But that doesn’t mean you always have to default to fries.
Countless chains across the country servedifferent sides.
For example, other forms of spuds, liketater totsandbaked potatoes,can be found.
Photo: Megan Hageman. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Non-fried foods like macaroni and cheese or soups are less common but exist.
At a selection ofnational and regional establishments, humble onion rings also grace the menu board.
Onion ringsare underappreciated and difficult to get right, which is likely why they are a rare fast-food sighting.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
A good onion ring needs to achieve that quintessential crispness while not being soggy or greasy.
It seems like a tall order, but some chains are up for the challenge.
Here’s how they compared and ranked from my least favorite to the absolute tastiest.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
Onion rings also appear in the chain’s specialty burgers or sandwiches.
At the drive-thru, I asked for a small order of onion rings sans a companion.
My total rang up at $2.39.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
The look:Small bite-sized Os.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
There’s no variability in size, although some are squeezed together into more of an oval shape.
They come in a muted wheat color.
On the outside, the breading didn’t win me over, either.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
Shakes and ice cream specialties are available in abundance.
I went with a medium order of the rings for $3.49.
I resisted pairing them with a Nerds Cherry Slush, my personal favorite.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The Look:These are undoubtedly plump onion rings.
Each is thick and wide, with the largest measuring four inches across.
The color is a light yellowish tan, and the surface is crumbly.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The Taste:Crunchy and fresh, but they have a strange sweetness.
They taste like vanilla and remind me of something sugary and fried you would get at the fair.
That cleared things up, but I was still thrown off.
A more savory coating would have paired better with the big onion flavor these deliver.
It’s not your average, everyday fast-food joint.
At its core, Swensons is a standard hamburger and milkshake establishment.
Special recipe onion rings make this list.
Only one size is available for $3.50.
The side comes with a few interesting cooking choices.
I bypassed these tempting options and ordered the regular version this time around.
The look:These are large and the darkest of the bunch.
The taste:I didn’t think it was possible, but these onion rings are too crunchy.
They hurt my mouth when I went in for a bite.
The outer layer is overwhelming and completely swallows up the razor-thin slice of onion beneath it.
It felt like I was eating breading that was slightly salted.
Somehow, the onion rings were both dry and greasy.
The seasoned Smashfries are a common choice.
Or, opt for a different fried favorite: onion rings.
Only one size option is available for $3.99.
I added a side of Smash Sauce for good measure.
The look:The coating here is smoother and more uniform, with no crumbs.
The batter adheres nicely for minimal mess while snacking in the car.
A few pieces, however, looked a bit too crispy and burnt.
But the mediocre texture can’t be overlooked.
I bought a regular-sized bunch of them for $3.89.
The look:Attractive-looking onion rings.
Each one is golden brown and generously crusted.
Various sizes of the hoops live together in a cute blue serving basket.
They are served with a perfect ratio of breading to ring.
The onion itself is snappy without being too hard.
But all the bones of a good onion ring are there.
They also come in medium, large, or family-size quantitiesno small orders around here.
The look:Golden brown, but certainly not as thick as the chain led me to believe.
They are the thinnest overall in the taste test.
But they’re well put together with no breading granules covering the outside.
The taste:These were the first onion rings I tasted, and all others paled in comparison.
Culver’s fries up the Goldilocks of onion rings.
They are the proper balance of breading and onion so that the vegetable isn’t overshadowed.
They’re not overly greasy, but enough to be addicting.
They were handed to me, sizzling and crisped.
I agree with the chain’s description that the included spice blend is “subtle.”
They are well-salted, and pairing them with the Signature Sauce was an excellent decision.
It’s a creamy, ranch-like sauce with some cheese flavors and a bit of spice.
It was not what I had expected, but I was more than pleasantly surprised.
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