I tried cheese curds from Culver’s, Zaxby’s, and Freddy’s, and I found the best in the Midwest

I went to three popular chains near me in the US to try their cheese curds.

The Midwest might claim cheese curds as its own, but the savory snack can be traced back to Ancient Rome.

Luckily, dairy industries in Canada and the US have adapted their own versions of the bite-sized, moist, curdled milk. That may not sound appetizing to you, but as a Midwesterner, I know the taste is out of this world.

Fresh cheese curds — a byproduct of the cheesemaking process — are identifiable by their irregular shapes and squeakiness when chewed. And like everything that’s good about the Midwest, I like them best when they’re fried.

I typically avoid fast-food curds in favor of more authentic options near me, but I tried curds at Culver’s, Zaxby’s, and Freddy’s to see which chain is best.

Here’s how they stacked up.

First, I dropped by Zaxby’s.

Zaxby’s is better known for its chicken fingers.

On my quest for deep-fried cheese, Zaxby’s was the first stop. It’s technically a Southern-based chain originating in Georgia, but with hundreds of locations across the US, it’s become popular in the Midwest.

I generally think it does fried food well, with offerings that include fried chicken, cheesecake bites, and funnel cake.

The curds are marketed as white cheddar dipped in batter and served with ranch. I was already a little skeptical because of the white cheddar, which didn’t sound like authentic curds to me.

My $6.12 order came in a takeout box inside a plastic bag, with another plastic bag holding the napkins, utensils, and two containers of ranch dressing.

To me, this wasn’t a true curd.

A fry snuck into my container of cheese curds.

As expected, the cheese was more flavorful and thicker than a true curd. Although that may sound like a good thing, I’m a cheese-curd purist, and I was looking for something more authentic.

The breading was nice, but it was more like a batter.

Despite the flaws, Zaxby’s buttermilk ranch jacked the flavor tenfold. I also appreciated that I was served a fairly hefty portion.

Next, I visited Culver’s.

My Culver’s was packed, as usual.

The Wisconsin-based fast-food chain, now located across 26 US states, is one of my favorites.

Ordering anything at Culver’s is like braving a burger joint on the busiest night of the state fair. It took 16 minutes to get my single item, which was the longest wait by far.

Its Wisconsin cheese curds come in medium, large, and family sizes.

My medium order cost $4.82 and came in a paper bag inside a paper bag with no condiments. No dipping sauce is a bold move, and I hoped Culver’s wasn’t being overly confident.

There’s a nice herbaceousness to Culver’s curds.

I could see the seasoning in Culver’s breading.

Considering that Culver’s makes some of the best fast-food burgers and frozen custard in the region, I figured the chain also takes this Midwest staple seriously.

Fortunately, the curds were crispy, crunchy, and flavorful on the outside and delightfully cheesy on the inside. I can tell they’re made with fresh, Wisconsin cheese.

In addition to being delicious, it was the cheapest snack and the biggest serving size.

Freddy’s was my last stop of the day.

I’m generally a fan of Freddy’s, especially its fries.

Kansas-based Freddy’s is another popular Midwest chain with hundreds of locations across 36 US states. It’s known for its burgers, buttery frozen custard, and flavorful shoestring fries.

When I ordered my curds, the attendant gave me a choice between available dipping sauces — I went with ranch to keep things consistent with Zaxby’s.

The regular size with two sides of sauce came to $5.53.

The curds were properly squeaky, but the portions were tiny.

I didn’t get many curds at Freddy’s.

Unfortunately, Freddy’s had the smallest serving size of the three, and my container was only about half full. I’m not sure if I just came on a bad day, but it was super disappointing.

The deliciously fried cheese curds were squeaky when I bit into them, just the way they’re supposed to be. This certainly won the chain back a few points for authenticity.

Freddy’s ranch wasn’t buttermilk-based and had a more watery consistency. It didn’t add anything to the curds.

The best fast-food cheese curd was worth the wait.

Culver’s cheese curds were the best of the best.

Culver’s crispy, crunchy texture, sharp herbed flavor, and fresh Wisconsin cheddar made a phenomenal cheese curd. Far and away, it was the winner for me.

Although I thought the portion was a bit small for the price at Freddy’s, its curds also tasted authentic.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider Zaxby’s side to be real cheese curds (maybe more like fried cheese nuggets), but with some dipping sauce, they were still tasty.