I also tried every kind of fries, from the classic fries to the "not-so-secret menu" animal-style fries.
I was disappointed by the cheese fries but loved the flavor and texture of the animal-style version.
In-N-Out is famous for its burgers, but how do the chain's fries measure up?
On a trip to Austin, I tried every single kind of fries on In-N-Out's menu, from its standard salted fries to "well-done" and animal-style. I walked away impressed by only one style of fry — and slightly let down by the others.
In-N-Out is slowly expanding, but it's still largely considered a West Coast chain, with around 400 locations in eight states and territories. It has no immediate plans to come to the East Coast — where I live — anytime soon. So even though I didn't love most of the fries on its menu, I would travel across the country to have my favorite kind again.
Here's every type of fries at In-N-Out, ranked from my least favorite to my favorite.
Of all the fries I tried, the cheese fries came in last place.In-N-Out cheese fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The cheese fries cost me $5, excluding tax.
On the order I received, the cheese clung to the top layer of fries in an unappetizing way, at least to me.In-N-Out cheese fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Since the cheese was under-melted, they were easier to eat with my fingers. However, I really wished the cheese had been slightly gooier.
The cheese itself was tasty — it was a tangy, classic American cheese. However, most of the fries didn't even get a drop of cheese on them.In-N-Out cheese fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
While I did enjoy the cheese, I would have much preferred the cheese to actually cover the fries. However, this can probably be chalked up to an error on the day I visited In-N-Out.
The regular fries were a tad underwhelming, in my opinion.In-N-Out regular fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The regular fry cost me only $2.79, which I thought was a good deal.
They were crispy but could have used a touch more salt.In-N-Out regular fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The inside was also not fluffy at all, which I thought gave them an odd texture. Overall, I was just slightly underwhelmed by the regular fries — an opinion that I share with other In-N-Out diners.
I much preferred the crispier, well-done fries over the regular fries.In-N-Out well-done fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The fries also cost me $2.90, meaning there was no extra charge for asking them to stay in the fryer a little longer.
They were well-salted and the extra time in the fryer definitely gave them a better texture.In-N-Out well-done fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Overall, I was impressed by the crispier fries and would order them this way again.
However, the next time I find myself at an In-N-Out, I know I'll be ordering my fries animal-style.In-N-Out animal-style fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The chain serves its animal-style fries with special sauce, a slice of melted American cheese, and chopped grilled onions. They cost me $6. They were slightly more expensive than the cheese fries, the regular, and the crispy fries.
The fries were covered in cheese, which was perfectly melted, and the other toppings.In-N-Out animal-style fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The fries were covered in so much sauce and cheese that I needed to use a fork to eat them. The bottom layer of fries didn't have a ton of cheese or sauce, but the toppings were more evenly distributed than in the case of the cheese fries.
This will be my go-to fries order in the future — the special sauce and chopped onions added a ton of flavor.In-N-Out animal-style fries.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
In my opinion, the animal-style fries won by a landslide. I thought they had the best flavor, texture, and were well worth a couple of extra dollars compared to the regular fries.
