Not satisfried with just turning potatoes and chicken into fries, Burger King has recently been on a crusade to turn whatever else it can into “fries,” like Mozzarella Fries, Churro Fries, and now the new Pickle Fries. I wouldn’t be surprised if the fast food chain someday changes its slogan from “Have it Your Way” to “Have it Your Way As Long As It’s Fry-Shaped.” And when that day comes, I imagine Whopper Fries will be an option.
Burger King’s newest side features thin dill pickle spears battered and breaded with a savory seasoned coating, then deep fried. It’s available in one size and comes with a container of Hidden Valley Ranch for dipping, which is just enough to double-dip the pickle fries you receive.
What caught my eye at first was the white specks that dotted the coating, which I thought could represent cucumber seeds, but later, I thought that would be too extra for Burger King to do. Even after nibbling on them, I couldn’t determine what they were, and I just chalked it up to be some kind of seasoning. But that nibbling helped me taste the coating, which had a nondescript savoriness. The golden brown exterior also had a satisfying crispy texture that helped hide how limp the pickles inside were.
Looking down the barrel of an individual fry, you’ll see that the pickle spear takes up most of the space, but there’s still some air between it and the breading. This gap makes them look slightly more substantial than they really are. This also causes something similar to what happens when you bite an onion ring and accidentally pull out the rest of the onion from the breading.
While the coating has nice crispiness, the pickles within also have a crunchiness, despite their limpness. If you’re expecting these to taste dill-heavy, get ready to be dill-sappointed. They have enough flavor that I could notice the tanginess through the breading, but it’s not overwhelming, and I wish it was slightly stronger. Because the pickle taste isn’t very bold, I prefer to eat these fries without the Hidden Valley Ranch. The sauce adds another level of tanginess, but the coating and pickles are tasty enough on their own, and the addition of the condiment hides the side’s flavor.
I enjoyed eating through a container of Burger King’s Pickle Fries, mostly sans sauce. It’s a tasty side, but I wish it had a more robust dill flavor or, if it ever returns, it comes with a dill ranch sauce, which would satisfy me.
Purchased Price: $5.49*
Size: One size
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 380 calories, 21 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 2280 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.