Here's How Arby's Fries Get Their Iconic Shape

True fans of Arby's have likely tried both the potato cakes and French fries. Though both are greasy and delicious — as one would expect from a fast food chain – there's something about the curly fries that make them oh-so-good. From the slightly spicy seasoning to the bounce of the curls, Arby's curly fries are pretty hard to pass up; and if you can eat them without stretching each fry out, only to watch them bounce back, more power to you. If you're a fan of these perfect potato spirals, you might have wondered how Arby's curly fries are made, including that iconic shape you know so well.

While there is a specific process used to make curly fries so curly, there's a specific company behind these fries too. Simplot was the first company to produce curly fries in mass quantities, and they used a really specific blend of spices. People loved them so much that everyone who copied the recipe used the same or a similar seasoning blend (via The Daily Meal). Though the origin of the curly fries explains why you'll get a similar tasting and looking curly fry wherever you order them, there is something particular about the way Arby's curly fries are made that helps them stand out from the crowd.

Curly fries start from whole potatoes, of course. According to the Food Network show Unwrapped, ConAgra Foods is the company behind Arby's famous curly fries, and they have some very large and powerful machinery to help them process those spuds into perfect spirals for the fast food chain. Once the whole potatoes are cleaned, they're pushed through a set of pipes at 60 miles per hour using water. While in those pipes, the potatoes are sent through blades that rotate while the potatoes are held in place. So, as they are cut, the knife works around the potato to produce the iconic shape.

You might even be pretty surprised by how long these curly fries can get. In 2008, one woman in Hendersonville, North Carolina unfurled a curly fry to find that it measured over two and a half feet long! But, there are a few more steps after they're sliced that the curly fries go through to reach their true potential. After the fries are cut into spirals, they're blanched so you get that perfect soft on the inside, fried crispy on the outside texture. The fries are then dried and battered with a mixture that already has the seasoning mixed in. Finally, they're fried and frozen, ready to be fried once more when you order them at your local Arby's. So, the next time you go to Arby's and order some fries, you'll know just how got their curly shape.