National French Fry Day Is This Fry-Day — Here Are 9 Places to Score Freebies and Discounts

Potatoes are amazing little tubers that do a lot of heavy lifting for the hungry. "Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew," as JRR Tolkien said — or in this case, drop them in sizzling oil until they are fried a deep golden shade of delicious.

This Friday, July 12, is National French Fry Day, and in honor of the yummy potato strips, several restaurants are giving away freebies or offering discounts on America's favorite snack to grab on the go. Dining out has become increasingly expensive lately, so snacking on freebies during these "National Food" days can help lower the cost of picking up an occasional treat. 

Here are some of the best deals we found. 

It's hard to mention French fries without McDonald's springing to mind. The fast food giant has thoroughly branded them as the piping hot side order of choice, and it's living up to the reputation by offering free medium fries—that's right—every single Friday for the rest of the year. 

It requires signing up for the rewards program (which is also free) and a minimum purchase of $1. Grabbing an item from the dollar menu qualifies, again making fast food affordable. 

Members of Burger King's Royal Perks program can expect the same deal McDonald's offers except with fries of any size. Starting July 12, members will get a free order of any size fries with a minimum purchase of $1 every Friday for the rest of the year. 

This weekend, members will also get twice the Crowns rewards in the app for every purchase that contains French fries.  

Not to be outdone by the competition, Wendy's also offers free fries every Friday for the rest of the year. It does require downloading the Wendy's app and creating an account, but then it's free French fries to finish off at the end of every week. 

The best part is the offer is good for any size fries, so it's not just the smallest sampling. 

If you already have the Whataburger app, they will automatically pre-load the offer of free medium fries for you — and they'll also throw in a free burger! Make sure you download the app before July 12 to ensure the offer appears for you. The offer is redeemable in-store locations, too, but the app is still required. 

Have you tried the Fries n’ Ice Cream Dipper from Friendly's? It's certainly not for everybody, but if you enjoy dipping French fries in ice cream, you can get $2 off an order this Friday. 

Great news for everybody squinting and wondering if they can hold the fries and just get the ice cream — the answer's yes. The $2 off applies to any large sundae.

White Castle is phoning it in on its National French Fry Day offer, but if you buy an order of small fries, they will double it for free on Friday. Use the code FRYDAY or grab a coupon from their website to redeem in person without having to download any apps. 

The offer is a bit weak compared to competing restaurant chains, but it is refreshing not to have to download any new apps. 

Do you want nacho fries every day for a month? Taco Bell may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about French fries, but they have a Nacho Fries Lover’s Pass for $10 that includes a regular-size order of nacho fries every day for 30 days. 

That's a fantastic deal if you want to eat at Taco Bell daily. 

KFC is offering a free order of any size Secret Recipe Fries along with any online order on Friday. The offer does require joining the KFC rewards program, which is also free to join. They also offer 50% off chicken sandwiches, so it's a great deal if you want a meal, not just a snack. 

Fatburger operates in 14 states across the country, so if there is one nearby, you'll want to swing through on Friday to grab a free order of fries. They offer two versions, "skinny" or "fat," which indicates how thick the potatoes are sliced — and both are available for this freebie promotion. 

This offer is available in stores but can also be claimed online using the code "FRYDAY24." 

If you've got a local Raising Cane's and you're not a member of the Caniac Club, you'll want to join so you can take advantage of their free French fries. The freebie can be redeemed in the store or on their app, and it's free to join the club. They offer classic crinkle-cut fries on their menu.

Everybody loves a French fry, and with every major fast food chain offering deals on fries this Friday, there is bound to be one nearby no matter where you live — maybe several. 

There are so many freebies that one could dine on potatoes all day for practically nothing! Several of these deals continue every Friday for the rest of the year, too, so that could cut costs for diners who are regularly looking to save money at restaurants.