Soft and juicy on the inside, crispy and so hot they nearly burn the tip of your tongue – here at Anatomy of Adventure, we love noshing on hot, fresh, crispy French fries. Yet, whether dining in or visiting the drive-thru window, getting a bag of steaming fried potatoes rather than limp, soggy ones has always been a gamble. We thought it was only a myth, but we’ve unraveled the riddle of how to get fresh fries every time.
How Not to Do It
During our quest for deep-fried goodness, we observed a few methods that sometimes worked – and sometimes backfired.
No. 1 – Asking for Fresh Fries
There’s a very good reason why this method does not always work. Fresh fries are defined as “hot” and “crispy.” After sitting for just a short while, French fries take on opposite attributes, namely, “cold” and “limp.”
Some restauranteurs promote a method of reheating and re-crisping soggy French fries – giving them a second dip in the deep fryer. So, if you simply ask for crispy fries, you might not get a new batch. Instead, you might find yourself crunching on overcooked, greasy double-dippers.
No. 2 – Sending Them Back
Some French fry aficionados shy away from making requests and merely hope for the best. Really soggy fries, however, can drive the meekest foodie to take their order back to the counter.
However rare it may be, some news reports do reveal occurrences of unhappy workers spitting in or otherwise tampering with customers’ orders. Just to be on the safe side, we prefer the following method of getting fresh fries every time.
The Secret Recipe – How to Get Fresh Fries
Here’s the secret: ask for fries with no salt.
Yes, it really is that easy. For years, I’d heard rumors of this foolproof means of getting fresh French fries, but I didn’t believe it until I tried it for myself.
Why It Works
Fast food restaurants are designed to be what the name implies – fast. Therefore, many commonly ordered food items are kept on hand and ready to go. After all, when we hit up a drive-thru, we don’t expect to wait through long cook times like we would at a sit-down restaurant.
Most burger joints keep a ready-made stock of French fries during busy hours. This is intended to keep the line moving and customers happy with the rapid service.
Fries with no salt, however, are not a commonly ordered item. Restaurants do not keep a batch of unsalted fries on hand; they must be made fresh in the unlikely event of an order. After all, who wants fries with no salt?
What happens to the rest of the batch if you only order a small fry? Don’t worry, those fries won’t go to waste. Into the salted fry holding bin they’ll go, ready to be salted, too, and served to the next customer.
But, what if unsalted fries don’t sound appealing to you? Most restaurants provide packets of salt alongside the ketchup and napkins. If you don’t see any on the counter, you can always ask. Or, if you feel hypocritical first asking for no salt then asking for salt, you can keep a few extra salt packets in your wallet or handbag.
In review, when you waltz into your favorite fast-food restaurant and order French fries with no salt, you’ll get an order fresh out of the deep fryer. Those ordering behind you will benefit too because whatever fries don’t fit in your biggie sized combo will be salted and given to the next customer. And finally, you can douse your steaming treasure in sodium chloride as soon as you reach your table.
So far, the Anatomy of Adventure crew has successfully tried this trick at two Burger King locations and at a Cookout Burger. Has it worked for you? Did you try and fail? Leave a comment and let us know!
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.