Which Fast Food Chain Has The Cheapest Fries?

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If you’ve ever balked at the prices on a fast food menu, you know that “cheap” food isn’t always actually that inexpensive, especially today. It’s a real shame when all you want is a quick meal or pick-me-up, and every restaurant seems to be charging half of your hourly wage for some fries. Luckily, though, restaurant prices vary, and one restaurant is bound to have cheaper fries than all the rest. Tasting Table checked french fry prices at 10 of the most popular fast-food joints around the country and found that the cheapest fries can be found at Arby’s.

The restaurants we compared were McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Popeye’s, Arby’s, Dairy Queen, Steak & Shake, KFC, and Hardee’s. We compared each brand’s self-proclaimed large size, because if you’re going just for fries, you’ll probably want a large. All prices compared were at stores near the Cincinnati area. The cheapest large fry, Arby’s curly fries, clocked in at just $2.99. These fries are no slouch in the taste department either, coming in at number three on a Tasting Table ranking of 25 fast food french fries. They’re crispy, well-seasoned, and absolutely delicious when dipped in the iconic Arby’s sauce. At only $3 for a large, they’re honestly a steal, considering you get 170 grams according to the Arby’s website.

How do the prices of other fries compare to Arby’s?

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While Arby’s fries were undoubtedly the cheapest of the restaurants we checked, a few weren’t far behind. For instance, Chick-Fil-A’s large waffle fries are only $3.15. The third cheapest was Wendy’s, which sells large fries for only $3.59. Wendy’s also had the top-ranked fast food value meal in a summer 2024 Tasting Table ranking, meaning it’s a great place to eat if you’re on a budget.

On the other hand, some fast food joints are much more expensive. The most expensive fries are Popeye’s, which cost $6.79 for a large. To be fair, these do come in a box rather than a sleeve like many fast food fries, so it seems to be a larger portion. However, customers on Reddit have complained in the last year about the large fries being served in smaller boxes, so the price is likely still not comparable to restaurants like Arby’s. KFC’s fries were also quite pricey, at $5.39 for a large. Customers have also complained about the fries replacing the chain’s potato wedges, saying they’re not as good, which further makes the fries not worth their price. (The wedges did make a temporary comeback, but only in a single state.) No matter where you get your fries, be sure to get the most bang for your buck by upgrading them with menu hacks.