Why Chick-Fil-A Didn't Quite Make The Top Pick For Our Best Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast sandwiches are a staple of fast-food menus, but not all are created equal. In Chowhound's extensive breakfast sandwich rankings, we ranked Chick-fil-A's chicken, egg, and cheese biscuit tantalizingly close to the top. It even out-ranked McDonald's Egg McMuffin — the one boasting a freshly cracked egg. What kept it from snagging first place? Surprisingly, its strength — simplicity — was also its Achilles' heel.

Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or late-night munchies, Chick-fil-A is typically a widespread favorite. Having originated in the American South, it knows how to do Southern staples well, namely fried chicken and buttery biscuits. So, it's no surprise that the chicken, egg, and cheese biscuit was a runner-up in our breakfast rankings. The sandwich's beauty lies in its minimalism: A perfectly fried, tender chicken breast hugged by a warm, buttery biscuit, with some fluffy eggs and melty cheese in between.

Unlike some of the other breakfast sandwiches that ranked lower on the list, all the ingredients felt high-quality for a fast food joint, and it earned points for uniqueness — fried chicken didn't find a place on any other breakfast sandwich on this list. However, its simplicity may have come with a cost. While other contenders piled on complex flavor with various meats, breads, and unique sauces, Chick-fil-A's biscuit-focused experience left us craving a bit of a bolder punch.

Carl's Jr. earned our top spot, with its breakfast burger proving just a bit more unique than Chick-fil-A's breakfast biscuit. Originality aside, two major factors pushed Carl's Jr. to the top: crunch and sauce. Yes, Chick-fil-A's chicken is famously crispy, and we'll forever sing its praises. But Carl's Jr. ups the ante by adding crispy hash browns to its breakfast sandwiches, and the added texture and flavor of that was hard not to love.

The real game-changer, though, is the sauce on the breakfast sandwich — what Chowhound dubs "the X factor." Carl's Jr. layers its breakfast burger with ketchup, while Chick-fil-A keeps it sauceless. Our advice? Spice up your next biscuit by adding classic Chick-fil-A sauce or go bold with its buffalo sauce. Even ketchup might be worth a whirl for a true taste test!

Discrepancies aside — Chick-fil-A still knocks it out of the park for breakfast. We cannot stop raving about the quality of its ingredients, and the consistency of that quality. The biscuits aren't dry, the chicken is always mouthwatering, and let's not forget about that make-your-day service. In the end, it depends on what you're looking for. And, there's no need to turn down a number two!