<p class="ingestion featured-caption">I went to three popular chains near me in the US to try their cheese curds.Meredith Schneider</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Cheese curds are a big <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-fast-food-chains-in-midwest-everyone-should-try">favorite in the Midwest</a>, but which chain has the best fast-food option?</li><li>I tried <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-colby-cheese-made-using-a-100-year-old-technique-2021-4">cheese curds</a> from Culver's, Zaxby's, and Freddy's.</li></ul><p>The Midwest might claim cheese curds as its own, but the savory snack can be traced back to <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-ancient-rome-history-2018-4">Ancient Rome</a>.</p><p>Luckily, <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rise-and-fall-of-milk-dairy-industry-2021-11">dairy industries</a> in Canada and the US have adapted their own versions of the bite-sized, moist, curdled milk. That may not sound appetizing to you, but as a Midwesterner, I know the taste is out of this world.</p><p>Fresh cheese curds — a byproduct of the <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-20-cheeses-are-made-around-the-world-2023-6">cheesemaking process</a> — are identifiable by their irregular shapes and squeakiness when chewed. And like everything that's good about the Midwest, I like them best when they're fried.</p><p>I typically avoid fast-food curds in favor of more authentic options near me, but I tried curds at Culver's, Zaxby's, and Freddy's to see <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/review-which-chain-has-best-burgers-culvers-freddys-sonic-2024-10">which chain is best</a>.</p><p>Here's how they stacked up.</p>