Taste Test: Fast-Food Fries

 My number one all-time favorite food in the world is fries. It doesn't matter what shape it is, where it's from, and what they are seasoned with, I will eat them. What I decided to do was try three different places that had fries and see how they compare based on seasoning, fluffiness, crispiness, freshness, and cost. Looking at the same spots that were closer to me I decided to eat three different fries from Mcdonalds, Bill Millers, and KFC. Generally, if I had the time I would go to the store and see what kind of frozen fries there are and what brands they have, but because I have a very tight schedule and have no time to do that, I decided to do this in the fast-food version. 

The first place I tried was Bill Millers.

These fries rang up for about $6.50 which is a bit expensive if you think about it. I ordered a medium size which is big enough to feed a small family of two-three people which I think makes up for the price. But I don't think I would get these everyday simply for the fact that they are almost $7. 

The first thing I noticed when I pulled them out of the bag was the steam rising from the fries. When I went to grab one, it was hot to the touch which indicated to me that these fries were fresh. I waited a minute for it to cool down because I knew that these were going to burn my mouth if I were to take a bite immediately. Picking one up, the fry felt a little dense due to it being a thick cut fry, almost like a steak fry. As I took a bite, the first thing I got was a crunch from the edge of the fry. Not a crunch that signaled it was over cooked, but the right amount of crispiness. I took another bite and this time I got a fluffier texture more than the crispiness. 

The only seasoning that I could taste on these fries were salt, which is not bad, and I did not think that there was too much salt. You never want to have fries that have no seasoning or too much. You want to have a right amount of seasoning or else they might come off as too much or too little. What I like about these fries is that they seem to have a good score based on the categories I was evaluating them on. The freshness was high, and you could tell that they were just made from touching and seeing them. The seasoning was good but pretty basic, I think it would be interesting to see if they experiment with other seasonings to give the fries even more flavor. The crispiness and fluffiness which is my favorite part about a fry was spot on in this case. 

Now, I don't know if these fries are hand cut, or frozen but I feel in this instance if they were frozen, they would not have this good of an outcome. Therefore, I believe that they are hand cut fries which may involve some labor, but the outcome is terrific. If I were to rate this, I would give this a solid 7.5/10.

The second place I tried was KFC

Now here's the thing, I am someone who has worked at KFC ever since I was 16 years old. I am 21 now, and you can imagine how tiring and really in this case disgusting it is to be around the same food every day with no other food options. In this case I have worked for the company for five years, and I can tell you honestly that I am 100% OVER IT. So, while are on this topic, now would be the time to tell you that I have never eaten the fries from here. And this is coming from someone who has been working at this company for a long time. 

These fries cost a total of $2.91 for a small, KFC does not carry medium size, and I was not about to pay $5 for a large size. I think that for the amount that they are putting in the box that they are worth the price, and I do think I would get these again if I absolutely felt hungry enough to eat here again (but I doubt it). 

I can honestly say that these were the fries that I was least looking forward to trying due to the fact that it is food that I work and cook with every day. But for the sake of this assignment, I decided to go in with an open mind and try them while giving my honest opinion. The fries I got at the time that can be seen in the picture were hot but not hot to the touch. So, freshness was a bit off but not a big issue to me. When I picked a piece of fry up it felt soft to the touch and didn't feel very crispy. Once I evaluated the freshness and crispiness of the fries, I then decided to close my eyes and take a bite. the first thing that hit my palate was the seasoning. What they put on the fries after they come out of the fryer is a seasoning salt that at first feels a bit strong but becomes a subtle taste which is not bad at all.

For the crispiness, there wasn't a lot in this case. The fluffiness of the fry outranked it, which is not a bad thing, but I personally prefer both a crispy outside and a fluffy inside. It honestly felt like I was eating a stick of mash potatoes that could stay on a stick if that makes sense. It was just pure fluffiness all around but once again, not a bad thing. So, for these fries the seasoning was good, it gave a different flavor other than just salt. Freshness was okay but could have been better. Crispiness, there was only a little bit, but the fluffiness makes up for it. The rating I give this fry would be 7.5/10.

The last place I tried was Mcdonalds. 

These medium fries cost $2.99, just a few cents more than KFC, but you are getting more for your money. I am someone who will admit that I will go to Mcdonalds nearly three times a week just ot get these fries, so I say they are worth it. 

When you think of Mcdonalds, the first thing you think of is their fries. That is the one thing that they are notoriously known for and perhaps one of their best sellers. When I got these fries, the first thing I noticed was that they were not hot at all. So, the freshness was not there, and that is something that I did not expect from a place like Mcdonalds. Usually, their fries are on point (excuse my expression) with with being fresh out of the fryer. So, of all times I don't know why I did not get any fresh fries. The next thing I noticed when I picked one up was that there was no crispiness at all, in fact they didn't even feel fluffy or soft, they felt a bit stale. I still wanted to try and give them the benefit of the doubt, but as I went to take a bite, I did not taste anything. It was just a bland potato. 

I thought it was just that once piece maybe, but as I took a couple more fries to eat, I could not taste any seasoning at all. There was no crispiness to the fry, and I could barely taste any fluffiness. It just tasted like a crumbled, dried out mash potato on the inside. The expectations that I had for Mcdonalds were high, and they failed my expectations just to put it bluntly. My own jobs' fries did better than Mcdonalds. And that is saying something coming from me. The person who is sick and tired of everything from KFC is saying that they are better than Mcdonalds. Therefore, they are getting a solid 4/10 from me, and that is just me being generous. 

After evaluating everything based on cost, freshness, seasoning, crispiness, and fluffiness I will say that my ranking for these fries will be Bill Miller's taking the lead, KFC coming in second, and Mcdonalds coming in third. Although it is more expensive, you can't beat a good, tasty fry and that is exactly waht this is.