Our Favorite Fast Food Onion Rings Come From A Chain Better Known For Its Sweet Treats

Onion rings almost always cost more than standard french fries, but for good onion rings the upcharge is absolutely worth it. When crisp, crunchy, and steaming hot, onion rings are truly one of life's greatest pleasures and are totally worth an extra dollar or two. On the other hand, paying extra for bad onion rings is slightly heartbreaking. Whether you've been disappointed by the limp circles of fried onion paste that Burger King calls onion rings (which aren't worth your money) or want to avoid ordering tragically terrible onion rings in the future, you'll be glad to know that we tried and ranked six fast food onion rings so you don't have to.

The fast food chain that earned the top spot in our ranking might come as a surprise: Dairy Queen. While this dessert-focused franchise is most famous for its beloved blizzards (which we've also ranked), it turns out DQ onion rings are a sleeper hit. The Takeout's reviewer found Dairy Queen's onion rings perfectly hot, crisp, and spicy-sweet, easily earning them the top spot in our ranking. Other reviewers praise DQ onion rings for their light and crunchy batter, steaming hot serving temperature, and overall freshness. In fact, Dairy Queen onion rings are so popular that you can find copycat recipes online that promise to recreate the side's iconic flavor.

Dairy Queen's onion rings vary in price depending on location, but the fried side will typically set you back about $5 to $7 for a large portion. This is about a dollar more than a large order of Dairy Queen french fries, which usually sell between $4 and $5. We think Dairy Queen's onion rings are totally worth the extra buck, especially when they are paired with a pack or two of DQ's barbecue sauce.

It's worth noting that Dairy Queen's onion rings are most likely delivered to franchises pre-packaged and frozen, only to be fried when a customer orders them (as opposed to being made from scratch). Some would suggest that this makes DQ's onion rings less worth the investment because you could just fry frozen onion rings at home. However, frying is hardly effortless, and Dairy Queen's freezer-to-fryer preparation method also means that you're more likely to receive your onion rings freshly fried and piping hot. Many people would argue that this is the most important facet of a good onion ring. 

At the end of the day, taste is what truly matters, and according to The Takeout's analysis, Dairy Queen's onion rings are clearly a winner. With Peanut Buster Parfaits and some of the best onion rings on the market, perhaps it's no surprise that Dairy Queen is America's favorite chain restaurant.