I tried fries from 3 fast-food chains in the South, and the best were tender yet crunchy

Put an order of fries in front of me and I'll have "just one" until every last morsel is gone. No matter if you're dipping your potatoes in ketchup or buffalo sauce, I think fries need to stand on their own too.

In my opinion, there's no such thing as a bad fry but not all takes on this classic side are created equal. In order to find the tastiest fries, I ordered this potato dish from the Southern-based chains Zaxby's, Chick-fil-A, and Raising Cane's.

I compared the texture and flavor of each portion of fries to find which chain I preferred.

First, I tried Zaxby's. Founded in Georgia in 1990, the chain has 920 locations in the US and I was excited when it eventually came to Texas a few years ago.

I ordered a regular size of Zaxby's crinkle fries, which cost $2.39.

Though some people get excited about waffle, curly, or steak-cut fries, I've never been one to tie the taste of the snack to what shape they're cut into.

I've got to say, I think Zaxby's is onto something with the crinkle fries because they were crispy and crunchy but tender on the inside.

Zaxby's fries had a tasty, zesty seasoning sprinkled on top that complimented the equally flavorful chicken, which I also ordered. I'm not sure what's in it, but I've seen copycat recipes for the fry seasoning call for a blend of garlic and onion salt, black pepper, and oregano.

I couldn't pick out any one of those flavors when I tasted the fries but I still thought they were good. I didn't need to add salt to my fries but I dipped them in ketchup and Zax sauce because I really love those flavors.

Founded in 1946, Georgia-based Chick-fil-A has over 2,600 locations across the US. Chick-fil-A is best known for its chicken-based menu and being closed on Sundays.

I've ordered waffle fries from Chick-fil-A as part of a meal many times before. By themselves, a medium size of Chick-fil-A's fries cost $2.29.

To me, Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich is the focal point of the meal so this was honestly the first time I'd put any kind of thought into how the fries taste.

I ordered my Chick-fil-A lunch at the drive-through, took it home to eat (an eight-minute drive), and tried my fries.

Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by the fries I received. In my opinion, the fries were bland, soggy, and a little bit greasy. I also thought the portion I got was skimpy because my fries didn't even fill the cardboard container they came in.

Still, I'll give Chick-fil-A the benefit of the doubt. I think my Chick-fil-A may have been having an off day — usually, I have a good experience with its food.

Louisiana-based Zaxby's has about 630 locations in the US and a relatively simple menu that's mostly chicken fingers and fries. Texas, where I live, has nearly 200 locations, the most Raising Cane's restaurants in any state.

Similar to Zaxby's, Raising Cane's fries had a crinkle-cut shape. An order of Raising Cane's crinkle-cut fries costs $2.29.

My Raising Cane's fries seemed fresh and were served super hot so I waited for them to cool down for a few minutes before I ate them.

Though Raising Cane's fries looked like Zaxby's, they didn't have the same type of seasoning and lacked a similar crunch.

However, they were still served golden and crispy and tasted salty and flavorful. They may have been just a tad less well done than Zaxby's fries, which might have accounted for the lack of crunch.

Raising Cane's fries were tasty on their own but they were also delicious dipped in Cane's Sauce, a menu item I really like.

Though both Zaxby's and Raising Cane's tasty golden-brown fries were in a crinkle-cut shape, I preferred Zaxby's. The chain's fries were well seasoned and had the right balance of a crunchy exterior and a fluffy potato interior.

Raising Cane's fries were really good but they just didn't have the right amount of crunch I was looking for.

In the case of Chick-fil-A's fries, which I've had before, I believe the chain may have been having an off day that accounted for my subpar order. I'm curious to see what my fry experience will be like next time I'm at Chick-fil-A.

If I'm craving fries anytime soon, I'll be sure to stop by Zaxby's.