7 Chains That Should Just Stop Serving Onion Rings (And 7 That Have Perfected Them)
Onion rings are a beloved side dish that can make or break your fast food experience. When done right, they’re crispy, flavorful circles of heaven. When done wrong, they’re greasy, soggy disappointments that leave you wondering why you didn’t just order fries.
That is why, today, we will explore which chains in the U.S. should hang up their onion ring recipe and which ones have mastered this crispy delicacy.
1. Culver’s Needs a Ring Intervention
Despite making their rings from scratch daily, Culver’s onion rings fall flat in the flavor department. The batter-to-onion ratio is completely off-kilter, with too much greasy coating overwhelming the wimpy onion inside.
Many customers report inconsistent quality—sometimes decent, often disappointing. What should be a crispy delight turns into an oil-soaked mess before you finish your burger.
2. Burger King’s Tiny Ring Tragedy
Burger King’s onion rings suffer from a serious identity crisis. Are they rings or onion-flavored donuts? The excessive batter drowns out any actual onion taste, leaving you with what amounts to fried air.
Size is another issue—they’re often comically small. When you can pop three rings in your mouth at once, something’s wrong. The inconsistency between locations adds insult to injury.
3. White Castle’s Onion Chips (Not Rings)
White Castle doesn’t even try to maintain the ring shape, instead offering what they call “onion chips.” These flattened, oddly-shaped onion bits lack the satisfying bite of a proper ring.
I once ordered these, expecting actual rings and received what looked like onion confetti. The batter is bland, and the onion pieces are so thin, you’ll question if you’re eating onions at all.
The texture is all wrong—crunchy but hollow.
4. McDonald’s Regional Ring Disaster
In the regions where McDonald’s offers onion rings, they should seriously reconsider. Their rings suffer from mass-production syndrome—frozen, reheated, and devoid of freshness.
The onion inside is often mushy and flavorless, while the exterior resembles cardboard more than crispy batter. Last summer, I tried them at three different locations during a road trip.
Each serving was worse than the last!
5. Dairy Queen’s Identity Crisis Rings
Dairy Queen can’t decide if their onion rings should be a dessert or a side dish. The batter is oddly sweet, creating a confusing flavor profile that clashes with the onion inside.
The texture is inconsistent—sometimes crispy, often soggy. The rings vary wildly in size, with some containing barely a sliver of onion.
When a chain is known for ice cream, perhaps savory sides aren’t their strong suit.
6. Applebee’s Freezer-to-Fryer Fiasco
Applebee’s onion rings scream “I came from a freezer bag!” with every bite. The uniform shape and size betray their mass-produced origins, lacking any homemade charm.
The batter is thick yet somehow tasteless, while the onion inside is often either undercooked or missing altogether.
For a sit-down restaurant charging premium prices compared to fast food, the quality is inexcusably poor.
7. Jack in the Box’s Forgettable Rings
Jack in the Box’s onion rings are the definition of mediocrity. Neither terrible nor good, they exist in a limbo of fast food adequacy that makes them entirely forgettable.
The batter lacks crispness, often becoming chewy after just a few minutes. The onion inside is thin and lacks flavor.
When your onion rings are so unremarkable that customers don’t remember eating them, it’s time to improve or remove.
8. Sonic Drive-In’s Crispy Golden Perfection
Sonic Drive-In has mastered the art of the onion ring. Their rings feature a sweet, crispy batter that perfectly complements the thick, juicy onion inside.
The contrast between the crunchy exterior and tender onion creates textural harmony. Served hot and fresh, they maintain their crispness even during your drive home.
No wonder Sonic consistently tops lists of best fast food onion rings in America!
9. A&W’s Hand-Crafted Ring Masterpiece
A&W takes onion rings seriously, and it shows. Their thick-cut rings are hand-crafted daily, using whole onions rather than pre-processed ingredients.
The beer-batter coating is light yet substantial, with a distinctive flavor that pairs perfectly with their famous root beer. Each ring has a satisfying crunch followed by sweet, tender onion.
I’ve driven an extra 20 minutes just to get these rings instead of settling for closer options!
10. Whataburger’s Texas-Sized Ring Success
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including Whataburger’s perfectly executed onion rings. These rings boast a substantial thickness that gives you a satisfying bite of sweet onion in every mouthful.
The seasoned batter has a peppery kick that elevates them above standard offerings. The consistency is remarkable—they’re always cooked to golden perfection.
These rings aren’t just a side; they’re a reason to visit Whataburger in themselves.
11. Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr.’s Addictively Crispy Rings
Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. serve up onion rings with a beer-battered richness that keeps fans coming back. The batter maintains its crispness throughout your meal, never becoming soggy or limp.
The onion inside is thick-cut and sweet, creating a perfect balance with the savory coating. These substantial rings can stand alone as a snack or complement any burger.
They’re consistently good across locations—a rare achievement in fast food.
12. Freddy’s Frozen Custard’s Thin-Sliced Wonders
Freddy’s takes a different approach with thin-sliced onion rings that offer a delicate crunch rather than a hefty bite. The lighter batter allows the sweet onion flavor to shine through without being overwhelmed.
These rings are shoestring-thin yet never greasy, with a satisfying crispness that lasts. The serving size is generous, creating a towering pile of rings.
They are perfect for people who find traditional thick rings too overwhelming.
13. Portillo’s Chicago-Style Ring Excellence
Portillo’s brings Chicago-style excellence to their onion rings with a distinctive batter that’s both substantial and light. The coating has a slight sweetness that creates harmony with the thick-cut onion inside.
These rings maintain their crunch from first bite to last. The portion size is generous enough to share, though you might not want to!
They pair perfectly with Portillo’s famous hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches for a complete Chicago experience.
14. Smashburger’s Haystack Onion Revolution
Smashburger reinvents the onion ring with their Haystack Onions—thinly sliced, lightly battered, and fried to crispy perfection. These delicate strands create a nest-like appearance that’s as fun to eat as it is delicious.
The thin cut allows for maximum crispiness with minimal greasiness. They’re seasoned just right—not too salty, with a hint of pepper.
I’ve converted several onion ring skeptics with these unique creations that avoid the common pitfalls of traditional rings.