How Long Do You Have Before McDonald’s Fries Lose That Epic Taste?

Mickey D’s fries are the best right out of the fryer, but I’ll still eat them soggy! According to research, your fries are best within the first five minutes.

The Takeout says, "McDonald’s french fries become notably less appealing at around the 10-minute mark, and are a big old nope by minute 18.”

The site tested three different McDonald's restaurants and ordered fries at different times of the day. They found that the decline in french fry goodness has more to do with texture than temperature. After ten minutes the fries appeared to get soggy on the outside and mealy in the middle.

The sweetest spot happens between "too hot to consume" and "just burns your fingertips a slight," within the first five or so minutes.

McDonald's says they discard after seven minutes. According to their website:

"Once our fries are cooked, we hold them for a maximum of seven minutes in our warming cabinets to keep them hot and fresh for you to enjoy. Since quality is at the heart of everything we do at McDonald's, we don't serve any fries that have been held longer than seven minutes. "