Brian Nagele
Get your day started with a taste explosion! With the help of our guide to the top fast food breakfast menus, explore the world of breakfast treats. Regardless of your preference for savory or sweet foods, this article is your pass to a hearty breakfast. We’ve combed the fast-food scene to compile a list of morning wonders that will tickle your taste senses, from crispy bacon to fluffy pancakes. Come along on a taste adventure as we investigate the breakfast options that are not only mouthwatering but also practical for people who are always on the go. Prepare to find the best options that will make you look forward to the most significant meal of the day as you discover how to improve your breakfast experience!
McDonald’s
At the top spot, we have McDonald’s. This is something that you probably came to expect because McDonald’s breakfast menu is top tier, and when it comes to fast food competitions, they usually win. McDonald’s was one of the first fast food restaurants to really make it, and likewise they were one of the first to offer breakfast. So, it would be rude to give this position to anybody else. McDonald’s breakfast is constantly changing, but despite this they have stayed loyal to some of their classics. Namely, the Egg McMuffin. This option has been on the breakfast menu at McDonald’s since 1971, and it shows no signs of leaving. Around this option, the McDonald’s menu is shifting and evolving with the times, as the company offers something for everyone. McDonald’s has also done a great job of offering coffee, with their popular McCafe options. What is breakfast without a good iced coffee? So no matter what you fancy for breakfast, you will always know that you can get it at your local McDonald’s, and this is why their menu will always be the best.
Taco Bell
As we have seen in this list, spicy breakfast meals are surprisingly popular. So, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Taco Bell has made it into the top 2. The best thing about the breakfast menu at Taco Bell is that it is continually innovative, and the company is constantly working on new ways to serve us outstanding breakfast food. Since Taco Bell breakfast was first launched, it has consisted of a range of different breakfast crunchwrap options, which have always been successful. But alongside that, they also offer sweet options such as buttery Cinnabon delights, the Waffle taco, and the cheesy toasted breakfast burrito. Taco Bell also has great hash browns, and I love to order a hash brown in my breakfast crunchwrap or burrito. They also have coffee – a necessity at breakfast, and their iced coffee is actually pretty good.
Chick-fil-A
W have given number 3 to Chick-fil-A. If you removed everything that you know about the breakfast menu at Chick-fil-A from the situation, you might be surprised to learn that they offer breakfast. After all, this isn’t something that KFC offers. But, Chick-fil-A does offer breakfast, and an excellent one at that. Now, when you picture breakfast, you might not immediately think of chicken. But, Chick-fil-A offers chicken with most of their breakfast options, and it has been met with nothing but success. To get your hands on a breakfast from Chick-fil-A, you will have to get up early because they stop serving it at 10:30AM. But, it is definitely worth it. From the chicken biscuit, to the hash brown scramble burrito, and their English muffins, there is something for everyone on this menu. Pair this with an excellent cup of coffee, which you already know Chick-fil-A offers, and you have the perfect breakfast. But it still doesn’t make it to the top spot.
Dunkin’ Donuts
If you want to start your day off with a sweet treat, then the breakfast menu at Dunkin’ Donuts is perfect. The company offers a wide range of breakfast pastries, most notably the croissant, which comes in a variety of flavors. But, like many fast food restaurants, they also offer lots of breakfast sandwiches to choose between, including bacon, egg, cheese, ham, and lots more. Additionally, Dunkin’ Donuts even offer healthier options such as cream cheese bagels and flatbreads. But, the best thing about breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t necessarily the breakfast itself, instead it is the coffee that you can order alongside it. With hot coffees for a cold winter’s day, and iced coffees for a hot summer’s morning, there is the perfect drink to pair with whatever breakfast option you choose.
Jack in the Box
Next up, we have Jack in the Box. Jack in the Box ranks so high on this list for one primary reason, and that is the fact that they offer such a wide range of options. In fact, Jack in the Box has 18 different breakfast options to choose from, and they are all great. From biscuits to croissants to pancakes and burritos, they offer lots of sweet treats. But, Jack in the Box also offers a variety of savory options, one of the most popular being the Loaded Breakfast Sandwich, which contains cheese, sausage, ham, egg, and bacon. However, the showstopper on the Jack in the Box breakfast menu is their Mocha Iced Coffee, which is always guaranteed to level up your breakfast, no matter what you order. But unfortunately for Jack in the Box, there are some other breakfast menus which are simply better.
Starbucks
If you are someone who often skips breakfast in favor of your morning coffee, then a Starbucks breakfast might be perfect for you. With a Starbucks breakfast, you can simply order it alongside your morning coffee, and then you are good to go. Of course, Starbucks technically isn’t a fast food restaurant, but with more and more stores offering drive-in services, it is only a matter of time before they will be considered one. Compared to some of the other breakfast menus that we have looked at, Starbucks is a little more sophisticated. From their Bacon and Gouda artisan sandwich to their sous vide egg bites, Starbucks offer something for everyone, and you can simply order whatever you want alongside your morning coffee. They even offer healthy options, like Greek yogurt parfait or egg white sandwiches that are lighter than other on-the-go options.
Burger King
Somewhere else that offers a great spin on classic breakfast dishes is Burger King. Burger King is one of the fast food restaurants that have got the balance on their breakfast menu just right. They offer classic breakfast dishes with subtle twists that taste wonderful. Back in 1983, Burger King debuted their now infamous Croissan’Wich, and since then it has only grown in popularity. The classic flavor was egg and cheese-based, but the restaurant now offers additional flavors. Alongside this, they also now offer burritos, French toast sticks, and hash browns, so their breakfast is now a lot wider than it once was.
Del Taco
If you love spicy breakfast options, then Del Taco might be the perfect place for you to visit. Sonic Drive-In offers some spicy options for breakfast, but these have nothing on the range that Del Taco offers. However, the breakfast menu at Del Taco is fairly basic, and it doesn’t offer any blander options. So, if you don’t like spicy things, this definitely isn’t the place for you. But, for lovers of spice, then options such as the breakfast burrito and breakfast toasted wrap might be perfect for you. Both of these options use classic Tex-Mex ingredients such as chorizo, salsa cadera, and carne aseda to put a spicy twist on classic breakfast ingredients. So, if you want to kick off your day with something spicy, Del Taco is perfect.
Panera
Panera has a wide breakfast menu, but as the company is a bread company, the majority of their breakfast options include bread. This is the main reason why they have not ranked higher on this list, because they will be unsuitable for those with certain dietary requirements, and those following low-carb diets. From a variety of ciabatta and brioche rolls, to wraps, souffles, and even oatmeal. There are lots on the Panera breakfast menu, but they all center around the same ingredients. These are bacon, chicken, egg, cheese, avocado, and spinach. So, if you love these flavors or you love a baked good for breakfast, then Panera could be the perfect choice for you.
Whataburger
Whataburger has surprisingly delicious breakfast offerings that may surprise you for this burger joint. Whataburger is often the go-to option for late night snacks after a night of drinking, but they also offer an outstanding breakfast menu. The breakfast menu at Whataburger is incredible in so many ways, it is vast and full of different options, it is reasonably priced, and most importantly, it tastes wonderful. Whataburger offers biscuit sandwiches, pancake platters, and breakfast burgers. But, their most infamous breakfast option is the taquito with cheese. A taquito is a tortilla wrap that is stuffed with scrambled eggs, spicy Mexican-style chorizo, and American cheese. As you will expect, the taquito is insanely delicious.
Sonic Drive-In
If you want a fast food restaurant that isn’t strict on time windows, then Sonic Drive-In is the best option for you. Unlike some other restaurants that are very strict about stopping their breakfast menu at 11am, Sonic Drive-In will serve you anything that you want off their breakfast menu. No matter what time of day it is. The range of options on the Sonic Drive-In menu isn’t that great, but the options that they do offer are delicious. From French and Texas toast, to a range of breakfast burritos, there is something for everyone. But, the best option on the Sonic Drive-In breakfast menu is the Supersonic Breakfast Burrito. With a mixture of spicy and mild ingredients, the flavors are wide and vast. But, if you prefer more traditional breakfast options, then Sonic probably isn’t the best place for you.
Wendy’s
Next up we have Wendy’s breakfast menu. With time, this breakfast menu could potentially make it to the top of this list. But, Wendy’s breakfast menu was only launched at the beginning of 2020, so it is a baby in the fast food breakfast industry. Despite it being new, Wendy’s breakfast menu has been met with nothing but success, and this is mainly because of the ‘Breakfast Baconator’. Within this, you will find a sausage, 2 layers of bacon, a fried egg, and Swiss cheese sauce, all sandwiched in a yummy bun. But this isn’t the only successful option on their breakfast menu, if you would prefer chicken then they have the Honey Butter chicken biscuit, and they also offer a variety of cold breakfast drinks too. Another newer favorite at Wendy’s is the maple bacon chicken croissant – this breakfast sandwich is my personal favorite, offering salty and sweet flavors together.
White Castle
If you have been to White Castle before, then you will probably be familiar with the fact that White Castle is notoriously famous for their small portions. This is the main reason why we cannot rank them any higher. Don’t get us wrong, White Castle has a fantastic breakfast menu, and the options that they offer are very delicious. But, they simply aren’t filling enough. So, if you go here, you will need to order more than one meal if you want to fill yourself up. Thankfully, White Castle has a lot of different options to help you out. From regular sliders to waffle sliders and toast sandwiches, plus a variety of ‘side’ dishes, including hash brown nibblers, White Castle has something for everyone on their breakfast menu.
Bojangles
Bojangles offers all-day breakfast, which is great news considering they have some great fast food breakfast options. In terms of breakfast sandwiches, Bojangles is famous for its breakfast biscuits. They offer a range of biscuit breakfast sandwiches, including traditional breakfast sandwiches like bacon, egg, and cheese and sausage and egg, as well as country ham, southern gravy biscuit, and their famous cajun chicken biscuit. The biscuits are great, but I also love Bojangles for their Bo-Tato rounds, essentially poppable hash browns. They are some of the best fast food chain hash browns out there. You also can’t talk about Bojangles breakfast menu without mentioning their Bo Berry biscuit, a sweet options with blueberries and sweet icing.
Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr. is another one of the fast food chains with great breakfast offerings. Similar to Bojangles, Carl’s offers biscuit breakfast sandwiches, with classics like a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit or their Monster Biscuit that includes a sausage patty, bacon, and extra eggs and cheese. Carl’s Jr. also offers assorted breakfast burritos, a breakfast burger, and classic hash rounds. You can’t go wrong with any of these breakfast sandwich options at this fast food chain.
Subway
The first place that you think of when it comes to breakfast likely isn’t Subway. But, Subway actually offers a lot of different breakfast options. Arguably, these options are fairly basic. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to breakfast, sometimes basic is best. After all, there isn’t much better than a bacon sandwich smothered in ketchup. Subway offers their breakfast menu in the same style as their regular lunch menu, with different ‘breakfast’ fillings for breakfast sandwiches. From bacon to sausage to egg and cheese, and a combination of all of these, you can customize your breakfast sub to suit you. You can even select the style of bread that you want to use. The breakfast menu at Subway definitely isn’t exciting, but it is reliable, and it always tastes good, so you can always depend on this option.
