7 Chain Restaurants With the Best Grilled Cheese, According to Diners
A grilled cheese sandwich seems so simple, but in actuality, there are so many ways to mess one up or make it spectacularly delicious. If you are craving a melted, ooey, gooey on-the-inside and perfectly grilled, toasted, buttery on the outside sandwich, there are a bunch of places you can order from. Here are 7 chain restaurants with the best grilled cheese, according to diners.
Tom & Chee
Tom & Chee is a melt-focused chain with rich, oozy grilled cheeses. Our reviewer, Matt Kirouac, was a fan. The bread “had a nice buttery flavor to it,” he says about the “classic American grilled cheese.”
Culver’s
Culver’s serves classic, comforting grilled cheese with great toast. “Culver’s, you can even substitute swiss or cheddar instead of American and rye bread instead of sourdough if you want. Also add any toppings like bacon, tomato, mayo, etc et,” writes a diner.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread serves a simple, gooey, and consistent grilled cheese, a warm comfort choice. The grilled cheese does “not disappoint,” according to Kirouac. “With molten cheese oozing over the edges of the bread, this was genuinely surprising and fascinating. It’s clear that they griddled this fresh, and that they allow the excess cheese to spill over and cook on the grill, which was a nice tough in terms of texture,” he says. It also “tasted way better than it looked. Aside from the fact that it should be hotter, and meltier, it tastes fantastic. It’s like a classic American grilled cheese, but elevated with an ample amount of American cheese to add some enriching heft, and bread that is fluffy and crusty, without overpowering the rest of the ingredients.”
Sonic
Sonic serves a budget-friendly classic with a solid crisp-to-melt ratio. “The most classic of grilled cheese sandwiches, fittingly, came from one of the most classic of American fast-food chains. Made with Texas toast and American cheese, Sonic’s grilled cheese is simple, frills-free, and oddly satisfying,” Kirouac says. “It looks like something my mom would make me when I was home from school, for better or worse, with buttery bread that looks undeniably enticing. As tends to be the case with kids’ menu sandwiches, this was the smallest sandwich of the bunch, and despite looking almost plasticky-perfect, it looked and smelled pretty solid,” he says. “Right in step, it tastes just as classic as it looks.” Other diners agree. “Sonics grilled cheeses are elite,” one Redditor says.
Five Guys
Five Guys serves a hearty, satisfying grilled cheese with a diner feel, with Kirouac calling it the “sleeper hit” of the ones he tried. “To my shock and delight, Five Guys is low-key serving one of the most interesting—and unique—grilled cheese sandwiches on the market,” he writes. Another Redditor maintains they “slap.” “Love them. Think pre-burger appetizer,” another says.
In-N-Out
In-N-Out is famous for burgers, but the SoCal chain also has a delicious grilled cheese. “It’s on the secret menu at In-N-Out,” a Redditor reveals. “In-n-out grilled cheese is the best! I just love it!” another agrees.
Cracker Barrel
If you want to go to a sit down restaurant and enjoy an upgraded grilled cheese, head to Cracker Barrel. “Cracker barrel has a fire grilled cheese,” one diner states.