Sharing Is Caring...Except When It Comes to Fries

Checkers & Rally's National Fry Audit Finds 60% of Americans Order an Extra Fry Just So They Don't Have to Share; Celebrates National French Fry Day with Buy One, Get One FREE Famous Seasoned Fries and $1 Sauce Trio

TAMPA, Fla., July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharing may be caring…but not when it comes to French fries.

According to the new Checkers & Rally's National Fry Audit, conducted by The Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, 60% of Americans admit they've ordered an extra order of fries simply because they didn't want to share. The survey also found that 82% chose a fast-food restaurant specifically because they were craving its fries, while 63% say the quality of the fries is extremely or very important when deciding which fast-food restaurant to eat at–proving that fries have become much more than a side dish.

"Our National Fry Audit proves Americans don't mess around when it comes to fries," said Scott Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. "People aren't settling for just any fries – they want them hot, crispy and packed with bold flavor. That's exactly why our Famous Seasoned Fries have earned such a loyal following. For us, National French Fry Day is all about celebrating the fans who have made our fries legendary."

The National Fry Audit also uncovered what separates good fries from great ones:

• 75% of Americans say crispiness is extremely or very important when it comes to great French fries.
• 27% say crispiness is the quality most often missing when they order fries at a fast-food restaurant.
• 72% believe serving soggy fries should be considered a food crime.

The survey also revealed generational differences in fry preferences. Boomers (ages 62-80) and Gen X (ages 46-61) are more likely than Millennials (ages 30-45) and Gen Z (ages 18-29) to say fries served hot are extremely or very important (92% and 91% versus 84% and 79%, respectively). Meanwhile, Millennials (64%) and Gen Z (61%) are more likely than Gen X (53%) and Boomers (28%) to say bold seasoning flavor is extremely or very important.

Known for their crispy exterior, fluffy potato interior and signature seasoning blend, Checkers & Rally's Famous Seasoned Fries have become one of the brand's signature menu items. With three in four Americans saying crispiness is essential – and more than one in four saying it's the quality most often missing when ordering fries – it's clear fry lovers know exactly what they're looking for.

In honor of Checkers & Rally's officially moving National French Fry Day to always be on a Friday, fry fans can celebrate with two crave-worthy offers for three days, July 10-12:

• Buy One, Get One FREE Famous Seasoned Fries of any size (excluding Loaded Fries).
• $1 Sauce Trio, featuring three fan-favorite dipping sauces: Secret Sauce, Ranch and Honey Mustard.

Whether you're the friend who guards every fry, orders an extra order "just in case," or believes soggy fries should be considered a food crime, Checkers & Rally's is inviting fry fans everywhere to celebrate National French Fry Day with the fries America can't stop craving.

For more information, hours of operation or to find participating Checkers or Rally's locations, please visit Checkers.com. Also, get connected to Checkers & Rally's across social media by following @checkersrallys on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

About Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.
Based in Tampa, Fla., Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for its bold, craveable food, Famous Seasoned Fries, exceptional value and people-first attitude, operates and franchises both Checkers® and Rally's® restaurants. With more than 700 restaurants and room to grow, Checkers & Rally's is a proven brand with flexible building formats that are aggressively expanding across the country. Checkers & Rally's is dedicated to being a place where franchisees and employees who work hard can create opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities. In recent years, the brand has earned several of the industry's most prestigious awards including "#1 Most Craveable Fries" by Restaurant Business in 2020 and 2018; "Best Franchise Deal" and "Best Drive-Thru in America" by QSR Magazine; "Top Food and Beverage Franchise" by Franchise Business Review; and the "Hot! Again" award from Nation's Restaurant News. The brand has also consistently been ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Checkers & Rally's from June 25–29, 2026, among 2,017 adults ages 18 and older.

The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ±2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact [email protected].

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SOURCE Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.