8 Fast-Food Breakfast Sandwiches Ranked Worst to Best
Breakfast sandwiches. It's funny how the simple idea of breakfast meat and cheese on bread can take on so many different forms. Nearly every fast food chain you can think of is slinging some kind of a.m. sandwich these days–even coffee and donut-focused chains like Dunkin' and Tim Hortons. And while Taco Bell is still thinking outside the bun (and, to be fair, doing some pretty fun things with tortillas), the rest of the breakfast world is doubling down on the classic formula.
Between the endless meat options (bacon, sausage, ham, even fried chicken), cheese variations (American, cheddar, Swiss), and a wild array of carbs to choose from (bagels, muffins, croissants, buns, sourdough, ciabatta), there's no limit to what kind of breakfast sandwich you can build. Throw in an obligatory egg–scrambled, over-easy, or frittata-style–or leave it off entirely, and you've got a customizable canvas for your morningtime fuel.
Of course, just because there can be endless variety doesn't mean every combo works. To see just how far the humble breakfast sandwich can go–and how much it can disappoint–I tried eight offerings from some of the most prominent fast food players in the game. From old reliables like McDonald's to newer contenders like Panera and Wendy's, each sandwich brings its own spin to the table. Here's how they all stacked up, starting with my least favorite and ending with my top choice.
Tim Hortons Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissant
I'll be honest, I have not had the best experience with Tim Horton's breakfast sandwiches in the past. Not a great reputation for a Canadian joint primary focused on the most important meal of the day, eh? The bagel sammies, in particular, have let me down with their vast dryness. So, this time around, I decided to give a croissant handheld a chance instead. I elected for a classic BEC (bacon, egg, and cheese) for $5.09.
The Look: Tremendously smooshed from the jump. But once I was able to peel the flat croissant off the top, I found four half slices of bacon, a round over-easy egg, and orange cheese hiding underneath.
The Taste: While it is an improvement from the chain's bagel sandwich, it's still a far cry from satisfying. The bacon was more limp than crisp, and the flavor really only came from a light coating of salt. A small slice of American cheese wasn't enough to zhuzh up the squishy egg with a greyness at its yolk. And store-brand-esque croissant was just the icing on top of a disappointing cake.
Burger King Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan'Wich
At Burger King, the Croissan'Wich is the king of breakfast time. It comes in multiple varieties that feature bacon, ham, sausage, and sometimes even two or three of the above, all at the same time (they call that the Fully Loaded Croissant'Wich). A bit scared of that kind of monstrosity, I played it safe with a sausage version instead. It additionally comes with American cheese and egg–as all the Croissan'Wiches do–and costs $4.29.
The Look: Not nearly as flat as Tim Hortons and with a much lighter, plumper croissant bun. The sausage patty spanned the entirety of the bread, but the yellowed egg was flat, and the cheese was nearly non-existent.
The Taste: The speed at which I received this sandwich in the drive-thru was a warning sign. It was far from fresh, starting with the lukewarm egg, unmelted cheese, and croissant devoid of flake. The sausage had a decent spiced taste, and I appreciated its size. However, its texture was a problem. It lacked juice and was overly stiff as if it was overcooked or it had been sitting for quite a while–I would take a wild guess and say it was the latter.
Dunkin' Donuts Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich
Typically, if I am going to Dunkin', I am getting a delicious donut…simple as that. But the chain does also offer a range of breakfast sammies for those who lean more towards the savory breakfast side. One such option is the Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich. The bread of choice is obvious, and then it stacks on not one but two eggs, five half-bacon slices, and white cheddar for a total of $5.99.
The Look: Large–the largest one in the taste test–and surprisingly just as described, down to the exact number of bacon strips.
The Taste: Each component does its job just fine. I liked the choice of mild yet sharp white cheddar, and the bacon holds its own with a smoky flavor and crisp rigidity. The egg rounds are fluffy (though I thought it was weird that one was almost all yolk and the other was nearly all whites), and the bread was toasty (though I thought it tasted more like wheat than sourdough). That being said, altogether it comes off dry and short on personality. Condiments would be greatly appreciated.
Panera Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant
Panera took its breakfast menu to the next level early in 2024 and hasn't looked back. One category that joined the lineup over the summer was breakfast sandwiches wrapped in the chain's bakery-made croissants (not to be confused with the new lunch and dinner Croissant Toast Sandwiches–a story for another day). I selected a classic choice of sausage, scrambled egg, and white cheddar on a croissant–a selection which cost me $6.79.
The Look: The entire sandwich is a bit disheveled, with the square yellow egg spilling out of the sides and white cheese glued to every surface. But the croissant looks promising with a homemade flair.
The Taste: Don't judge a book by its cover. This croissant sandwich runs circles around Tim Horton's and Burger King's similar renditions. The buttery croissant is obviously quality, like it was served at a French bistro, and the pork sausage follows suit with its juiciness and peppery spice. The white cheddar elevates all of the above, in addition to the thin yet tender egg, which would otherwise come off a bit bland. It's a reliable, can't-go-wrong pick that really speaks volumes about the other sandwiches coming up.
Starbucks Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich
The Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich is a new Starbucks creation, having come out just last year in June 2024. Competing with classics like the Sausage Cheddar and Bacon Gouda, the sammie is vegetarian but does include a cage-free egg frittata. It's flavored by a kale and basil pesto plus mozzarella cheese and sits atop a cheddar and onion bun. It will cost you $5.25 through the drive-thru.
The Look: The first thing I noticed was the cheese broiled top, just like an asiago bagel from Panera. In between the puffed-up ciabatta bun, the square egg patty was covered in a bright green paste.
The Taste: I thought I would miss the typical addition of bacon or sausage, but I didn't. The sandwich is wholly complete without it and quite delightful. It's fresh all around, from the fluffy frittata to the vibrant pesto–a sauce that elevates each bite with a garlicky, herby tang. The pesto is actually much better than expected for something born at a fast food chain. Then, there's the cheesy bun. It's crispy yet soft and so flavorful with notes of onion and cheddar that I could eat it by itself. Needless to say, I approve.
Chick-fil-A Chicken, Egg & Cheese Muffin
Chick-fil-A does offer breakfast sandwiches donning alternative meats like sausage and bacon. But, in my opinion, anything but chicken at the joint is a waste of time. That's why I stuck to a poultry-based sammie yet again. I ordered the chain's classic fried chicken patty on an English muffin and accompanied by American cheese and a folded egg. The sandwich-only order (that's right, I resisted the coin-sized hashbrowns) came out to $4.79.
The Look: Tall and bulky only because of the chicken patty. The egg is razor-thin, and the extra toasty muffin was of an average size.
The Taste: The English muffin is soft yet dry and even a little bit burnt. I would take the chain's warm, buttery biscuit over this bun substitute ten times over. Luckily, though, I think Chick-fil-A's chicken would still taste good wedged between two pieces of cardboard, so the sandwich doesn't suffer. The patty is always perfectly seasoned and crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. Then, the cheese–something you don't often get on the restaurant's lunch and dinnertime sandwiches–adds a lightly salted creaminess into the mix. I could probably do without the egg (it's hardly noticeable anyway). But no harm, no fowl.
Wendy's Breakfast Baconator
A Baconator for breakfast used to seem like a bold choice. But since Wendy's 2020 morningtime meal launch, it's become a widely accepted norm. The Breakfast Baconator takes after its predecessor by stacking plenty of cheese and meats on a premium bun, but with a few twists. First, it forgoes multiple beef patties for a pork sausage patty (but don't worry, it's still square) and an egg. American cheese and Applewood-smoked bacon stay the same. But to top it off, the breakfast version opts for a Swiss cheese sauce over ketchup and mayo. Before 10:30 in the morning, you can pick one up for $4.69.
The Look: It's sizeable but not quite as plump as I expected. Everything is in order, though. You have the square sausage at the bottom, two layers of half bacon slices, a wide rounded egg, and gooey orange cheese covering it all.
The Taste: Every bite is a mouthful–but a tasty one bursting with umami. The sausage is a definite high point. Juicy but not overly greasy, it somehow takes after the chain's standard burger patties but with a spicy, herby twist. The egg round is really just filler, but the bacon strips add a great deal of fatty smokiness despite their flimsy texture. I'm also a big fan of the double hit of cheese. You get a creamy, mayonnaise-like sensation from the Swiss sauce and then a mild tang from the American slice–the perfect cheesy fusion. The fact that this sandwich is immensely heavy, sure to make you groggy for the rest of the day, is its only downfall. Otherwise, it would be my top pick.
McDonald's Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddle
It's only natural for the mind to wander to the McMuffin when we talk about classic McDonald's breakfast sandwiches. It was the chain's inaugural breakfast item, after all, with roots dating back over 50 years. But there's another sammie on the morning menu that has arguably risen to the same level of fame, even in its mere 22 years of life. That's right, we're talking about the McMuffin–the sandwich that iconically uses two griddle cakes as buns. The McMuffin debuted in 2003 in BEC form (bacon, egg, and cheese). However, it also comes in a sausage rendition–the sandwich type I grabbed for $4.69.
The Look: Stacked high and picture-perfect–almost too perfect to eat (almost). The "M" stamped pancake bun is golden brown. The folded scrambled egg is stout. And the lightly charred sausage patty rests on an obviously warm and melty slice of cheese.
The Taste: This sandwich offers something that none of the others do: elements of both savory and sweet. Notes of maple and brown sugar from the fluffy hotcakes swirl together with the complex meatiness of the sausage, creating a wonderfully diverse flavor profile. The cheese complements both with its subtle taste and oozing texture, and this is one of those rare cases where I think the tender egg makes a difference.
For anyone who loves the marriage of sweet and savory–the same people who dip their fries in ice cream and order pineapple on their pizza–this sandwich is a game-changer. For anyone else, we won't judge you for sticking to a Baconator or chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A for your morning meal.
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