Sure, Checkers French fries are delicious, but at what cost?
Keep watching, because we’re about to see what makes these fried spuds so undeniably tasty.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion about which fast food chain
has the best fries, those opinions are sure to bring out passionate responses
in the form of a savage debate — especially among foodies.
A less controversial statement, however, is to claim that this or that restaurant has
great fries. And when it comes to the fast food burger and hotdog chain
Checkers — which is known as Rally's in some regions — the fries are pretty great.
If you live in an area lucky enough to have a Checkers, head on over to one and try them for
yourself. It'll be worth your trip, and you'll leave wondering: Why are Checkers' fries so good?
It turns out, there's something extra that goes into Checkers' fries… and no, it's not because
they're free-range fries. Unlike the French fries served at most fast food chains, which are simply
made from potatoes cut into sticks that are then deep fried in oil, then heavily coated in salt,
Checkers takes their cut potatoes and coats them in a "seasoned fry batter."
It's similar to what you'd expect on a mozzarella stick, and it makes a huge difference. Legit:
The Famous Seasoned Fries are, according to the chain, "secretly seasoned [and] famously good."
The combination of all those different ingredients adds a lot of flavor and
a uniqueness customers have come to love. That's not all, though.
Many fast food chains use thin cuts for their French fries,
and these can taste great when fresh, but they quickly cool down, get soggy,
and really lose their appeal. Checkers uses a thicker cut of fry that holds its heat
and shape better for longer and does not get soggy as quickly as those of many competitors.
Another reason the fries stay crispy and fresher-tasting comes back to that batter.
The combination of all those different starches and spices also ensures the fries stay crispier
and fresher-tasting for longer. So you can actually enjoy your Checkers fries
even after the 10-minute drive home from the drive-thru line.
"Oo, fill me up with big, juicy flavor!"
Checkers doesn't offer just one type of French fry (and even if they did,
no one would be complaining were it their signature Famous Seasoned Fries) but
multiple fry options, some of which are more akin to meals than sides.
The first of those would be Checkers' Fully Loaded Fries, which come with cheese, ranch sauce,
and bacon. The second is the Cheese Chili Cheese Fries — for real, there's that much cheese.
And that's not even counting the limited-time versions, like their loaded steak fries.
Can't get enough of this goodness? You can also try the chain's Fry-Seasoned
"Monsterella" Stix that are made with the same batter and seasoning as the fries.
What you may not want to do is look into the nutritional "value" of any of these menu items,
because it's grisly stuff: The Fully Loaded Fries are loaded with 870 calories,
56 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, and 2,190 milligrams of sodium.
That said, Checkers fries are, indeed, the darling of many a French fry fan.
But if you're searching for a healthier fry, then you are looking in the wrong place.
Using a large order of Checkers fries as our baseline, let's compare them
to fries from a major competitor you may have heard of: McDonald's.
According to Checkers, a large order of fries contains an average of 590 calories,
220 of which are from fat. And that's not to mention the 29 grams of actual fat
packed into that order, 10 grams of saturated fat, and a whopping 1,310 milligrams of sodium
A large order of fries from McDonald's is hardly a diet food, but it's a "healthier" bet compared
to Checkers' fries. According to McDonald's, an order of its large fries contains 490 calories,
23 grams of fat, and three grams of saturated fat, plus a much more modest 400 milligrams of sodium.
Don't live near a Checkers (or Rally's)? Good news! The brand
offers their celebrated battered and seasoned fries in a frozen option
available at many grocery stores, such as Walmart, Kroger, and more.
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