild in taste, less savory, and need a unique flavor that would fetch them five stars. 

Hence, I declare McDonald’s fries a clear winner compared to Burger King fries.

Are McDonald’s French Fries Healthy?

No, McDonald’s French fries are not healthy. They contain high amounts of calories, fat, and carbohydrates. To better judge their healthiness, let’s look at the nutrition content of McDonald’s French fries:

Kid-size French Fries Nutritional Value

Nutritional Value Of Small-Size French Fries

Nutritional Value Of Medium Size Fries

Calorific Values Of Large-Size Fries

By looking at McDonald’s fries calories, you can say that these fries are not a healthy option. Any processed food cannot be healthy, and McDonald’s only has processed food items, which also contain preservatives and additives to increase their shelf life.

If you are on a diet and following a vegan diet, then it’s important to note that McDonald’s fries are not vegan. They contain natural beef flavoring from animal fat, for people asking whether McDonald’s fries are gluten-free. Well, they are not gluten-free, and the fries have wheat content, which clearly makes them not gluten-free.

In addition, for the Muslim community, it’s essential to see whether McDonald’s fries are halal. Well, McDonald’s fries are not halal, as they include natural beef flavoring, which is not halal. 

Can You Make A Better Version Of McDonald’s French Fries At Home?

You can make a better version of McDonald’s French fries at home. By following the right ingredients, you can always make a better version of it. 

Making a better version of fries is possible as you can control the seasoning, oil temperature, and the type of oil you use for your fries. 

All these play a significant role in acquiring flavor in your fries. Follow the recipe steps I have given for the fries recipe, swap some ingredients of your choice, and make delicious fries without any hurdle. 

Conclusion

Here we come to the end of this article. I have given a full-proof review on McDonald’s French fries and compared it with other big fast food giants like Wendy’s and Burger King. McDonald’s fries are exceptional and known for their unique beef flavoring and seasoning of salt and sugar. 

Apart from that, McDonald’s also serves many side menu items that are famous among fast food lovers. I have also given honest reviews of favorite things like crispy hash browns and delicious chicken nuggets on my blog. 

For burger lovers, you might be interested in reading burger reviews. Remember to check the reviews of Big Mac and Big Mac Bun. Stay tuned, and have a great day! 

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