We Tried McDonald's New Garlic Fries And They Were Actually Kind Of Good

    Your new drunk food.

    by Nicole Nguyen, Jessica Misener, Jeff Barron, Sarah Karlan
    Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

    Today, McDonald's is announcing that its new Gilroy Garlic Fries will be available in 250 store locations starting July 27.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    The company began testing garlic fries at just four Northern California locations in May. The product sold out almost immediately (because garlic, obvs).

    McDonald's Gilroy Garlic Fries, which come in two sizes (medium and large), will now be sold throughout the Bay Area. Garlic fries will cost a little extra (at the location we visited, they were 69 cents more) — and we got to try them and see how they're made at a fancy remodeled location in San Francisco.

    First, a dip in the frying oil bath.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    After the fries are cooked through, the transformation begins.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    These regular ol' McDonald's fries are about to become 🍟 garlic fries 🍟.

    The fries are first coated with a purée made of roasted garlic and an olive oil blend.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    And then a topping made with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    Every garlic fry is hand-tossed to order with the garlic purée and the Parmesan mix in these stainless steel bowls so the fries retain their heat.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    And finally, they're served up in a cute paper "boat."

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    At the ~fancy McDonald's~ restaurant, we got to try the fries fresh out of the fryer.

    Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed

    "It's so good. Amazing. VERY garlicky, but they taste very fresh. I'm a fan."

    The fries were the right amount of crispy — and they looked good, too.

    Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed

    "You can see the parsley. It's really good. It's not sticking to my hands... It's not soggy, which is good. But they're really good. Boy, that was a garlicky one."

    They were slightly tangy and weren't *too* garlicky, either.

    Sarah Karlan / BuzzFeed

    "It's pretty good. It's not overpoweringly garlicky, and there's a little bit of Parmesan in there. It's good. I was expecting it to be really salty, but it's just the right amount. I think they nailed it."

    Ultimately, we all agreed that the fries are going to be an AMAZING drunk food.

    Sarah Karlan / BuzzFeed

    "It's actually super cheesy. What I like about these is that they're not intensely carb-y and less substantial than the AT&T Ballpark fries. They're still the crispy McDonald's fries you know and love, but upgraded."

    But, back at the office, they weren't the slam dunk we thought they were going to be.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed

    "Yeah, they're all right. I definitely prefer the regular McDonald's fries. Maybe if they were hot?" —Farryn, on the left

    "First observation is that it's a little limp. I would say that it's better than your average McDonald's fry but worse than your average garlic fry. I mean, I will eat more of these. It's good. It's a garlic fry, it's not going to be bad." —Ellen, on the right

    Turns out, the fries did not travel well and were cold and soggy after a short 10-minute bus ride.

    As long as you scarf them down straight out of the fryer (or in an Uber on the way home from a night out), McDonald's garlic fries are a win. If you're a huge fan of garlic, you'll obviously love these — but even if you're not, you might find the flavor subtle enough because the garlic used in the purée is roasted, not raw.

    Is it The Perfect Fry? No. But, for what it is, the price is right — and we'd probably order it again.

    Jeff Barron / BuzzFeed