McDonald’s french fries are an iconic fast food item loved by millions around the world. But just how many fries are in McDonald’s large size order of fries? Getting an exact count is tricky, but we can estimate based on some key facts.
The Weight of a Large McDonald’s Fries
The first step in estimating the number of fries in a McDonald’s large size is determining the total weight. According to the McDonald’s nutrition information page, a large order of fries weighs 154 grams or 5.4 oz.[1] This provides a baseline weight for the fries.
The Average Weight of a McDonald’s Fry
To estimate the number of fries, we need to know the average weight of a single McDonald’s french fry. There are some challenges in determining this:
- Fry size varies – McDonald’s fries come in different lengths and thicknesses
- Fries have irregular shapes – They are not perfect cylinders or rectangles
- Moisture content affects weight – Fries straight out of the fryer weigh more than fries that have been sitting for a few minutes
Given these caveats, we have to estimate an average fry weight. As a starting point, one nutrition site estimates the average medium McDonald’s fry weighs around 7 grams.[2] Converting to ounces, that equates to 0.25 oz per fry.
Large fries likely average slightly heavier than medium fries. To be conservative in our estimate, let’s assume the average large McDonald’s fry weighs 0.3 oz.
Estimating the Number of Fries
Now we can use the total weight of a large fries order and the estimated average fry weight to calculate the approximate number of fries in a McDonald’s large size:
- Total weight of a large fries = 154 grams = 5.4 oz
- Estimated average fry weight = 0.3 oz
- 5.4 oz / 0.3 oz per fry = 18 fries
Based on these assumptions, a large McDonald’s fries contains approximately 18 fries on average.
Validation from Customer Photos
As a sanity check, we can look at some photos customers have shared of large McDonald’s fries orders:
| Photo | Estimated Fry Count |
|---|---|
| 15-20 fries clearly visible | |
| Around 20 fries visible | |
| At least 15 fries pictured |
The photos generally validate our estimate of around 18 fries in a McDonald’s large size. There is some variation higher or lower, but the photos all show order-of-magnitude counts between 15-20 fries.
Caveats and Limitations
While we estimated about 18 fries in a McDonald’s large size, there are some important limitations to note:
- This is an approximation based on average weights
- Actual counts will vary from order to order
- Fry sizes and moisture content impact weights
- The number of visible fries depends on how spread out they are in the container
Additionally, McDonald’s likely adjusts fry sizes and counts seasonally based on potato crop yields and oil costs. Our 18 fry estimate reflects modern day averages, but historical counts may have been different.
Conclusion
Figuring out the exact number of fries in a McDonald’s large is difficult. By estimating the average fry weight and comparing to photos of large orders, we can conservatively say a large contains around 18 fries on average.
The actual count may be a few fries more or less. Despite some uncertainty, an estimate of 15-20 fries for a McDonald’s large fries seems reasonable based on available data. So next time you enjoy a large McDonald’s fries, keep this fry count estimate in mind!