10 Casual Restaurant Chains Serving Up A Classic Country Breakfast

Breakfast — everyone eats it. But many of those who live in the American South, however, enjoy a particularly rich tradition of waking up to a country breakfast. The classic template is hearty and hefty in portion, an ideal kind of fuel for folks grinding away on farmlands in the old days. Morning staples like eggs, fried spuds, bacon, and sausage links join a griddled component, such as waffles or a stack of fluffy flapjacks. And to really heighten the homestyle vibe, partakers never start the day without fresh buttermilk biscuits and silky grits. 

Nowadays, manual labor is far from the rationale. Digging into these homestyle smorgasbords is a typical (and delicious) way to greet the weekend at most casual restaurants. Morning service is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and franchises know slinging the greasy hits will get us out of our beds. If you're hoping to hunker down with a filling farmer's platter, minus the sunburn and the backache, these 10 spots offer a toil-free morning meal. Certainly, there are some differences to behold on the plate, whether it's in the budget or the specifics showcased on each plate. But they'll all feed the longing for coziness and comfort, guaranteed. 

From locations in strip malls and along highways, IHOP ensures there's a hearty American breakfast around every corner. There are pancake houses in all 50 states with California laying claim to the most locations on account of its early history as the chain's birthplace (the first restaurant opened in Toluca Lake, a neighborhood in Los Angeles). Buttermilk pancakes are at the forefront of the chain's business, and skimming through the digital menu shows an abundance of sampler-minded hot plates.  

Without a doubt, there are multiple kinds of bacon-and-egg combos that could qualify as a country breakfast. But the company's motto, "come hungry, leave happy," definitely applies to one of its latest breakfast creations, The Big Farmhouse BreakFEAST. It out-gluttons most of the homestyle platters on our list, as you're about to see, doling out more food than many are capable of gobbling down. And it gives you a lot to work with: buttered toast and two of the sit-down chain's pancakes accompany a wide variety of fixings, including two types of sausage, bacon, a slab of ham, and hash browns. No platter is homey without the eggs, and IHOP will fry, scramble, or boil to your specifications. 

There are 2,010 calories in a single order, so it's fair to say this meal meets the country breakfast criteria to a tee. It has loads of meat and protein, but the sweeter touch from the flapjacks offers that extra coziness we crave. If you're already an IHOP lover, this platter stacks up. 

Tracing the nation's beloved dining franchises for homestyle breakfasts guides us immediately to one place. Cracker Barrel is the original, devoted to humble, farm-ready specialties. It's also where rising early pays off (but never fear, the Southern joint serves its breakfast all day). Whereas many spots double-down on the griddled foods, the Country Boy Breakfast, adored by fans, packs a higher-protein punch than the average plate. 

Ma and Pa would approve of the hearty mix of ham and eggs (a three-count) paired with homemade biscuits and gravy to pour on top. But the variety sampler stands out from other classic country breakfasts on account of its sides. Visitors get to pick two, and the choices are astoundingly difficult to settle on — buttermilk flapjacks are good for a sweeter addition, while those preferring savoriness have hash brown casserole and cheesy grits at their disposal. 

We'll admit Cracker Barrel's biscuits elicit mixed reactions; to some, the texture is dry rather than angelically flaky. That being said, the combination plate routinely gets the job done, above all for the solid quality that's reasonable on the wallet. The entree even gained top marks in a ranking of the Southern chain's breakfast items — Chowhound writer Katie Melynn raved about the substantial amount of meat that accompanied her helping. 

Griddled greatness is truly unmatched at Waffle House, a Southern breakfast chain embraced by the likes of Anthony Bourdain. There are over 2,000 diners where you can order a scratch-made breakfast, dished out day and night. Indeed, the short-order cooking style means kitchens can whip up just about anything your heart desires. And when your heart desires a homey platter in the morning, clearly, the sit-down joint will oblige.

You can't get much better than the All-Star Special, a marquee offering that's central to the greasy spoon's history as a 24-hour diner. Surrounding a golden, sweet cream waffle, the spread features a couple variations in meats (bacon, sausage, or ham), toast, and eggs your way. Your fill of the classic country plate also receives a helping of grits or hash browns, which fry cooks sizzle from the source with shredded Russet potatoes. 

Smothering (and covering) 25 states — that's half the country — is a huge accomplishment, but as plenty of customers know, Waffle House sticks to the South and Mid-Atlantic regions, with no presence on the West Coast. Consider that a reason to go the distance. You're getting a hot, stick-to-the-ribs meal, and what's more, much of it is fried up fresh from the minute you place your order. 

Next to Waffle House, we rely on Denny's for tons of over-the-top diner creations. The Lumberjack Slam, many a guests' favorite, slings an indulgent breakfast in the country-living vein. It offers two griddle cakes, of course, served with your preferred eggs, morning meats like bacon and sausage (or a combination of the two), some kind of crispy potato, and extra bread (think toast or an English muffin). The menu doesn't go overboard with upgrades, but they're there: as evident from the website, patrons have the option of getting melted cheese on their eggs or a different pancake stack — choose whole grain or something fun, such as the Choconana. 

If there was a weakness Denny's suffers from, inflating the cost of its dishes would have to be up there. Visitors who could once rely on a low-cost meal have been soured by price hikes. The Lumberjack Slam, specifically, has come under fire for its recently adjusted $17+ charge. But if the sheer amount of food is of any consolation, it's clear the portion sizing positions this diner icon at an advantage. It's also very beloved and nostalgic, which is kind of the point of eating a classic country breakfast. 

A belly prone to grumbling and groaning calls for an absolutely beastly meal, does it not? When nothing but the whole nine yards will do, guests beat the hunger to a pulp with a visit to Black Bear Diner. For the uninitiated, the great outdoors-themed franchise resembles Cracker Barrel to an extent (complete with a homey knick-knack shop within the restaurant's quarters), primarily situated on the West Coast and areas of the Midwest. 

None of the giant plates would steer you wrong, but The Grizz!, the restaurant's largest entree, stands out. Cited for humungous portions that could put you to sleep, the platter is a true cabin-dweller's dream. There's a trifecta of meats — sausage, bacon, and carved ham — joined by eggs, pancakes, plus a side order of your choosing. Creamy grits or roasted breakfast potatoes are the primary possibilities, but patrons wanting a lighter addition can also opt for cold fruit instead. 

The underrated greasy spoon charges $19.99, so it's not what we could call "cheap," at least when compared to the traditional diner. But the price, in line with IHOP's behemoth, clearly reflects an unbeatable value — and feast — that's on another level. 

Not every dining spot on this list incorporates biscuits, and the ones that do tend to stay on the regional level. Atlanta-born Flying Biscuit Cafe does, which is why it stands out. Spreading its wings as a burgeoning breakfast force, this chain took shape in Georgia. Yet residents across the American South are beginning to receive more dining rooms of their own, particularly in Texas, Alabama, and North Carolina. 

Flaky buttermilk biscuits steal the show here, so if you prefer them over flapjacks from places like Denny's, you're in luck. Kitchens, on any given shift, churn out close to 1,000 of these golden beauties that are formed by hand with the institution's unique recipe each day. Don't fret too much about fitting one into your feast — Flying Biscuit tacks them onto most entrees automatically, making it nearly impossible to miss out. 

In terms of the country breakfast, "Fantastic Favorites" is the restaurant's designated section of the menu where you'll find homey morning concoctions plentiful enough to fuel a hard day's work. The High Flyer clearly fits this criteria and then some. Patrons are entitled to one of the kitchen's waffles or pancakes, followed by eggs, roasted potatoes, grits, and a protein. It also comes with a buttermilk biscuit. That's not a shabby showing for under $17, and the siren song of fresh biscuits amplifies its spot on our list even more. 

To those who recognize its cheery barnyard doors, Bob Evans conjures nostalgic breakfasts of a simpler time. The man himself initially got into the sausage business, expanding his hustle into a dining empire where good, country eats pepper America's heartland. Nowadays, hundreds of restaurants later, folks can enjoy three square meals, ranging from fried chicken to gravy-coated turkey, although don't worry — regular patrons know that breakfast is also served here, and around the clock to boot. 

When it comes to marketing, certainly there's no false advertising with the Original Farmer's Choice breakfast. You can sub in pancakes for fluffy French toast, order your eggs fried, scrambled, or over-easy, and partake in delicious hickory-smoked ham steaks or links of chicken sausage. Spuds like cozy home fries or hash browns round out the entree's fixings, albeit swaps are available at a bonus charge (i.e., loaded renditions of the potato specialties). 

The popular menu item is, at its core, a sampling of everyone's favorite staples on those lazy weekend mornings. No order will look identical, since the combo invites ample customizations, and $12.59 is a steal in comparison to some rivaling establishments. The satisfying amount earns top marks online. 

Less of a household institution than IHOP or Cracker Barrel, Eggs Up Grill should still be on your radar, especially if you are in the Southeast. While the brunch-minded joint caters to hot cakes and eggs, there's a plethora of daytime standbys spanning BLTs and old-school patty melts. There are also up-and-coming locations in the Midwest, meaning many more folks will get a chance to savor its mouthwatering specialties. 

Reviewing the establishment's roster at hand, a full-scale country breakfast will fall under the "Eggs Up Classics," encompassing appropriately gut-busting delights. There are tons of combinations, but The Grand Classic covers the basics, all the while providing room to personalize one's order. In its default form, a single serving touts bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast as well as a bowl of grits and a side of homestyle breakfast potatoes. If you prefer one meat over another — say, sausage patties over bacon — the restaurant can sub in a beefed-up portion of the protein you like, no questions asked.

More savory than sweet is how we would describe the dish, which is one of the lowest priced on this list at $11.99. And unlike its other sit-down competitors, the fresh-faced company sticks to a shorter window for business; a majority of locations rise at 6 a.m. and close the doors anywhere from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. It's not the place for a late-night binge, but it's great for a wholesome morning. 

Huddle House offers just the ticket if you like a little bit of everything in your country breakfast. Simply take a gander at the "Big House Breakfasts" portion on the menu to try the MVP (which appropriately, translates to "Most Valuable Platter"). In it, diners can scrape together a feast of their choosing, with two eggs anchoring a rotation of meats and starches. Sidelining the main attraction are either biscuits and gravy or toast with a hearty dish of grits along with waffles, pancakes, bacon, and sausage factoring into the total options. 

For those unaware of the old-school Southern breakfast chain, it launched in Georgia over 50 years ago, though it's quickly picked up steam outside the Peach State (having settled in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, among more than a dozen other states). Restaurants are known for the comforting dishes, from smash burgers and sandwiches to a really expansive morning selection that lasts all day. 

While the food is delicious, according to guests, cleaning your plate is tough to do alone. It might be wise to polish an order off with a buddy, but if you'd rather avoid the gut-bust entirely, purchase a tinier (but no less mighty) order. The diner, for instance, doles out smaller two-egg platters, which gives you the full farmer's experience without the food coma. 

Biscuitville is on the small end of fast-food eateries; to date, it's capped to three states in the South (both of the Carolinas and Virginia). That leaves fewer folks available to try out its biscuits, which employees knock out from scratch. The fact that a fresh batch of biscuits comes out every 15 minutes easily secures its place among larger household names. 

Serving as the base for incredible breakfast sandwiches is what the biscuits are known for, but they anchor a range of wholesome variety platters as well. The BVL Ultimate Platter essentially follows a familiar template: four eggs, a meat of some kind, a side dish like home fries or grits, and of course, a buttery biscuit. On the website, you'll see the menu divides the item by protein ("with bacon," "with sausage," "with country ham"), so it's easy to order what you want.

If we had to pick a downside, it would be the range of substitutions, which aren't quite as generous here. Eggs can only be scrambled or fried, while most other side choices, prompt an up-charge on your final meal. At the same time, the value is unmatched for the level of scratch-cooking that its restaurants deliver on a regular basis for the clientele. The chain's schedule ought to factor into any visit you make. Although there's no cap on the morning menu's availability, locations close their doors fairly early; most are done for the day by 2 p.m. Cutting your shuteye short is worth it, though, when homemade biscuits are on the table.