Home Recipes Meal Types Breakfast
ByKristina Vänni
Updated: Jun. 30, 2024
Which fast-food chain reigns supreme when it comes to the sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich?
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ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
The Quest for the Best Fast-Food Breakfast
Some days I’m running late, other days I don’t feel like cooking. No matter the reason, there are some mornings when a fast-food breakfast fits the bill.
Even a quick breakfast should be tasty, so we embarked on a quest to find out which chain makes the best version of a classic breakfast item: the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. We made the rounds and tested these fast-food joints in Chicago:
- Burger King
- Chick-fil-A
- Dunkin’
- McDonald’s
- Panera
- Starbucks
- Wendy’s
Let’s see who had the best fast-food breakfast sandwich!
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
7. Burger King
There’s no doubt that Burger King is a fast and convenient option when it comes to breakfast on-the-go. However, I found their croissant breakfast sandwich to be on the smaller side, and it came out quite squished in the to-go bag. The service was very speedy, but I felt the eggs lacked texture (possibly because most fast-food eggs aren’t made with whole eggs). Like many of the sandwiches we sampled, I felt the sausage patty needed additional seasoning.
Bottom line: Burger King was definitely the fastest of the fast food breakfasts, but their sandwich wasn’t my favorite of the bunch.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
6. Dunkin’
The sausage, egg and cheese sandwich at Dunkin’ offers three options when it comes to the bun: croissant, bagel and English muffin. I liked having a choice in terms of the bread part of the sandwich. I opted for the croissant option, mainly because that’s what was pictured on the drive-thru menu. Mine seemed to come out a bit over toasted, with some of the thinner ends quite burnt. Maybe the bagel or English muffin options are stronger at Dunkin’ so I will keep that in mind next time. Overall, the sandwich wasn’t a standout among the group.
Bottom line: I love Dunkin’ for their coffee and doughnuts, and will likely choose those options instead of their breakfast sandwich.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
McDonald’s
The McDonald’s breakfast sandwich tasted different to me than I remembered. I know they have adjusted some of their recipes over time and I seem to remember it being much more flavorful in the past. The main difference appears to be in the sausage patty. Just as we want the hamburger patty on a Big Mac to be flavorful, it’s important to properly season a sausage patty in a breakfast sandwich. I love the ease of swinging by McDonald’s and their prices are appealing, I just wish they would bring back the old recipe.
Bottom line: McDonald’s offers convenience for breakfast, but you can also make an outstanding McDonald’s Egg McMuffin at home.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
4. Wendy’s
Like many fast-food joints, Wendy’s offers its sandwich on a biscuit bun. Looking at all three categories—the bun, egg and sausage patty—I didn’t find an element that was a standout in terms of flavor. Rumor has it Wendy’s is actively working to expand and improve their breakfast offerings, so I remain optimistic there is room for growth in the future.
Bottom line: For me, Wendy’s is all about the great fries and the iconic Frosty rather than their breakfast sandwich.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
3. Panera
Panera offers fresh-tasting breakfast sandwiches served on either ciabatta bread or a brioche bun. I opted for the ciabatta bread for this taste test. The sandwich was hearty, but I’d say the choice of bread was not the best option here and next time I’d opt for the brioche bun. I should also note this was the most expensive breakfast sandwich of the group, but it was also quite large, so there was value if you are particularly hungry at breakfast time.
Bottom line: While this was a tasty option, the ciabatta bread and cost kept it from being the highest ranked sandwich.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
2. Chick-fil-A
The Chick-fil-A breakfast sandwich is a standout when it comes to the bun. I really enjoyed the biscuit, which had a homemade texture and flavor. The eggs were fluffy and fresh, and the cheese felt real instead of processed. This one could have been the winner if the sausage patty had more seasoning and flavor. That one element made this sandwich the runner-up.
Bottom line: A solid option for breakfast if you like your sandwiches made with a biscuit bun. You can also order a chicken, egg and cheese biscuit from the Chick-fil-A secret menu.
ERIC KLEINBERG AND KRISTINA VÄNNI FOR TASTE OF HOME
1. Starbucks
In the end, the Starbucks sausage, egg and cheese breakfast was head and shoulders above the rest. This came as a huge surprise! For a place known for its beverages, I always figured that Starbucks food options were, well, not so good. The real standout here was the sausage patty, the element that put this sandwich over the top. In a sea of lackluster sausage options, this one was well-seasoned with the herbs we associate with breakfast sausage.
Bottom line: You’re already there for coffee. Be sure to pick up this winner for breakfast!
Originally Published: April 25, 2022
Author
Kristina Vänni
Kristina has been in the food-writing space for more than a decade. Apart from freelancing for food and lifestyle sites like Taste of Home and The Kitchn, she’s also working on her first cookbook. She is the owner and on-air host of Cooking Contest Central, an online community for cooking and recipe contests.
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