The Most Popular French Fry Cut in Every State

There are so many kinds of french fries in this world, and they're an essential part of many of our favorite meals. Can’t have a burger without ‘em. Can’t have steak frites without ‘em. Can’t have any other number of incredible meat and potatoes combos either. But how do we like our fries in this country? Skinny? Crinkle-cut? Curly? Seasoned? 

McCain Foods put together a report that surveyed our country about shape preferences. Do you agree with what your state has to say? 

One thing to note: Rather than listing which states claimed which fry shape, Talker Research has opted to make some sort of escape room puzzle where the states are unmarked and color-coded with different shades of orange. 

I feel confident they are playing a prank on me, but don’t worry, I squinted my way through listing these states out as accurately as I could. Pretty sure I got ‘em right. But if not, you know, I guess I’m not getting out of the escape room in time.  

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Here’s a secret: Everybody in the entire world likes French fries. Everybody. Turn to the nearest person to you and ask them. They’ll say yes. Of course they do. They’re delicious. And the reason everybody likes them? It’s because of this classic cut right here. 

I am unsurprised to see the classic fry cut in first place, though I am surprised by how much it stomped everybody. Twenty eight states chose these guys, and I agree. This food is perfect. 

• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Washington

Shoestrings are out for me. Too thin. They’re either soft and boring, or cut so thin there’s nothing soft inside after they come out of the fryer; just crispy, oily potato sticks. 

Don’t get me wrong, that’s a fine snack, but if I’m eating a burger or a big bowl of mussels or anything else that begs for proper french fries, I’ll be damned if I’m going with some oily twigs. 

Nine states disagree with me. 

• Alaska
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Kansas
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Dakota

I would have had this in second place. Curly fries are incredible, and elite for dipping. 

This puzzling answer prompted me to do some research, and here’s a piece of evidence that I think you’ll agree explains a lot about this: There are no Jack-in-the-Box locations in Kansas, Delaware, or Connecticut, leaving those states without the best curly fries in the fast-food world.

• Illinois
• Kentucky
• Nebraska
• Pennsylvania

Seriously? With Shake Shack’s popularity? I wouldn’t have expected this. I like crinkle-cut a lot, and would have probably put it in third place.  

• Colorado

I’m glad everybody except for Colorado knows what I know: Waffle fries are overrated. I said it. They’re too flippin’ big to be able to dip into a container of sauce. Nice to be on the right side of history with this one.