What Fast Food Chain Has The Best Onion Rings: Top 10 Restaurants

What fast food chain has the best onion rings? If you’re a person who enjoys the taste of salty, greasy fried food, then onion rings are the perfect side dish.

And while some people may say that they have a lot of calories, there is actually lots of nutritional value in this culinary delight.

So if you’re looking for something healthy to balance out your meal or just want to keep your calorie intake below 2,000 for the day, then what fast food chain deserves the top spot on our list? The answer may surprise you…

What Fast Food Chain Has The Best Onion Rings: Top 10 Restaurants

1. Burger King

While some people may be skeptical about eating onion rings at a fast food restaurant, it turns out that Burger King actually does them the best.

While their old slogan was ‘Have it your way,’ we say the best way to eat Burger King onion rings is with the Honey BBQ sauce that comes with the meal.

Just ask for an order of onion rings at your local branch, and you’ll taste just how good they are! Of course, there are other great options on this list, so read on.

2. White Castle

If you’re in search of an onion ring that’s as close to homemade as possible, then look no further than White Castle.

Not only does this fast food chain serve them with a side of ranch dressing for dipping, but they even have the onion and batter resting in a bed of ice to help keep them fresh.

Plus, you can order an onion ring instead of French fries to ensure that your meal is low-calorie.

3. Steak ‘n Shake

The next place to get an amazing onion ring is Steak ‘n Shake, and it also has the distinction of being the first place that uses Idaho potatoes to create its signature flavor. Why?

Because Idaho is known as the ‘onion ring state’ and also produces many potatoes, that means that while you’re eating your onion rings at this famous restaurant, you can enjoy the taste of both onions and potatoes.

4. Sonic

If you love onion rings but would like to try something a little different, then Sonic definitely has something to offer you. In fact, they have a large variety of options, including jalapeno poppers, chili cheese dogs, and even hot dogs with cheese on them.

But if you want something healthy for an incredibly low price, then ask for their special onion rings instead. By the way, we don’t recommend the onion rings with cheese.

5. Wendy’s

While it might not be surprising to see Wendy’s on this list, their onion rings definitely deserve their place. Of course, they’re going to have a lot of calories because they are deeply fried, but when used as a side to some of their other choices, those numbers can be consumed much more easily.

These potato-based snacks even come with free red-skinned potatoes, so you don’t have to worry about getting anything that is unhealthy.

So if you love onion rings and aren’t worried about the extra calories they contain, then try your luck at Wendy’s!

6. KFC

KFC isn’t famous for its onion rings, but that doesn’t keep them from being some of the best-fried foods. The fact that they are fried gives them an extra kick of flavor and is worth the calories after all.

Of course, if you’re not into deep-fried food, then it’s definitely possible to make your own at home. Check out our article here on how to make homemade onion rings so you can try a healthier alternative instead!

7. Papa John’s

While they may not be known for their sauce, Papa John’s is still one of the best places to get your hands on some great onion rings. In fact, they’re heartier and more filling than most of your other choices, but that just means that they have more flavor and crunch than anything else. If you’d like a side to go with your pizza, then you should certainly get the onion rings here.

8. Hardee’s

Hardee’s is another fast food chain that knows how to make an onion ring for its customers. Hardee’s has got you covered if you want to get a side with your waffle fries. It also serves up some great onion rings in its original burger or as a side with the Bigger ‘n Better Whopper.

In fact, they are one of the few places that serve their onion rings with a homemade ranch that they make themselves!

9. White Castle

White Castle may be the home of the original onion ring, but they still make them better than anyone else! Not only do they serve them hot and fresh with a side of ranch dressing, but they even have their onion rings in an ice bath to keep them as fresh as possible.

When you eat these deep-fried delights, it’s almost like your eating a homemade snack that has just been delivered to your door.

10. Culver’s

The last place on our list is Culver’s, and you can find this restaurant chain everywhere from Florida to Wisconsin. While they are famous for their frozen custard (which we highly recommend trying), it turns out that their onion rings are pretty good too.

Plus, they have a lot of variety to choose from. You can get them plain, you can get them with cheese, and of course, you can get them with bacon bits!

And don’t be fooled by the fact that they are fast food because they have a whole lot more to offer your taste buds.

What Do You Eat With Onion Rings?

Fried onion rings are the perfect side to a burger or sandwich. But what do you actually put them on? If you’re looking for ideas, we’ve got some great ideas for you, so check them out below:

Boneless Chicken Wings

With this list, we saw that there are actually quite a few different ways to enjoy onion rings, but they’re all great. You can either eat them as an appetizer or as a snack and, depending on how you eat them and which ones you order, they can be either healthy or high in calories. Of course, you’ll have to watch out for the fact that onion rings are fried as well.

Hamburger

Some of the best foods to eat with onion rings include hamburgers, sandwiches, and burgers. Since these items have a bun, it’s easy to put the onion ring on top. It holds it there so you can still get the taste of your food and all of the crunchy goodness that goes along with an onion ring.

French Fries

While you can use onion rings as a side to a burger or sandwich, you can also just eat them by themselves. You could mix them with some ketchup and then eat them plain.

For sure, onion rings are a great side for fries. It’s kind of like bread and butter, but better because of its deep fry taste.

Breakfast

So if you’ve been enjoying your morning meal with onion rings, you’re probably not wanting to go straight for your usual eggs for breakfast tomorrow morning. But why not?

Serve up your eggs with some finely cut onion rings, some salsa, and a few pieces of bacon for a great breakfast that is just as delicious as it is unique.

Pizza

While a few people out there enjoy putting onion rings on top of their pizza, those people are definitely in the minority. But if you’d like to try something new and different, then why not give it a shot?

You can order onion rings with cheese on them and then put those on top of your Margherita pizza. It’ll definitely be different, but if you’ve got the urge to try something new, this is the way!

Grilled Cheese

Similarly, you can put onion rings on top of a grilled cheese sandwich, and yes, it is delicious. Of course, you can always try to grab some bread from any bakery, cut it up, and then smother it with gooey cheese and onion ring goodness. You won’t be disappointed!

Chili Dogs

When you think of chili dogs, your mind probably goes right to the chili itself and then the hot dogs that are in them. While there are definitely people out there who would disagree with this, the onion rings that go on top of a chili dog are great. They aren’t usually anything special, but when you mix it with the chili, it becomes a whole new experience altogether.

With Spaghetti

There are a lot of times when people make spaghetti with nothing more than tomato sauce and noodles. This is fine and dandy, but it doesn’t really stand out in most people’s minds as being all that special or delicious.

If you want to take your spaghetti up a notch, then try putting some onion rings on top of the pasta instead of just adding those typical vegetables that everyone else uses!

How Healthy Are Onion Rings Fries?

Well, they’re definitely not anywhere close to being considered healthy, and they do have a lot of calories that you’re going to have to work off. But at the same time, it’s not like you’re getting just straight fat from this dish.

In fact, onion rings are frying items made from many different vegetables, including onions, carrots, and celery. Even the oil that is used for frying these delicious items comes from those vegetables, too, so it’s almost like a healthy meal in itself?

When Is Onion Ring Day?

Onion Ring Day was created by an official proclamation by President Bill Clinton back in 1994. This was done as a way to honor John G. Kallam.

When Is National Onion Ring Day?

National Onion Ring Day is celebrated on July 14th of each year.

How To Make Onion Rings At Home?

There are a few ways to make your own onion rings if you’re looking for a homemade recipe, but the first thing you’re going to have to do is cut up your onions into rings.

Then, you should use some type of flour (you can use regular flour or crushed corn flakes) and cover the rings in it before deep frying them in vegetable oil or oil from a nut tree. Once they’re done, sprinkle them with salt and enjoy some delicious onion rings!

The Bottom Line

While there are certainly other fast food chains out there that make great onion rings, we’ve managed to include 10 of the most popular restaurants on our list and, therefore, the best choice for you. After all, we want you to have the best experience possible when you try out each place and get a chance to eat at their establishments. Who knows, you may even like them enough to eat there again!

Of course, if you’re going to make your own onion rings at home, we’d also love for you to look at this recipe for homemade onion rings that we’ve included in our article.

It’s simple, but it’s still delicious and lets you decide whether or not how many onions go into it. Enjoy!