While a portion of perfect French fries is hard to beat, the array of side dishes available at fast food restaurants all over the world goes well beyond the humble chipped potato. From classic items that have stood the test of time to fan-favourite limited editions and all-new inventions, here we countdown to reveal the greatest fast food side dishes of all time.
What’s your go-to fast food side order? Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the tasty meal extras that might just outshine the main event.
Our ranking is based on reviews, accolades and the popularity of each side dish, taking into account sales, longevity and the reaction to the products at the time of their release.
One of the most popular items on the Five Guys menu, these fresh, hand-cut fries are cooked 'boardwalk-style', meaning they’re first blanched in cold water before taking a dip in the deep fat fryer. The result? A crisp, fluffy fry – with not a hint of sogginess in sight. It’s the generous showing of Cajun spices that ensures this side dish really sings though. Pro tip: for extra crunch, order your Five Guys fries 'extra well done'.
Tossed in olive oil, rosemary and garlic, Smashburger tater tots make a tasty alternative to a standard portion of fries. Delivering a satisfying combination of crispy exterior and fluffy centre, tater tots inspire devotion in many fans, who rank these golden potato nuggets well ahead of the offering at other fast food outlets.
These cheesy sticks are coated in a golden, crispy crumb, come with a salsa dip and are available in portions of three or nine. When the dippers first launched in 2015, disgruntled diners likened them to ‘fried air’, and McDonald's removed them from menus the following year. Their popularity has grown since then, though, and they regularly reappear as a special menu item in the UK and Ireland. Now, they're praised for their intensely gooey centre and impressive cheese pull – and fast food fans the world over want them in their country.
Burger King first introduced onion rings to its menu in the early 1970s, and the item has commanded a dedicated fan base ever since. Renowned for their exceptionally crispy, well-seasoned crumb and excellent batter-to-onion ratio, these deep-fried treats taste especially good dunked in the brand’s tangy, sweet-spicy Zesty Sauce.
Raved about thanks to their perfectly crunchy exterior and fluffy centre, Chick-fil-A’s Waffle Potato Fries' unique shape means they win serious points in the dip-ability stakes. They’ve been around since 1985 and are currently the most ordered item on the menu, eclipsing even the chain's iconic fried chicken sandwiches in terms of popularity. Good news for fast food fans outside the US: the Atlanta-born chain has confirmed that it will be launching in Britain in the next few years, followed by a wider global expansion.
When news of a collaboration between these two snacking giants broke on 1 April, 2023, many initially feared it might just be an April Fool’s joke. Happily for UK-based fast food lovers, the launch of crispy chicken strips coated in crushed Doritos was very real indeed (though, less happily, for a limited time only). Frenzied fans took to social media to express their delight, with some going as far to say that they were ‘blown away’ by the new addition to the BK menu.
KFC’s baked beans are seasoned with dash of Kentucky BBQ sauce, and it’s fair to say fans can’t get enough. Marketed as a 'family favourite', this item is notoriously elusive and can be hard to find at certain KFC locations. Luckily, the internet is awash with countless copycat recipes for the legendary side dish – though, as true devotees will warn you, just can’t beat the real deal.
As well as regular sweet potato fries, Smashburger switches thing up further with its Sweet Potato SmashFries. These shoestring, sweet potato beauties are fried before being tossed in the chain’s signature Italian olive oil, rosemary and garlic mix. Connoisseurs rave about the resulting flavour, the flaky coating and the delicate interior of the fries, which are the perfect accompaniment to one of the chain’s signature burgers.
Another legend in the fast food side dish world, KFC’s creamy coleslaw has a huge following, with a host of copycat recipe hacks to its name. Featuring crunchy shredded cabbage and carrots, bound in a blend of mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, sugar and spices, it's prepared with ‘just the right amount of zesty crunch’, according to the chain, and its enduring popularity is testament to that. It’s worth noting that, as well as being offered as a side, the slaw features in many of KFC’s wraps.
Believed to be the only major fast food chain to sell baked potatoes as a side, Wendy’s shifts an impressive one million baked spuds every week. Launched in 1983, when low-fat diets were all the rage, the item has remained popular ever since. Customers can choose to have their hot-from-the-oven potato served plain, or topped with sour cream and chives, creamy cheese sauce, bacon and cheese, or chilli cheese.
Popeyes might be renowned for its buttermilk-battered, Southern-style chicken, but its creamy mash and Cajun gravy garners plenty of attention, too. Fans say that, although the side is delicious on its own, it tastes even better when crispy fried chicken, smooth mashed potato and flavourful gravy combine in a single, delicious mouthful. With Popeyes locations across the US and Canada, and plans to expand its global presence in the next few years, it's likely more people will soon discover this delight.
This classic side features a rich and creamy sauce made from Parmesan, Cheddar and romano cheeses. The mix is then baked in-house, until a crispy layer forms on top. When mac ‘n’ cheese was first added to the Chick-fil-A menu in 2019, in Dayton, Ohio, restaurants couldn’t keep up with demand. To this day, fans rave about the homemade taste. Chick-fil-A mac ‘n’ cheese hacks regularly go viral on TikTok, with users adding other menu items such as chicken nuggets and fries. Really, though, this delicious side dish needs no alteration.
This side dish makes an appearance every few months and fans go wild every time – there’s even a petition to make them a permanent menu item. Spicy, crunchy and cheesy, they’ve popped up on McDonald’s menus across the world. When Chilli Cheese Bites first launched in the UK, in 2021, Burger King was quick to point out that the same item had been on its menu for 15 years, with a cheeky social media post suggesting McDonald’s had 'copied their homework'.
Chicken Fries first launched on the Burger King UK sides menu in 2005, but the item was discontinued in 2012, despite having a cult following. Fan petitioned ardently on social media for its return, and the fast food chain reintroduced the item to the UK for a limited time in 2014. The following year, it made the crunchy chicken strips a permanent feature in 30 countries around the world. This time, though, Britain missed out; various other flavours have made short-term appearances on menus there, but it’s the original version that fans really want.
Domino’s Twisted Dough Balls, first launched in 2022, are so wildly popular, there was absolute uproar when the pizza chain discontinued the bitesize swirls of soft, garlicky dough in the UK. Proactive fans launched a Twitter campaign to bring them back, tweeting every day for 147 days – until Domino’s cracked and reintroduced the doughy balls of goodness in 2022. Sadly, they're yet to travel the globe. They come in cheese or pepperoni flavours, and it’s safe to say customers adore both.
It’s clearly not just fried chicken that KFC is famous for – fans absolutely love the chain’s gravy, too. The side dish is so adored that a copycat, make-at-home version has gone viral. In June 2022, a newly launched KFC in the UK sold 5,000 pots of gravy within its first eight hours of opening. The signature side is said to made from gravy powder, water and a ‘secret' ingredient: the umami-rich crackling leftover from deep-frying all those chicken pieces.
Wendy’s takes its bestselling fries seriously; a 2021 revamp saw the introduction of a new battering system in a bid to ensure that the natural-cut, skin on, sea salt scattered fries are served ‘hot and crispy’ every time. So confident is the chain of this, it even offers a money back guarantee if your fries aren’t up to standard. For a more indulgent take on the original, Baconator Fries – which come topped with warm cheese sauce and crispy Applewood smoked bacon – are the way to go.
Comprised of half fries and half onion rings in one tasty package, Burger King first released Fries n' Rings at its Florida branches in early 2023, before making them a permanent menu item across the US in October (albeit with a new name). A play on its slogan, ‘have it your way’, and the term ‘halvsies’ (usually referring to sharing), Have-sies have proven to be quite the hit. Surely it’s only a matter of time before they become a permanent item on BK menus across the world?
Despite not having any permanent locations outside of the US (and being part of the ‘secret’ menu), In-N-Out Burger’s Animal Style fries are renowned all over the globe. Those lucky enough to be able to order from the original source lap up the hand-cut fries, which come topped with grilled onions, signature spread, melted American cheese and pickles (if you ask for them). For the millions that can only dream of living close to an In-N-Out outlet, the internet is awash with suggestions for how to recreate the iconic dish at home. In-N-Out owner Lynsi Synder recently revealed that the term ‘animal style’ was inspired by some rowdy customers back in 1961.
When it comes to French fries, everyone knows McDonald’s is king. Well, most people do. A 2023 survey by customer analytics platform CivicScience saw the fries being recognised as the most popular in America, with half of all respondents plumping for McDonald’s fries ahead of the offering at any other chain (Wendy’s came in second, but only garnered 15% of the vote). A staple since McDonald's launched in 1940, they're described by the company as 'fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside' – a winning combination, clearly.