February 13, 2020

Athens Fry Findings

A look at french fry prices on and around Court Street

By Taylor Burnette | For The Post

C ourt Street offers a wide variety of french fries, and with it comes an equally wide range in prices.

French fries can be purchased on Court Street from prices ranging from $1.69 to $5.99.

A variety of restaurants on Court Street and within the city of Athens serve french fries, including O’Betty’s, Fry’d Fries, Wendy’s, Larry’s Dawg House and Steak 'n Shake.

Small, traditional french fry prices along Court Street vary, ranging from the most expensive at Fry’d Fries, costing $3.69, to the least-expensive at $1.69 at Wendy’s. In the middle of those prices is a small traditional fry from O’Betty’s, which costs $3.25.

Off Court Street, a traditional fry may cost less, with Larry’s Dawg House coming in cheapest overall at $1.50.

O’Betty’s prices are based off the high-quality ingredients the restaurant uses, Tracy Duncan, general manager of O’Betty’s, said. The restaurant also uses Russet potatoes.-Tracy Duncan

Myles Cutler, a senior studying sports management and marketing, who is also the founder and CEO of Fry’d, said Fry’d fries its fries in beef tallow, which makes them a better product.

“For that reason, they're a lot more flavorful, may come out crispier, and it's a higher-quality fry than any other place near here, and maybe even a higher quality than any other place in the state of Ohio,” Cutler said.

A medium traditional fry will run those on Court Street between $1.99 at Wendy’s and $4.79 at Fry’d Fries. Many other businesses on Court Street do not offer a medium option. Some, like O’Betty’s, offer only a small and a large. In other parts of town, like Larry’s Dawg House, you can get a medium fry for $2, or $1.99 at Steak 'n Shake.

A large fry on Court Street is the most expensive but is available at more restaurants.

A large at Fry’d costs the highest at $5.99. A large fry at Wendy’s is only $2.29 by comparison. O’Betty’s once again ranks in between, with a large costing $4.25. Wendy’s large option, though, is cheaper than Larry’s Dawg House’s large, which comes in at 2.35.

Fry finding infographic

O’Betty’s prices are based off the high-quality ingredients the restaurant uses, Tracy Duncan, general manager of O’Betty’s, said. The restaurant also uses Russet potatoes.

“Our french fries are fresh cut every day, soaked in water to remove the starches, and fried twice in 100% peanut oil,” Duncan said in an email.

For those looking for a more flavorful option, many restaurants in Athens offer additions to the traditional french fry. O’Betty’s offers a range of seasonings and toppings, including Cajun and cheese fries. Other restaurants, like Fry’d Fries and O’Betty’s, include sauces with their fries. Wendy’s also offers options with toppings.

“(Fry’d is) also all about our sauce,” Cutler said. “There's nobody who has our sauce, and for that reason, you can't go anywhere else and get the experience at our place.”

O’Betty’s Cajun fries cost $3.25 for a small and $4.25 for a large. Off Court Street, Cajun fries can also be bought at Steak 'n Shake for $2.08 for a small, $2.38 for a medium and $3.08 for a large. Larry’s Dawg House offers Cajun fries at $1.50 for a small, $2 for a medium and $2.35 for a large.

For those more interested in cheese fries, options include O’Betty’s and Steak 'n Shake, with prices ranging from $3.75 to $4.75 at O’Betty’s and $2.29 to $3.59 at Steak 'n Shake.

Many businesses in the area pride themselves on their quality of fries.

“We have done a lot of research and although there are some fairly decent frozen fries out there, they do not even compare with fries that are fresh cut and fried every day,” Duncan said in an email. “We also find that peanut oil is far superior to vegetable oil which is a less expensive oil that a lot of other restaurants use.”

Cutler said Fry’d offers an experience unlike any other place in Athens offering fries on its menu.

“There's nobody who has the type of fry with the quality of ours,” Cutler said. “And we don't only have fries. With tater tots, potato fries, funnel cake fries … we have three things that almost no other place on Court Street has. We're the only fry restaurant, to my knowledge, even in the state right now … We have a wider french fry variety than any other place in Athens, and I also think that our quality is a lot better.”

AUTHOR: Taylor Burnette
EDITOR: Abby Miller
COPY EDITOR: Bre Offenberger
ILLUSTRATION: Riley Lockhart
WEB DEVELOPMENT: Nathan Szoch