Nutrition experts will debate whether breakfast truly is (or isn’t) the most important meal of the day, but if you ask any member of the Allrecipes team, it’s tough to feel like you have enough gas in the tank to tackle the day without it. Whether it’s granola, eggs, oats, muffins, or a simple piece of fruit, we’re firm believers that even if breakfast isn’t the most important meal, it’s certainly worth making a habit.
However, busy mornings can make it challenging to get breakfast on the table, so sometimes, we end up outsourcing the morning meal and swinging through a drive-thru. Regardless of the reason, we sure are glad restaurants exist to help fuel our mornings.
With options ranging from biscuits to burritos and tempting menu items available at coffee shops, fast food restaurants, and beyond, how is a hungry breakfast fan supposed to choose? In our internal fast food breakfast ratings, Chick-fil-A’s Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit came out on top. But it was a close battle between the contenders (well, except for the Dunkin’ Wake-Up Wrap), so we decided to tap a panel of professional chefs to discover which morning meals they think make the grade.
Photo: Cara Cormack/Food: Alice Ostan
Our Panel of Fast Food Breakfast Sandwich-Rating Chefs
- Jamie Bissonnette, chef and founding partner, BCB3 Hospitality, which includes Temple Records, Sushi @ Temple Records, Somaek, and ZURiTO in Boston, Massachusetts
- Brent Daigle, executive chef for Premier Food Group in Thibodaux, Louisiana
- Dominic Iannarelli, chef-owner of Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, Iowa
- Leslie Rohland, chef-owner of The Cottage Cafe and The Juice Hive in Bluffton, South Carolina
- Peter Som, a New York City-based award-winning fashion designer, culinary creator, lifestyle expert, and the author of the upcoming cookbook “Family Style“
- Jenner Tomaska, executive chef and co-owner of Esmé and Bar Esmé in Chicago, Illinois
What Makes a Great Breakfast Sandwich?
Just like many of us have different preferences for the “best” way to cook an egg, definitions of the “best breakfast sandwich” vary from person to person.
“Fast food breakfast sandwiches can be tricky! Just the word ‘fast’ prefacing ‘food’ can be worrisome to me in some ways,” says Rohland. “If indulging in a morning bite, I seek a simple, hearty, and straightforward morning pop of nutrition.”
Still, a few qualities are worth keeping in mind when reaching for the ultimate breakfast sandwich:
- It’s not too messy. According to Tomaska, “Anything too messy is a no.” Iannarelli admits that “Breakfast is usually my most rushed meal of the day, so I need a breakfast sandwich that’s easy to eat on-the-go. That means I don’t want eggs that are runny, as that can get messy when on the move.” Som agrees, noting that the construction should make it easy to take a bite “without causing the entire thing to fall apart.”
- Each ingredient could stand alone. Bissonnette believes that bacon is likely to be “hit or miss, and it’s often chewy and bland.” So he generally gravitates towards sausage or ham, which he thinks are more “solid bets.” As for the eggs, they shouldn’t be rubbery. The bread, muffin, or biscuit should be able to support the other ingredients without crumbling under their weight, Iannarelli adds.
- The ingredient ratios are balanced. Depending on the bread, protein, and topping choices, a breakfast sandwich can have one ingredient steal the show. The optimal breakfast sandwich allows for all the ingredients to shine and work in tandem. “I look for a good balance of egg to carb to cheese. They should all be in proportion,” Som says.
- It’s not too salty. Bacon, sausage, and ham all tend to be fairly high in sodium, and many cheeses, condiments, and even breads can err on the salty side. Ingredient selection and preparation can move the needle to make the finished product flavorful or objectively oversalted. So for Som, it’s important “that the salt levels are not too out of control.”
- Ideally, it should include cheese. Iannarelli asks, “Because who doesn’t love cheese?” If fromage is included, Bissonnette prefers American for the nostalgic vibes and because it lends itself so well to melting.
Photo: Cara Cormack/Food: Alice Ostan/Allrecipes
The Best Fast Food Breakfast Sandwich, According to Chefs
With three votes, the winner of our breakfast sandwich face-off is the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin.
“In my opinion, McDonald’s has always owned the fast food breakfast market,” Iannarelli says. “This no-frills sandwich checks all the boxes of what I look for in a quality fast food breakfast sandwich. The chewiness of the muffin is my favorite detail, and the American cheese and sausage team up to add the perfect saltiness to the egg and muffin.”
Iannarelli opts for the Sausage McMuffin with Egg, while Som sticks with the classic Egg McMuffin that comes with Canadian bacon. Beyond the flavor, Som appreciates that the Canadian bacon version clocks in at just 310 calories.
“I think this is more so just personal preference, as my choice ties directly to childhood memories,” Tomaska admits. But his McDonald’s morning meal “is never greasy, always delicious, and tastes like childhood.”
The runners up, with one vote each, are also worthy orders, according to the chefs:
- Chick-fil-A Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Muffin: This is like Chick-fil-A’s riff on the McMuffin, with strips of crispy bacon rather than a round slice of Canadian bacon. According to Rohland, who voted it as her top pick, “The bacon is thick, the cheese is classic American and very creamy, and the muffin is tender and moist. It’s exactly what it says it is, and offers all the comfort of a breakfast plate on an English muffin.”
- Starbucks Bacon, Gouda, and Egg Sandwich: Featuring applewood smoked bacon, melted Gouda cheese, and what the coffee chain calls “Parmesan cage-free egg frittata” on a roll, Som is also a fan of this breakfast sandwich. “The gouda adds a pleasant nutty flavor,” he says.
- McDonald’s Sausage Burrito: Admitting that it might be a controversial selection since it’s served inside a tortilla rather than as a classic sandwich, Daigle declares that his ultimate fast food breakfast order is what he describes as “the Mexican sandwich: a burrito! I’ve eaten a lot of breakfast burritos, and McDonald’s is the best and the cheapest.” Made with scrambled eggs, pork sausage, melted American cheese, green chiles, and onions tucked inside a corn tortilla, he adds, “It’s cheesy, creamy, seasoned well, and a side of salsa just puts it over the top.”
How to Make a Copycat Egg McMuffin
One of the hottest topics related to fast food breakfasts? When they’re available. While Starbucks offers breakfast menu items all day while supplies last, at Chick-fil-A and most McDonald’s locations, breakfast service ends around 10:30 a.m. to allow the kitchen to prepare for lunch.
If you’d like to get your fix later in the day (calling all our fellow breakfast-for-dinner fans!), it’s easy to recreate these best breakfast sandwiches at home. Although doing so won’t be faster or more convenient, you’ll certainly save money and cure that hankering for breakfast at any time of the day. Plus, you can customize your creation with your preferred egg cooking style, protein, cheese, and sauce.
Use our copycat Egg McMuffin recipe below and customize as you see fit. If you prefer sausage patties, simply swap those in place of the Canadian bacon. More of a biscuit sandwich fan? Build your sammy on these far-from-basic Biscuits. To take your breakfast sandwich to new heights, consider adding any of these chef recommended toppings: ketchup, pimento cheese, fruit jam, caramelized onions, spicy mayo, fresh avocado, or wilted spinach.
