19 Best Restaurant Chain Breakfasts In America, Ranked

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and the United States offers no end of restaurant chains willing to serve it up to hungry customers. This vast and diverse nation is home to a wide array of breakfast options, from joints that specialize in huevos rancheros to eateries celebrated for their steel-cut oatmeal. They're on the coasts, in the South, up north, and everywhere in between. Some are iconic — Waffle House, anyone? — while others are still under-the-radar rising stars. But only a select few of them are truly spectacular.

How's a person supposed to choose where to eat in a country with so many chain breakfast options? That's where we come in. We've rounded up the 19 best chain restaurant breakfasts in America, from cheese-laden biscuit sandwiches to crisp waffles — and we're ranking them from the merely delicious to the absolutely jaw-dropping. Get your syrup ready, because we're about to dig in. 

Those hoping for innovative breakfast options won't find much at the Village Inn, but if you're looking for the classics, this is a solid choice. Chicken-fried steak dripping with luscious sausage gravy, crepes filled with ham or sausage, velvety eggs Benedict, crisp bacon served alongside pillowy pancakes — Village Inn has all these beloved favorites and more. The omelets aren't bad either, from the decadent "country music star" — packed with sausage, ham, onions, bacon, gravy, and two types of cheese — to the elegant spinach and bacon option. The chain is also particularly well-regarded for its pies, which come in a dizzying array of flavors including pecan, French silk, pumpkin, triple berry, and lemon meringue. Strictly speaking, pie isn't a breakfast food, but really, who says you can't enjoy it before noon?

Village Inn is also distinguished by its better-than-average kids' options. As one Reddit user lamented upon learning Village Inn locations were closing in the Denver area, "Noo!!!! ... Where else will my kids get a funny face pancake that actually tastes good?" Now that's a conundrum indeed.

No, we're not talking about the frozen food brand — we're talking about Marie Callender's Restaurant and Bakery. Barring a few locations in Utah and Nevada, you won't find this chain outside of California. This is a real shame, as Marie Callender's all-day breakfast is a decent bet.

The chain's egg-based dishes are consistently tasty, from vegetable-packed omelets to creamy eggs Benedict. But pancakes are where Marie Callender's truly shines. It keeps things fairly simple, compared to many chains; for the most part, you'll find buttermilk stacks here, plus a few intriguing options like banana cream pie pancakes. But that's all Marie Callender's needs to impress. The pancakes are fluffy, buttery, and ever-so-slightly crisp in all the right ways. They stand up well to syrup, never becoming mushy or losing their distinctive flavor, and pair well with bacon, eggs, and hash browns. If you're specifically hungry for pancakes, you won't be disappointed.

The Original Pancake House sets an impressive standard with its name: This is, according to the restaurant itself, the place for pancakes. Does it measure up to that high bar? Yep. These are pancakes as they're meant to be: sumptuously soft, draped in butter, and available in a huge range of styles and flavors. The standard buttermilk pancakes are excellent, but no one should stop there. The Swedish pancakes offer American diners the chance to try lingonberry jam. The sourdough flap jacks offer a whole new perspective on the classic bread starter. The Georgia pecan pancakes are just the thing for a summer morning.

The Female Foodie blog's review sums The Original Pancake House up: "I include it on my list of great breakfast spots, because that's just what it is — delicious, consistent, GREAT breakfast." As she elucidates, this classic joint also makes other breakfast dishes. But let's be real: You're here for the pancakes.

Ah, IHOP. It's easy to take this chain for granted, especially if you've always lived with one nearby. It's the place you went to when your little league team wrapped up the season. It's the place you and your fellow theater kids piled into after your first wrap party. There's a strong chance it's the place that introduced you to whipped cream on pancakes. Sure, it's familiar. But it's worth taking the time to remember why it became so familiar in the first place: IHOP is really gosh-darn tasty.

The pancakes are, of course, the star here, and they are delicious. IHOP does a particularly great job of coming up with ever-more-decadent flavors, which means there's always something new to try (tres leches pancakes, anyone?). Beyond the griddle, things can get a tad bit lackluster — but really, who's judging IHOP for its burritos or shrimp? The pancakes are good, and that's what matters.

Perkins offers just about everything you'd expect from a place with all-day breakfast. Sunny side up eggs, country-fried steak, crispy hash browns, and pancakes are all available here. But unlike other chains, which simply offer a few foodstuffs — say, waffles — in a ton of different varieties — buttermilk, blueberry, cinnamon swirl, etc. — Perkins offers many unique combinations of foods. They're all tasty, but none of them are quite as impressive as the Tremendous Twelve.

The Tremendous Twelve is comprised of three eggs, four pancakes, hash browns or breakfast potatoes, and four bacon strips or four sausages. Over on Reddit, fans sing its formidable praises. When asked what Perkins' best dish is, one user raved, "Tremendous twelve and coffee. Holy f*** i love this place." Another concurred: "+1 on the Tremendous Twelve. It will hold you all day!" If you're looking for a big breakfast, few chains do it better than Perkins.

Huddle House is most commonly found in the southeastern states. It's a diner-like establishment, boasting crisp fries, juicy burgers, and, of course, breakfast. When it comes to the chain's breakfast, the name of the game is hearty. We're taking biscuits and gravy, ribeye steak, country ham, creamy grits, and omelets stuffed with prime rib tips. The menu is also impressively extensive, encompassing just about every classic breakfast food there is.

This can all be a bit overwhelming. But the nice thing is, all of it is pretty darn good — and, without exception, satisfyingly filling. While no particular dish stands out as the best of the bunch, there's a baseline level of quality that won't let you down. The pancakes are toothsome, the sausage is savory, and the hash browns are fresh from the griddle. The biscuits and gravy are especially tasty and always consistently fresh. When it comes to a down-home breakfast, Huddle House has your back.

Bob Evans is all about country-style cooking: The breakfast menu is full of phrases like "farmer's choice," "homestead," and "rise and shine." Indeed, the options are filling enough to fuel a person through hours of hard labor. Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes (which it calls hotcakes), and ham all nestle comfortably together on their plates.

But make no mistake: Bob Evans' breakfast isn't boring. In fact, compared to many similar chains, the chain's willingness to experiment — especially when it comes to pancakes, toast, and biscuits — is downright impressive. You'll find blueberry pancakes here, but also banana blueberry pancakes. Conventional biscuits are available alongside fried ones dusted with cinnamon sugar. French toast can come crowned with roasted apples and caramel. These innovative little flourishes keep Bob Evans' breakfast menu interesting, delicious, and worth a diner's time.

Lots of chains on this list aim to impress by serving up old-fashioned favorites. Not so with First Watch: This chain does things differently, and wants you to know it. Sure, you can get biscuits, sausages, and omelets here, but you can also get quinoa bowls, lemon ricotta pancakes, brunch cocktails, and enjoy the juice bar.

These eye-catching options aren't just flashy — they're delicious. The smoked salmon and roasted vegetable frittata is a great example of First Watch's success: It combines comfortingly creamy eggs with an unexpected punch of shallots, chives, and a side of piquant greens. This is a far cry from biscuits and gravy, yet it isn't totally alien. Such balance makes First Watch that rare establishment that can please people who want what they already know and people who want to shake things up a bit. When you've got a big group of hungry people to feed first thing in the morning, that versatility is priceless.

Though Mimi's Cafe is expanding into other parts of the country, it's mostly found in the Western states, especially California. Hopefully, the expansion will speed up because this is one tasty restaurant chain. All you have to do to understand the establishment's appeal is check out the mouth-watering photo of steak and eggs: This is classic cooking done right.

While Mimi's does indeed do meat-based dishes very well, the chain's egg-centric breakfasts are where the chain really shines. The velvety omelets come in a variety of forms, packed with smoked salmon, jalapenos, bacon, tomatoes, and many different kinds of cheese, among other ingredients. It also offers quiche, which sets its apart from many other entries on this list. The eggs even manage to stand out in the farmhouse breakfast tacos, which also include bacon, sausage, potatoes, cheese, and a number of veggies. Bottom line: Egg-lovers, this is your spot.

Denny's is an American institution. When you're exhausted by a long road trip, hungry at odd hours, or desperate to get off your feet after a graveyard shift, this tireless 24-hour diner is there for you. Its breakfast isn't as fancy as many other entries on this list, but that's kind of the point. You know what you're getting when you go to a Denny's — in fact, that's what you're counting on.

This consistency is never more apparent than in Denny's breakfast. The pancakes, bacon, eggs, and hash browns are delicious every single time, no matter where you are. The chain switches things up a little from time to time, offering things like cinnamon roll pancakes and Philly cheesesteak omelets, but for the most part, Denny's serves up the hits. There's a reason the Grand Slam, which consists of four basic breakfast items, is an iconic emblem of the brand: It's all about the classics.

Those of you who don't live in Virginia or the Carolinas have our condolences: You might not have had the chance to eat at Biscuitville. This culinary wonderland is bursting with Southern classics, most prominently the biscuit. They're baked fresh all day, which ensures you're getting the best possible biscuit whenever you stop by. Each one is crumbly, moist, piping hot, delicately sweet, and just about perfect, even before they're topped with anything else. But oh, those toppings: Biscuitville crowns its titular treat with sausages, eggs, fried chicken, gravy, and other delectable comestibles. Every single one is fabulous.

Those who move near a Biscuitville quickly fall in love: As one Yelp review raved, "I just moved here from Florida and I am obsessed with Biscuitville!" Other reviewers also sing the establishment's praises, with particular attention to — you guessed it — the fresh biscuits. It's in the name for a reason: They really are that good.

How iconic is Waffle House? So much so that it prompted the creation of the Waffle House Index, a metric used by government officials and civilians alike to gauge the severity of a natural disaster: If even the Waffle House is closed, you know things are bad. This long-running chain, which spans the South and Midwest, is a 24-hour dynamo.

Waffle House's food doesn't need to be good, given its infamous fortitude. But it is. This is a temple of tried-and-true breakfast favorites: You'll find pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns here, alongside its famous waffles. The hash browns are especially good; as aficionados know, you can further enhance them by getting them "smothered and covered" in onions and cheese — and that's just the most famous customization option available. Waffle House is basically a tribute to the dauntless human spirit ... with waffles. What more could you ask for?

Every single Cracker Barrel location makes its vibe clear the moment a passerby claps eyes on it: They all have a roomy front porch full of wooden rocking chairs. Once you step through the door, you're ensconced in an old-fashioned general store full of candy, knickknacks and country curios. It's easy to lose sight of the food amidst all this Southern splendor. But once you've actually had their breakfast, you won't soon forget it.

Cracker Barrel's breakfast menu is impressively lengthy, encompassing biscuits, pancakes, eggs, country-fried steak, sausage, grits, and more. The pancakes are perhaps the chain's greatest strength; they're luxuriously soft, yet firm enough to bear all manner of toppings. Intriguingly, Cracker Barrel isn't afraid to experiment — just take a look at t pancake tacos and hash brown casserole tots. This mixture of down-home comfort and innovation is a winning strategy.

Denizens of Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and New Jersey know there's only one place to take their breakfast cravings: Silver Diner. This throwback chain is a tribute to the American diner, from its chrome exteriors to its '50s signage. It's not all nostalgia, though — Silver Diner is never afraid to combine old-school Americana with new-school innovation.

This is especially obvious in its breakfast. Omelets, pancakes, and bacon are all available here, but in fascinating new forms. Consider its brunch specialties: You can enjoy bison huevos rancheros, pickle-brined chicken and waffles, or the "bay Benedict," which adds crab cakes, basil, and Old Bay to the classic dish. This curious spirit animates the entire menu, enlivening all manner of breakfast icons and making the joint a great choice for mixed groups. The old-fashioned eater can dine on Belgian waffles, while their new-fangled friend can check out quinoa coconut pancakes.

Tudor's Biscuit World is a West Virginia institution (though it can also be found in Ohio, Kentucky, and Florida). How did it become an icon? By sticking to its titular strength: flaky, buttery, cloud-soft biscuits. Technically, there are other things on the menu, including sausages, eggs, pancakes, and bacon. But the biscuits are the star here, and they seriously dazzle.

Tudor's offers a wide range of biscuit options. Some, like the Mary B, keep things classic with bacon, egg, and cheese. Others, like the blackberry biscuit, take things in a dessert-ish direction. All of them are delectable, and have inspired a loyal following. "I'm pregnant right now and I just want to shout out Tudors for being my ride or die food that I can eat no matter how s****y I feel," one Reddit user raved. "Looking at you Duke biscuit. Masterpiece." That kind of tried-and-true deliciousness earns Tudor's Biscuit World a high spot in our rankings.

Coco's Bakery is a gem of the Western states. Good, solid breakfast is a given here: We're talking fluffy scrambled eggs, golden French toast, crispy hash browns, and juicy sausage. For the most part, Coco's keeps things classic. But when it does put a twist on familiar foodstuffs, as is the case with their tomato basil omelet and "PB & Jammin'" pancakes, it's sure to be memorable.

Coco's is particularly distinguished for maintaining a high level of quality across the board. One Trip Advisor user summed this strength up in their review: "Excellent restaurant for breakfast in Flagstaff. Wonderful variety of options, reasonable prices and friendly servers. Highly recommended!" Coco's is a dependably delicious, friendly, and kind to your wallet. What more could a breakfast hound ask for?

Flying Biscuit Cafe can be found in the southeastern states and Texas, with its home state of Georgia boasting the most locations by far. Citizens of those regions should count themselves lucky — this is a truly exceptional establishment. Flying Biscuit takes a footloose approach to breakfast, offering Southern classics with delightful twists. Think French toast with honeyed creme anglaise, shrimp and grits crowned with red pepper tomato sauce, and red-hot chicken and waffles.

Flying Biscuit is also great for vegetarians and vegans. As one Reddit user put it, "100% recommend Flying Biscuit for breakfast food. You can get literally anything with meat in it and have the option to replace it with either a vegan sausage or a vegetarian 'SOYsage.'" This makes it hugely unique, especially in the world of down-home comfort food. Flying Biscuit is delicious, affordable, and veggie-friendly — in short, pretty much perfect.

Found in the Western states (plus one location in Florida), Broken Yolk Cafe offers an extensive menu of breakfast delights. No category is underserved, from the "Healthy Side Up" options to the "South of the Border" section; each is packed with both classics and new twists on old favorites. Even more exceptional is the fact that it's all delicious. The waffles are crisp and sweet, the huevos rancheros are packed with flavor, and the crepes are light as feathers.

One Reddit user raved, "The Broken Yolk Cafe is soooo tasty! IMO best breakfast in Vegas!" It might very well live up to that lofty praise, and is an especially great choice when it comes to Vegas breakfasts. Every single item on the menu is hearty, satisfying, and just the thing to propel you through a long day of fun.

For the most part, Another Broken Egg Cafe can be found across the southern half of the United States. Hopefully, it'll soon expand northward — this is one seriously spectacular restaurant. Another Broken Egg succeeds through its exceptionally well-balanced menu, fantastic food, and cheery ambiance. You can opt for a truly decadent start to your day here — cookie dough waffle, anyone? — or go with lighter fare; either way, you'll be chowing down on fresh, vibrant, well-cooked food.

In a review, one Yelp user wrote, "This is my absolute fave breakfast spot! You can't go wrong with any menu. The staff are always so friendly and the food + drinks are delicious. ... They also switch up their menu regularly while keeping [some] solid staples." You'll notice this user praises just about everything a restaurant can do. That's because Another Broken Egg does just about everything perfectly. There's breakfast, and then there's Another Broken Egg's breakfast.