Snacks & Sides FAQs

Our snacks and sides give you a taste of this or a bite of that.

Ever found yourself asking: Why are McDonald's fries so good? We have the answer for you in our Snacks and Sides FAQ! Find answers to all your questions about Snacks and Sides below.

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Do any of the McDonald's stores sell curly fries?

Nope. No McDonald's in the U.S. sell curly fries, at least.

Why are your ingredients for McDonald's fries different in the U.S. from those in the U.K.?

Every country has a way of doing things a little differently, so there are a few reasons that can influence why our ingredients vary here at home. These can include customer preferences, local regulations and guidelines, and supply chain availability. While the ingredients we use in McDonald's fries in the U.S. may differ from those served across the pond, taste and safety are never compromised.

Can I order McDonald's fries without added salt?

Sure. You can still enjoy the great taste of our World Famous Fries® without salt. Just ask for no salt when placing your order, and we’ll be happy to prepare a batch for you. Please understand it's possible a small amount of salt may be transferred from the bin or the scoop.

How much salt do you add to McDonald's fries?

We add a small amount of salt to McDonald's fries after we've cooked them in our kitchen. Find all the information about sodium per serving for our fries on the fries nutrition page.

Why are McDonald's fries so good?

If we had a dime for every time someone asked us that! We stick to a gold standard that helps us ensure we deliver you a great tasting McDonald's fry. It starts with the right potatoes, which we cut exactly right, and then use a canola-blend oil with just the right amount of flavoring. Check out our World Famous Fries®.

Do you add any type of flavor when preparing your fries?

Yes. When our suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavoring. This ensures the great-tasting and recognizable flavor we all love from our World Famous Fries®. The fries are cooked in our kitchens, seasoned with salt, and served hot to you. Still curious? Find out everything you want to know about McDonald's World Famous Fries®.

How do you make your fries?

Our World Famous Fries® are made from quality potatoes, including Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody. The suppliers we work with first peel, cut and blanche the potatoes. They then dry, partially fry and quickly freeze the fries for our restaurants. Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.

Do you use real potatoes for your fries?

Yep. The most common potatoes we use for McDonald's fries include the Russet Burbank, Russet Ranger, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody—varieties known for producing a flavorful fry that's crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.