5 Chain Restaurants With the Best Patty Melts on Texas Toast
I was first introduced to the deliciousness of patty melts when I went to boarding school in the Detroit suburbs, Michigan. There was (and is!) a little burger spot on Woodward called Hunter House in downtown Birmingham that stays open super late and serves cheap, greasy, delicious slider-style burgers you still dream about decades later. My friend, 15 at the time, ordered a patty melt and offered me a bite. I was immediately hooked. It’s basically the grilled-cheese version of a cheeseburger, with bread instead of a bun and usually some caramelized or grilled onions and sauce. Are you drooling yet? If the answer is yes, and you can’t make it to Michigan, here are 5 chain restaurants with the best patty melts on Texas Toast.
Whataburger Patty Melt
Whataburger’s patty melt is one of the best, according to Michelin-trained Chef Andrew Owens, a private chef in California. “Their patty melt is a beast that is massive, juicy beef patties stacked tall on thick, golden Texas toast, drowned in melty Monterey Jack, crowned with perfectly grilled onions, and drizzled with that creamy, spicy pepper sauce that brings the heat in the best way,” he previously told ETNT. “It’s bold, it’s customizable (jalapeños? bacon? Yes please!), and it screams satisfaction with every massive, dripping bite.”
Sonic Patty Melt
The Sonic Patty Melt is a limited-time menu item that pops up on the menu occasionally. It features a quarter-pound 100% beef patty, two slices of American cheese, grilled onions, and mayo and mustard, all served on thick Texas toast. Often available as a double-patty option, it is praised for being comforting, flavorful, and cheesy, though it can be greasy. “It was the best thing sonic ever had,” a diner exclaims. Another called it “delicious!”
Waffle House Patty Melt
The Waffle House Patty Melt is served on griddled Texas toast with caramelized onions. “Angus Beef Quarter Pound Hamburger with Grilled Onions, served on Texas Toast with Two Slices of Melted American Cheese,” reads the menu. “Patty Melt (of some sort) double hashbrowns scattered, smothered, covered (occasionally with chili) is all I ever order at Waffle House,” write a Redditor. “This is my go to 💯 percent of the time,” adds another.
Huddle House Patty Melt
The Huddle House Classic Patty Melt features two grilled beef patties, melted American cheese, mayo, and grilled diced onions served on Texas Toast with pickles on the side and is an “American classic,” the chain declares. “It was very tasty and fresh,” writes a Facebooker.
Steak ‘n Shake Patty Melt
Steak ‘n Shake’s patty melt, the Frisco Melt, is pure “magic,” according to Chef Andrew. It involves double-thin, smashed steakburgers smothered in gooey American and Swiss cheese, piled high with caramelized onions, and slathered in their iconic tangy Frisco sauce. “It’s nostalgic diner perfection that hits every craving at once, cheesy, savory, saucy bliss. Late-night legend status unlocked; this one’s worth every second of the wait,” he says.