Best French Fries

1. Cornucopia 295 W 17th Ave. 541-485-2300; 207 E. 5th Ave. Ste. 109; 541-485-2676; 521 Main St., Springfield, 541-485-2879. CornucopiaEugene.com.

2. McMenamin’s (all of them) 1243 High St. 541-345-4905; 22 Club Rd. 541-343-5622; 1485 E. 19th Ave. 342-4025. McMenamins.com.

3. Little Big Burger 1404 Orchard St. 541-357-4771. LittleBigBurger.com.

On election night, I decided to treat myself to a Corny Reuben and French fries. It was a risk because there are some locations in Eugene that some people avoid after the 2016 election. But after reviewing some of the finest French fries in Eugene-Springfield last year, I thought I’d settle my nerves with some fries from Cornucopia because Eugene Weekly readers say it’s the best. I don’t say this often, but the readers are right. Cornucopia’s fries have body and character — they’re so good that I didn’t need a heavy pool of hot sauce and mustard. As election night went on, I felt OK as the swing states showed Trump in the lead. It’s too bad I didn’t have a basket of these fries back in 2016.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!