The 8 Best Fast-Food Sides Under $5

The Most Powerful Sidekicks

In the world of fast-food chain restaurants, sides are just as important as the main attraction. Fries or onion rings? Mashed potatoes or coleslaw? There are many options, which is why we gathered a list of phenomenal fast-food sides from eight major chain restaurants, each of which won't cost you more than five bucks.

Onion Rings from Culver

Culver's onion rings are battered rather than breaded, cooked long enough for the onions to be tender, and easy to bite through. This sends them shooting way past just about every fast-food onion ring in the biz, because there's nothing worse than biting into an onion ring and extracting the entire onion from its shell because it's too tough.

red beans and rice from popeyes — Wilder Shaw / Cheapism

Popeyes Red Beans and Rice

This is what umami is all about; smoky red beans, pungent Cajun rice, unctuous gravy, and soulful, paprika-laden spices. You'd be a lunatic to leave Popeyes without any. I've eaten at actual restaurants in Louisiana that didn't have red beans and rice this good.

Bo-Tato Rounds

Sometimes I think Bo-Tato Rounds are the best thing on the Bojangles menu. Crunchy and peppery, these things perfectly nail that midpoint between hash browns and tater tots. There's a little onion in here too, to round it all out. I'm wild about these little discs, and good news, they're served all day long.

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Sonic Heath Nut Blast

For a chain that mostly cranks out duds, I’m in a full-on love affair with Sonic’s Heath Blast. This thing will outperform a McFlurry every time, with a consistency much more in sync with your neighborhood soft serve spot than an industrial machine. And because I love toffee so dearly, a Heath bar is the perfect compliment. Plus, Sonic is not only swirling the bits into the shake, but topping the thing with them as well.

Jack in the Box Tacos

There’s probably no better deal in the fast food game than Jack’s two-taco deal. When paired with that house taco sauce, you’re looking at two incredibly decent hard-shell tacos for a buck. Incredible stuff. Thank you, Jack, for your service.

kfc secret recipe fries — Wilder Shaw / Cheapism

Secret Recipe Fries from KFC

There aren't many (or potentially even any) fast-food fries better than KFC's. We’re talking about thick, crunchy potato wedges, jagged and angled like a piece of battered fish, and seasoned with something incredibly reminiscent of Australian chicken salt. I love them, and I want steak with these frites. I want a burger, too, or maybe a big plate of them in a German beer hall. I cannot find any room in this heart of mine for criticism.

Wendy’s Frosty

As far as I’m concerned, this is the gold standard fast-food chocolate shake. It’s lush and cold, and folded between all of that is the perfect malty chocolate flavor. There aren’t many ways Wendy’s outshines the competition this much, but a nice, cold Frosty is unbeatable.

Crinkle Cut Fries from Del Taco

They’re crispy. They’re golden. They’re well-salted every single time. These crinkle cuts are a thing of beauty, a perfect addition to Del’s tacos, burgers, burritos, and everything between. Crinkle-cuts forever.