Fast Food Fries At The Bottom Of The Bag Are Simply The Best

Scrambling around in the bottom of a greasy bag searching for the last of the fast food French fries is akin to cutting the grass one day and suddenly discovering oil. Relishing the fries at the bottom of the bag is the goldmine of eating experiences for the fast food aficionado. Why are these last few fries so delicious? 

Discovering the definitive reason bottom-of-the-bag fries taste so good is challenging, especially since the scientific investigation of the subject is sparse (come on boffins, focus on something really important). Needless to say, there is plenty of discussion on the subject on social media. Some theories might even have the science to back them up.

One of the wackier ideas is that these fries have greater quality because they have been free to roam. A more plausible theory is that a psychological boost is achieved by discovering bonus fries that have escaped the grasp of corporate monopolies in a torturous world. The fries that fall to the bottom tend to be the smaller fries, as well, which get a little burnt and are extra crispy. However, the most likely explanation for why the last few fries are so delicious is that they are coated in salt.

The presence of even more salt than normal is probably the best reason why French fries at the bottom of fast food bags are the tastiest, because there is at least a sprinkle of factual evidence to bolster the argument.

The theory is straightforward. Fast food companies are renowned for being very liberal with their use of salt — Wendy's, for instance, uses 246 milligrams of sodium in each portion of its medium fries, while Burger King adds 270 milligrams, and McDonald's uses 260 milligrams. According to a study reported by the National Library of Medicine, salt does more than just add a salty taste to food. "Salt was found to improve the perception of product thickness, enhance sweetness, mask metallic or chemical off-notes, and round out overall flavor while improving flavor intensity."

When fast food bags get thrown around as they're transported by clock-watching delivery drivers and wildfire children, it's easy for salt to become dislodged and plummet to the bottom, coating the remaining fries — similar to the pockets of salty bits crammed into the corners of chip packets that your lightly licked fingers always dig up. The huge dollops of salt could be the real reason that French fries lurking at the bottom of the bag taste so good.