25 Different Spots for the Best Fast Food Breakfasts
Best Fast Food Breakfast Across the US (and one in London, too)!!
Is there anything better than the humble hashbrown at some of the best fast food restaurants? It’s glittering and golden from the fryer. Or, how about a fluffy pillow of eggs draped in melty cheddar?
Breakfast isn’t about elegance, like its snooty cousins – lunch and dinner. It’s about comfort, convenience, and functionality. That means that the best fast food breakfasts in America are usually just the best breakfasts, full stop.
It doesn’t matter if you’re road-tripping through town or just looking for a quick, delicious, and cheap meal to start your day. We’ve broken down the best fast food breakfasts America has to offer into one regional list. Plus we’ve put together a go-to directory of 20 menu items at other hotspots. You’ll never wonder where to head once that morning craving strikes.
WEST COAST – Del Taco
Most of America’s best fast food breakfast offerings include staples like eggs, cheese, and bread components. But, Del Taco mixes things up with (literally) spicier Tex-Mex-style fare like chorizo and carne asada.
Unlike the other entries on this list, most of Del Taco’s offerings are tortilla-based. So, if it’s a breakfast burrito that calls out to you first thing in the morning, this is most likely the spot for you.
Other tortilla-based menu items include toasted breakfast wraps, rollers, and scramblers. And, most of them come with crispy hash browns.
However, if fast food with breakfast has you craving sweets, the cinnamon sugar-sprinkled donut bites are a perfect treat to start your day.
THE SOUTH – Chick-fil-a
There’s just no way around it: Chick-fil-a is serving up one of the best fast food breakfasts in the game right now.
Headquartered in College Park, Georgia, the chain is a staple in the south. Chick-fil-a has made an early morning name for itself in addition to its beloved chicken sandwiches. It’s now also known for its thick, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits to go with its mouthwatering chicken. When you combine the two, you’ve got a crispy, buttery breakfast staple that’s guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.
Monday through Saturday
Chick-fil-a serves up a bunch of other fast food breakfast go-to’s as well. We’re talking about egg sandwiches, scramble bowls, and a particularly tantalizing hash brown burrito.
A word of caution to anyone looking to load up on a Sunday: Chick-fil-a is notoriously closed on that day for religious reasons. So, you’ll have to satisfy your craving for fried chicken biscuits elsewhere (at least once a week, anyway).
SOUTHWEST – Whataburger
This post is about the all-around best fast food breakfasts. So, no list would be complete without the pride of Texas, Whataburger.
In some ways, Whataburger is like the best kind of combination of all the other items on this list. It’s got eggs stuffed into tortillas (taquitos with cheese). Plus, there are mouthwatering pillowy biscuit options (sausage, egg, and bacon sandwiches), and some of the best chicken offerings in the game (the honey butter chicken biscuit).
There’s truly something on this menu for every type of breakfast-lover. Whether it’s biscuits slathered in gravy that you’re craving or the sweeter stuff, like pancakes and cinnamon rolls. Oh, and if you need a taquito after a night of mojitos, you can take advantage of the late-night menu.
MIDWEST – Wendy’s
Breakfast? At Wendy’s? Of the fast food “Big Three,” Wendy’s was long known for having the weakest breakfast game — that is to say, it didn’t even exist until recently.
But in 2020, Wendy’s rolled out a surprisingly thoughtful breakfast menu for the very first time. The selections heavily feature Wendy’s new signature seasoned potatoes, which are an excellent alternative to the greasier hash browns favored by so many of its competitors.
In addition to offering some of the healthiest morning options (oatmeal bars, apple bites), Wendy’s has also dared to venture to a place where no fast food breakfast location has dared to venture before: croissants.
Craving Croissants?
You read that right. In addition to being able to grab your classic bacon egg and cheese on a bun or a biscuit, Wendy’s is also offering it on a croissant with accompaniments like eggs, maple bacon chicken, and swiss cheese.
Hats off to Wendy’s, long best known for its tasty chili and not much else, for stepping up its breakfast game big time.
NEW ENGLAND – McDonald’s
No list about fast food breakfast would be complete without mentioning McDonald’s. McDonald’s breakfast is always ready to wrap you up like a security blanket in the northeast- and everywhere. Whether you’ve overindulged after a night out or just finished working the night shift, something is comforting about those glowing golden arches. They hold the promise of delicious hotcakes, crispy bacon, and piping hot coffee.
The thing about McDonald’s is that it’s had a lot of time to perfect its craft, so at this point, its breakfast options just don’t miss.
McGriddle McDelicious
Other fast food spots might hand you a poorly-constructed, overstuffed sandwich with all of the inside components sliding around. However, the McGriddle has stood the test of time and will always come to you as one thick, compact unit oozing all the promises of cheesy, bacony eggs stuffed between two griddlecakes. Salty + sweet = yummy!
Unfortunately, McDonald’s removed its all-day breakfast menu during the COVID pandemic. But maybe it’ll return soon (fingers crossed).
**BONUS** UK – Wimpy
America isn’t the only country capable of whipping up a delicious fast food breakfast. So, please excuse our arrogance in suggesting otherwise.
Over in the United Kingdom, where OTL hosts another seat filler club, chain store Wimpy is known for its full plate offerings. But the “Full English” isn’t as expected, as it’s handheld. Nevertheless, it includes a hashbrown, breakfast sausages, a beef patty, bacon, cheese, and a fried egg topped with ketchup or brown sauce, all stuffed inside a grill-marked bun.
If you’re not into Full English on the go, then you can still order a full plate. The platter includes bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, and a griddled half tomato served alongside fries — or chips, as they’re known across the pond.
Hmm, What Fast Food to Order?
| More Must-Try Fast Food Breakfast Items | Link to Locations |
|---|---|
| Belgian Waffle Slider | White Castle |
| Mexican Donut Bites | Taco John's |
| Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich | Dunkin' Donuts |
| Bacon Breakfast Toaster | Sonic Drive-In |
| Peanut Butter Banana Crunch Flatbread | Tropical Smoothie Cafe |
| Original Scrambler Bowl | Krystal |
| Jumbo Breakfast Platter | Jack in the Box |
| Egg-Normous Burrito | Burger King |
| French Toast Dips | Carl's Jr. |
| Double Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, and Egg | Starbucks |
| Sausage, Egg, and Cheese on Biroche | Panera Bread |
| Steak, Egg, and Cheese Flatbread | Subway |
| Breakfast Toasted Wrap | Del Taco |
| Cinnamon Roll | Hardee's |
| Chorizo Avocado Sunrise | Einstein Bros. Bagels |
| Spinach and Mushroom Souffle | Caribou Coffee |
| Egg White, Tomato, and Feta Frittata | Peet's Coffee |
| Apple Fritter | Krispy Kreme |
| Center of the Roll | Cinnabon |
| Grits | Popeyes |
Fast Food Breakfast and Maybe Something Later in the Day?
Have you tried the quick options and are ready to shake things up with a more time-intensive, sit-down breakfast? Then, be sure to check out our city guides to the best brunches in Austin, Chicago, Denver, and Atlanta as well.
After you start your day with delicious food, how about ending it with some amazing entertainment? Like the best fast food restaurants, OTL Seat Fillers are across the US and in London!
