If we leave anything when we order a McDonald’s, it’s almost always the fries. You don’t want to let those go to waste, though, right? Luckily, there are some great methods you can use to reheat your fries.

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The best method we found for reheating your leftover fries is by using the microwave and covering the fries with a damp paper towel for around 10 seconds. After that, you can make them crispy again using an air fryer on 350 degrees for 20-30 seconds.

The 10 Best Methods For Reheating McDonald’s Fries

A decent alternative would be to dry-fry them or use the broiler. However, the method you use will depend on what you have at your disposal, and what you’re comfortable using.

If you really want to get the best results when it comes to getting your fries back to their (almost) full glory, you need a little patience.

While we’ve taken the time to carry out different tests for reheating fries, don’t be afraid to try them all out, too! Like everything, we will all have different opinions and preferences – even with our fries.

So, be sure to test out some different heating methods to find your favorite one. Once you do that, why not report back to us and let it know how it went?

How To Reheat Mcdonald’s Fries – The 10 Best Methods

There’s a secret to reheating fries and getting good results. You need to add moisture back to them, then get them crispy. While there are lots of methods you can use to do this, we’ve picked out the three best re-moisturizing options you can go with:

Heat fries using a skillet with a few drops of water in it, and keep the lid on
Heat fries using a microwave and damp paper towel
Heat fries using the oven and sprinkle a little water on before covering with aluminum

The next step is getting those fries crispy again. To do this, you can:

Crisp fries using a skillet with oil
Crisp fries using the broiler
Crisp fries using the oven, leave them uncovered
Crisp fries using your air fryer

These are the methods we’re going to be taking a look at:

Using the oven with an aluminum cover
- Covered without aluminum cover
Using the broiler
Using the air fryer
Using the skillet
- Dry skillet
- Oil in skillet
- Water in skillet
Using a microwave
Deep-frying

Some methods will be combined and altered, so we can really determine the best reheating method for your fries. There are plenty of combination options to try, including:

Microwave with a damp paper towel then use your air fryer or broiler
Sprinkle water over fries, cover with aluminum, and put them in the oven, then remove the cover for them to crisp
Warm the fries using a skillet with a little water, then add oil to crisp them up

Use The Oven To Reheat Your Fries

Overall rating: 5/10

This method will get the job done, but doesn’t produce anything amazing. All you need to do is get a tray, line it with aluminum foil, and set your oven to 400 degrees.

Leave the baking tray in the oven to heat up, and when it’s fully preheated, put your fries on the tray and sprinkle a little water over the top.

Cover them with foil, and put them in the oven covered for up to three minutes. After that, just take the cover off and leave them in there for a further two minutes.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Preheat your oven (it can be a toaster oven) to 400 degrees, and place your baking tray in the oven to get hot
Once the oven is preheated and the tray is hot, take it out and place your fries on it.
Sprinkle just a few drops of water onto the fries, then cover them with aluminum
Put the covered fries in the oven for up to three minutes
After three minutes, uncover the fries
At this point, you can give the fries a spritz of oil to help them crisp up. Be sure to shake the tray to move the fries around
Allow the fries to heat up for another two minutes in the oven

How we feel about the outcome: using the oven and aluminum gives results that are okay at best. Of course, this method is great for when you have a load of fries left that you want to warm up.

In terms of flavor and overall fry-ness, this method definitely doesn’t make them as good as they would be fresh.

Another Oven Option – Without Aluminum

With that being said, you can also use an oven to heat up your fries without any aluminum to cover the fries. You can follow the same basic steps as the ones laid out above, but obviously you won’t cover the food.

Be careful if you want to try heating your fries up without covering them, though, since they can burn pretty quickly.

The longer you leave your fries in the oven, the drier and crispier they will gradually become. If you want to give them the best chance of crisping up nicely, use some aluminum on the bottom and crumple it up a little.

This will reduce the source area of the fries that touches the bottom (which results in sloppy bottoms), and you can get a nice crisp fry.

Try Using Your Microwave

Overall rating: 5/10

If you’re just straight up using the microwave without anything else, you get similar results to the oven test. To do this, you need to use a microwave-safe plate and heat the fries on it for around 20-30 seconds.

You will probably end up with fries that are a little soggy, though. If this isn’t what you want, consider crisping them up in the air fryer or broiler. It will really make a world of difference if you do!

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your fries and a microwave-safe plate.
Pour the fries into the plate and make sure they form one even layer
Place the plate in the microwave and put the setting on “high”
Run the microwave for anywhere from 20-30 seconds
Allow the fries to rest for a couple of seconds before serving

How we feel about the outcome: the microwave method alone results in soft fries. Considering the nature of fries, this might not be the result that a lot of people would be happy with.

Because of this, we also tested another way to make fries a little more like fries, still using a microwave. We’ll take a look at this mixed method in one of the options below.

Reheat Your McDonald’s Fries Using Your Air Fryer

Overall rating: 6/10

Reheating your fries in an air fryer only seems logical, right? It’s pretty easy, too, and gets decent results. To do this, just set your air fryer to 400 degrees and spread the fries out in the basket.

You can give them a light spritz of oil, then allow them to heat up for one or two minutes. If you want to get a fry that’s a little moister, be sure to warm them up in the microwave with a damp paper towel beforehand.

We’ll go over that method right below this one, though.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your air fryer and fries out
Set the air fryer to 400 degrees
Give your fries a light spritzing of oil (this will help them get super crisp)
Pour the fries into the air fryer basket. Make sure they are spread out and are not touching one another
Allow the fries to heat up in the fryer for one or two minutes. It really won’t take long to get the job done
Give the fries some time to rest before enjoying them (around 30 seconds will do)

How we feel about the outcome: this option is a pretty nice one, and you will get that crunch from the fries in no time.

The oil will really help the fries crisp up, so if that’s what you’re after, it is a must. Just be careful not to overdo it, and make sure you keep the fries apart.

Without first microwaving the fries (method below), you are bound to get fries that are a little too dry for most people – but that’s better than sloppy!

Use Your Microwave And Air Fryer

Overall rating: 7/10

This might get the best results out of all the options we tried. Combining the microwave and air fryer get moist insides and nice crispy outsides.

As such, if you want to get your fries as close to the fresh product as possible, give this option a try. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also use a broiler, so it should be pretty easy for anyone to try out.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your fries and a microwave-safe plate.
Pour the fries into the plate and make sure they form one even layer
Dampen a paper towel and cover the fries with it
Place the plate in the microwave and put the setting on “high”
Run the microwave for anywhere from 20-30 seconds
Put the fries in the air fryer or broiler for 30 seconds to one minute. If you have one, you can also try using a chef’s torch to get a nice charred flavor we all love

How we feel about the outcome: as far as reheating McDonald’s fries goes, this method is pretty great. However, we wouldn’t recommend you doing the whole damp paper towel thing unless you have a way to crisp the fries up afterwards.

Without crisping them, they are way too soggy to eat, let alone enjoy.

Heat Them In A Dry Skillet

Overall rating: 5/10

This is another very easy method that gets very average results. To do this, all you need to do is get your skillet, heat it over a medium high heat, and toss your fries in.

Make sure that the fries are in one layer in the skillet to allow for equal temperature distribution. This dry method of heating your McDonald’s fries up will get them warm, but won’t do much else for them.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your skillet and fries
Turn the heat of your stove up to a medium high heat
Pour your fries into the skillet, making sure they make one layer.
Heat the fries for one to two minutes until they’re warm

How we feel about the outcome: without any moisture or extra crisp added to these fries, they are about as good as the plain oven fries.

You get nothing extra out of it, and you’re pretty likely to end up with fries that are a little fryer than you’re hoping for. If you really want to improve this method, check out the options below.

Fry Your McDonald’s Fries In A Skillet

Overall rating: 6/10

Frying up your fries will get them nice and crispy – maybe too crispy? All you need to do is follow the steps outlined in the previous section, but add a tiny bit of oil and fry them up for 30 seconds or so.

It’s a great option for anyone who really likes their fries crunchy, but it might be too much for most people.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your skillet and fries
Turn the heat of your stove up to a medium high heat
Pour your fries into the skillet, making sure they make one layer.
Heat the fries up for around a minute
Add a small spritz of oil to the skillet
Fry the fries for a further 30 seconds to get them crisp
Allow them to rest for around 30 seconds before enjoying

How we feel about the outcome: again, you get some crispy fries, but they’re a little dry for most people. However, we’re working up to a pretty good combination, so bear with us.

Try A Skillet With Water

Overall rating: 4/10

This method alone doesn’t make for the most appetizing fries in the world. The water adds some great moisture into them, but they are, as you might think, a little soft.

To do this method, you would do exactly as you have with the other two skillet methods, but add a few drops of water in the pan and put the lid on.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your skillet and fries
Turn the heat of your stove up to a medium high heat
Pour your fries into the skillet, making sure they make one layer.
Heat the fries up for around 30 seconds
Add a few drops of water to the skillet
Put the lid on
Let the fries warm up for another 30 seconds

How we feel about the outcome: soft. Too soft! These fries will be good for someone who likes their fries soft, but that isn’t most people. If you want the best combination for the skillet methods, check out the option below.

Combine The Skillet Method

Overall rating: 7/10

This combined method gets results that are on par with the oven and air fryer combination. All you need to do is heat up your fries in the skillet as the above methods outline, add a little water, then fry up with some oil!

It’s a good option if you want to get a good balance of moisture and crisp, but don’t have an air fryer.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get your skillet and fries
Turn the heat of your stove up to a medium high heat
Pour your fries into the skillet, making sure they make one layer.
Heat the fries up for around 30 seconds
Add a few drops of water to the skillet
Put the lid on
Let the fries warm up for another 30 seconds
Remove the lid and add a spritz of oil
Fry up the fries in the skillet for another 30 seconds
Allow the fries to sit for half a minute, then enjoy!

How we feel about the outcome: if you really want to heat up your McDonald’s fries in a skillet, this is the best combination method you could ask for.

You heat your fries up while also adding some much-needed moisture and also a great crispiness. We’ll call this one a winner for getting the job done for a pretty good standard.

Deep Fry Your Fries

Overall rating: 3/10

McDonald’s fries are deep-fried in the first place, so shouldn’t this work? Honestly, we wouldn’t recommend trying out this method for a couple of reasons, but feel free to test it out!

All you need to do is heat the oil to 350 degrees, then submerge your fries for around 10-20 seconds. After that, fish them out, pay them dry, and get some salt on them.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Get a saucepan and your fries. If you already have a deep fat fryer, use that.
Add enough oil to get the job done, This might be a full saucepan.
Heat up the oil
Add a handful of fries to the oil at a time
Allow each batch to heat up in the oil for 10-20 seconds before fishing them out
Place the fried fries on a paper towel to get rid of excess oil
Allow them to sit for a minute before they are served

How we feel about the outcome: the thing is, oil and salt do not mix. Since McDonald’s fries come pre-salted, this isn’t a good method for a number of reasons.

The salt on the fries will cause the oil to degrade, which means it won’t last as long. Not to mention, it can result in a smell that isn’t so great.

The oil temperature is also a very important part of the success here. Too cold and it will soak into the fries. Too hot, and the fries will just burn. You need to be present and very involved in the entire process, and you don’t get results that are worth the effort at all.

Broil Your McDonald’s Fries

Overall rating: 5/10

You can always simply broil your fries, too. You can do this by laying your fries out in one layer on a baking tray, and grilling them for up to a minute. The results you get won’t be incredible, but they make edible fries. You will basically get the same results as the oven method.

How To Reheat Your Fries Using This Method

Turn your grill on a high setting, and place your baking tray in the oven to get hot
Once the oven is preheated and the tray is hot, take it out and place your fries on it.
Allow the fries to heat up for two minutes under the grill

How we feel about the outcome: this method should result in fries that are crispy, but probably a little dry. They aren’t the best, but to improve them, follow the same steps you would with the water and foil oven method.

Covering and uncovering your fries can make a lot of difference in moisture and crispiness.

What Can You Do With McDonald’s Fries?

Make A French Fry Waffle

You could also get a little creative with your leftover fries and turn them into a waffle! To do this, all you need to do is:

Get your waffle maker and preheat it as the instructions state
Lay your fries in the device, then press down on the lid firmly
Let the waffle maker do its thing for around 10 minutes
Return to the waffle maker and add any ingredients you like (cheese is a great option)
Close the lid if you added your ingredients. This will allow them to melt and infuse with the fries. Do this for 2-3 seconds only
Now it’s done! Enjoy your delicious creation.

You can get a similar effect with a toasted sandwich maker or a similar device. However, the fries might not stick together as well as they would in a waffle maker.

What Else?

If you don’t want to make a waffle out of your leftover fries, you might consider the following:

Adding fries to a breakfast burrito
Cutting them up and making tater tots or hash browns out of them
Add them to frittatas or omelets
Use them to make loaded chips or poutine

Storing Your Fries Properly

To store your fries properly, you should:

Keep them in the refrigerator
Put them in an airtight container that’s lined with a paper towel (separate each layer with a paper towel)

The paper towel will absorb moisture and prevent them from getting too soft. However, fast food fries are not known for their ability to keep well, so eat them as soon as possible. They will deteriorate really quickly, so get to using them!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Fries Keep For?

Fries will usually only keep for up to four days. After that, they should be discarded.

What Can I Use My Leftover McDonald’s Fries For?

You can add them to burritos, frittatas, omelets, or make tater tots or hash browns out of them

Can I Deep-Fry My McDonald’s Fries?

You can, but it isn’t recommended. Deep-frying fries doesn’t get great results if you’re trying to reheat them.

What Is The Best Way To Reheat McDonald’s Fries?

Use a combination method of a microwave and an air fryer. Check out how to do that here.

The Best Method For Reheating McDonald’s Fries

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

The best way to reheat your McDonald's fries is by putting them into the oven for a few minutes. Simply place your fries on a tray and put it into your pre-heated oven for five minutes.

Materials

McDonald's fries
Oven tray
Aluminum foil (optional)

Tools

Oven
Oven tray
Oven glove

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Turn your oven on and allow it to come up to temperature.
Put your fries on a tray: Place the McDonald's fries on an oven tray. Make sure that they are spread out, so they can get crispy evenly. For the best results, you can also line your tray with aluminum foil.
Place the tray inside the oven: Put the baking tray with the fries inside the oven and allow them to warm up for at least five minutes. Then sprinkle a little water over them.
Cover the fries with some foil: Place some aluminum foil over your fries and let them sit inside the hot oven for another 3 minutes.
Remove the tray and serve: When the 3 minutes are up, take the tray out of the oven with an oven glove and remove the foil. Your delicious McDonald's fries are now ready to serve.

Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!