French fries/Gallery

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Shapes of French fries

Shoestring fries are prepared from peeled or unpeeled potatoes that have been cut lengthways to form about ⅓ inch (0.8 cm) strips. This is probably the most common cut within the United States.

Petite-cut fries, sometimes called shoestring fries, are very thinly cut French fries, usually less than ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick. They are nearly always prepared from peeled potatoes to give a very "clean" appearance.

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Steak fries, sometimes called ranch fries, are thick, flat-cut French fries, about 1 inch (0.6 cm) ½ inch (1.3 cm). Prepared from either peeled or unpeeled potatoes, they are often the culinary choice to convey a particularly "hearty" appearance.

Crinkle-cut fries. Potatoes, usually peeled, are cut with a special tool to form the "crinkle" shape, then prepared. They are typically about ½ inch (1.3 cm) by ½ inch (1.3 cm). These crinkle-cut fries have have been purchased frozen from a grocery and fried at home.

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Waffle fries. Potatoes are cut crossways with a special tool to form the unique "waffle" shape, then prepared. These waffle fries are made by Chik-fil-A, a popular fast-food chain restaurant in the United States, who is sometimes cited as popularizing the cut.

Curly fries are prepared with a special cutting tool that is either motor-driven or hand-turned. The cutting implement is set into one end of the potato and the potato rotated, creating the spiral shapes as seen here. See the motorized curly fry machine.

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Wedge-cut fries are prepared from small, whole, unpeeled potatoes cut lengthways into quarters or sixths to form the wedges.

Potato log fries are made from very large potatoes, cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) by 1 inch (2.5 cm) to form "logs" and prepared. A variant of potato log fries is prepared similarly wedge fries. Large, unpeeled, and often pre-cooked potatoes are are quartered or cut into sixths or eights lengthways to form the logs and prepared. Note the coin (U.S. quarter) in the photo for size comparison.

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