When it comes to French fries, fast food restaurants offer different sizes ranging from small to large. Two common options are a regular large order of fries and a basket or shareable size. This raises the question – which has more fries, a large order or a basket?
Large vs Basket at McDonald’s
At McDonald’s, a large order of fries contains 340 grams or 12 ounces of fries. This is considered a regular individual sized portion. On the other hand, a shareable basket of fries at McDonald’s contains 560 grams or 19.75 ounces. This is almost double the amount of a large size.
Based on the official nutrition information from McDonald’s, here is a comparison of their large fry size and basket/shareable size:
| Size | Weight |
|---|---|
| Large Fry | 340g (12 oz) |
| Basket/Shareable | 560g (19.75 oz) |
As the table shows, the basket contains significantly more fries, about 65% more, than a regular large size.
Large vs Basket at Burger King
Similarly, Burger King’s large fry order weighs 154 grams or 5.4 ounces. Their basket of fries weighs 368 grams or 13 ounces. Again, this is more than double the weight and quantity.
Here is a comparison of the large and basket sizes at Burger King:
| Size | Weight |
|---|---|
| Large Fry | 154g (5.4 oz) |
| Basket | 368g (13 oz) |
The shareable basket from Burger King has about 139% more fries than their large size.
Large vs Basket at Wendy’s
At Wendy’s, the differences are a bit smaller but the basket still contains more fries than a large:
- Large Fry – 160 grams or 5.6 ounces
- Basket of Fries – 230 grams or 8 ounces
| Size | Weight |
|---|---|
| Large Fry | 160g (5.6 oz) |
| Basket | 230g (8 oz) |
So the basket of fries at Wendy’s has about 44% more than their large size.
Why Baskets Have More Fries
There are a few reasons why the shareable or basket sizes at fast food chains contain significantly more fries than regular large orders:
Designed for Multiple People
The basket sizes are designed to be shareable for 2-4 people. So they need to have more fries than a regular meal for one person. The large sizes are meant for individual orders.
More Value for Money
When customers order shareable or family meal options, they expect more quantity and value for money compared to individual items. The basket sizes provide this added value.
Upselling Opportunity
Offering bigger basket options gives fast food operators an opportunity to upsell customers and make more profit. Customers may be convinced to spend more and get the larger basket for sharing or better value.
Basket vs 2 or 3 Large Orders
Since the basket sizes contain about twice as many fries as a large, you may wonder if it’s the same as ordering 2 or 3 individual large fries.
In most cases, the basket is still a better value than ordering multiple large sizes separately. This is because the basket pricing is discounted to offer more value. Customers would pay more if they ordered 2 or 3 large sizes compared to 1 basket.
For example, at McDonald’s a large fry is $1.89. A basket of fries is $4.19. If you were to order 2 large fries separately, it would cost 2 * $1.89 = $3.78. Ordering 3 large fries separately would cost 3 * $1.89 = $5.67. In both cases, the single basket is more value.
Exceptions and Variations
While the basket sizes generally contain more fries than large at most national chains, there can be some exceptions and variations:
- Local restaurants – Some local fast food places may have different portion sizes so their large and basket sizes differ.
- Promotions – Special promotions may impact sizes. For example, McDonald’s ran a “super-size” promotion in the past with a bigger large.
- Suppliers – Different potato suppliers and distributors in some regions could lead to portion variations.
- Employee hand portions – If fries are hand scooped rather than precisely weighed, this introduces minor variations.
Quality and Freshness
One thing to note is that while baskets contain more fries in terms of quantity, some people argue the quality and freshness suffers compared to regular sizes.
Since the baskets hold so many fries, there is a chance some may not be as hot and fresh if they’ve been sitting for a while after cooking. The regular large sizes are more likely to be freshly cooked and hot.
However, this also depends how busy the restaurant is. At peak periods, both sizes are likely cooked to order. At slower periods, baskets may sit longer before purchase.
Nutrition Comparison
Given the larger portion sizes, the nutrition content and calories are higher in fry baskets compared to large sizes:
| Size | Calories | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s Large Fry | 404 | 48g | 19g | 189mg |
| McDonald’s Fry Basket | 610 | 73g | 28g | 270mg |
| Burger King Large Fry | 320 | 36g | 14g | 420mg |
| Burger King Fry Basket | 530 | 63g | 25g | 730mg |
As shown, the basket sizes can contain about 50-60% more calories and sodium versus large sizes. So while you get more quantity, the overall nutritional value is higher.
Price Comparison
In terms of pricing, fry baskets generally provide more value per ounce compared to large sizes. As mentioned earlier, you pay more for multiple large fries versus a single basket.
Here is a pricing comparison of large vs basket sizes at popular chains:
| Restaurant | Large Fry Price | Basket Fry Price |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s | $1.89 | $4.19 |
| Burger King | $1.69 | $3.49 |
| Wendy’s | $1.99 | $3.49 |
In all cases, the basket is priced lower than 2 or 3 large fries would cost separately. So you get more bang for your buck.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when comparing a large versus a basket of fries at most popular fast food chains, the basket size definitely contains the most fries in terms of quantity and weight. This holds true whether you look at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s or other major brands. On average, a shareable fry basket has about 50-60% more fries than a regular large order.
The reasons for this size difference mainly come down to value and profits. Baskets are designed to serve more people and provide more value to drive upsized purchases. The main tradeoff is higher calorie and sodium content for the increased quantity.
So if you’re extremely hungry and have a few people to share with, the basket of fries is the better option over a regular large. But if you’re by yourself and want a more reasonable portion, a large is probably sufficient in most cases.