McDonald’s classic fries have been synonymous with the Golden Arches since 1955, when potatoes were hand-peeled at each location. In the decades that followed, they became known among many fast food enthusiasts as the gold standard of fast food fries. The spuds — created from four different potato varieties and fried in beef-flavored oil — are crispy, crunchy, and pair perfectly with the classic lineup of every McDonald’s burger. But if you want your fries to be extra crispy, there’s one thing you need to do.
As one TikToker demonstrates, McDonald’s legendary crispy fries can get even crispier when you order them “well done” or “extra well done,” which makes them slightly darker, extra crispy, and hot and fresh when they come out of the fryer. In the past, those who have enjoyed fries fresh from the fryer ordered them without salt to ensure freshness. Though you may have to pull ahead and wait a minute or two, asking for well-done fries ensures you will get crispy spuds without compromising on flavor.
Ordering well-done fries isn’t entirely out of the norm because McDonald’s fries undergo several steps before they make their way into a customer’s bag anyway. Before they are shipped to stores, they are blanched, dipped in an ingredient bath, partially fried, and then frozen. When it’s time to cook fries in-store, the spuds undergo their third cooking cycle.
Well done is worth it
Ordering well-done fries at McDonald’s can take a french fry-eating experience to the next level, and it’s not hard to ask for. While there are several McDonald’s secret menu items and hacks that transform standard Golden Arches orders into lavish creations, a request for well-done fries is simple and easily managed. French fries typically are dropped for seven to ten minutes, and well-done fries usually take another few minutes to reach that desired level of extra crispiness.
Well-done fries aren’t just a hack at McDonald’s either. They are also frequently ordered as an upgrade to In-N-Out’s Burger’s much-maligned spuds, which ranked quite low in Tasting Table’s 25 fast food fries ranking. Customers of the West Coast chain can order their fries in several ways, including well-done, and the extra crispy fries are said to be similar in texture to potato chips. Extra crispy fries can also be made at home by cooking your favorite frozen fries a little bit beyond their suggested cooking time in an oven or air fryer until they reach the desired level of crispiness.
So, the next time you hit a McDonald’s drive-thru, ask the employee to hold the fries down for a minute or two longer. You will receive dark brown, extra crispy fries, and, unlike some other hacks and secret menu items, there shouldn’t be an upcharge. Who doesn’t love a hack that’s free?
