Burger King's new fries

The claim. Burger King has updated its french fries, "delivering a new golden, crispy fry that promises to create a whole new level of irresistible," according to a press release. "A thicker cut of potato gives each bite more fluffy, potato flavor on the inside and crispy, golden-brown deliciousness on the outside."

The check. Five staffers tasted fries at two Burger King restaurants near our Yonkers, N.Y., headquarters.

Bottom line. The new fries are appealing, but not irresistible. They have decent potato flavor and a baked-potato texture inside, and they're moderately salty and fairly crispy. They're better than the chain's former fries, which were low in flavor and had a fatty taste, and now are closer in quality to fries from McDonald's. But the fast-food-fry winner among the top three chains remains Wendy's, whose fries have a distinct potato taste, a moist interior, and a slightly earthy, browned-skin flavor that's balanced by salt and oil.

Read our report on fast-food chains.