The Aldi Fries That Apparently Taste Exactly Like McDonald's

An argument usually ensues when people talk about the best fast food fries, but McDonald's always seems to make an appearance somewhere. They're thin, crunchy, and salted to perfection. While the option to pull up to a drive-thru is almost always available (especially considering many McDonald's locations are open 24 hours), sometimes you just don't want to leave your house — even if your fry craving is strong. 

The Aldi frozen food section may be your answer for those kinds of days. Allegedly, the supermarket chain is offering a special type of frozen fries that taste just like McDonald's.

This box, by the brand Oakhurst, comes with two bright red cartons of "takeaway style french fries." (Sound familiar?) To heat them, simply stick the frozen sticks in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius (aka about 425 degrees Fahrenheit) for 12-13 minutes. Then, pop the fries into the red cartons and dig in. In addition to tasting good, the Oakhurst fries are also vegan and vegetarian friendly. Still, there is one catch: The fries are only available in the United Kingdom. So, those in the U.K. can check out their local Aldi to find these fries retailing at just £1.49. (Technically, that makes them more affordable than the real deal from McDonald's). As for everyone else, you're out of luck — at least for now.

While the hype for these fries is relatively new, they already have a few diehard fans. One man from Facebook attempted to re-create an entire McDonald's meal exclusively using Aldi products and called the Oakhurst fries "every bit as good as I thought it would be." A TikTok user agreed and urged fans to "not walk to Aldi, run to Aldi" for the dupe. Another fan commented on the video praising the store: "European Aldi is Undefeated." 

Users on Facebook expressed similar thoughts; one post praising the fries was met with hundreds of comments and reposts. "My kids had them tonite and they loved them," one mom wrote. Another praised the quantity of fries in the box, saying, "brought them today my lil lad loved them the amount u get in them is great so there loads left over for another time." 

So it seems like the Oakhurst fries get the people's votes, with many fans agreeing the fries actually do match the taste of McDonald's. But compared to other fast food fries, what exactly is it that makes McDonald's, and dupes like the fries from Oakhurst, taste so good anyway?

While every fast food place has its own take on the humble french fry, from thick-cut potatoes to the thinly-sliced varieties, McDonald's seems to reign as many people's favorites. So what makes these fries so special? According to the McDonald's website, the fast food chain uses a variety of potato types to make its fries — from the popular russet to the lesser-known shepody. These potatoes are cut thin and made especially crispy, and each fry is coated in salt, fat, and sugar to bring about the perfect balance of flavor. 

Another especially unique element of these fries is that they are enriched with natural beef flavoring, which is a special ingredient that sets it apart from other brands. This gives the McDonald's fries not only a better taste, but also a stronger scent. While the Oakhurst fries from Aldi don't contain any kind of beef flavoring, making them safe for vegetarians and vegans alike, they're still a close cousin to what McDonald's has to offer.