Why McAlister's Deli Baked Potatoes Are Bigger Than Your Typical Spud

The loaded baked potato is one of the more common menu items you'll see at restaurants, especially in the casual dining world. It's the perfect side to complement a nice steak or chicken dish. In some cases, a fully loaded baked potato can be a meal in itself. And that is certainly the case when it comes to McAlister's Deli's loaded potatoes. 

McAlister's secret? They're actually two potatoes combined into one. McAlister's Deli cuts the ends off two of the already quite large spuds, pushes them together, then bakes, cuts, and stuffs them as a single potato. Though the chain doesn't provide information on the exact size on its website, a standard Russet baking potato is around 10 ounces, so this adds up to 20 ounces on these giant spuds. The hefty spuds also come with a heftier price, as all these loaded baked potatoes come in around $8 to $12. That's comparable to some chains in price, such as Jason's Deli, but much more expensive than many others such as Longhorn Steakhouse ($3), Cracker Barrel ($3.50), and Texas Roadhouse ($5).

While you can order a loaded baked potato as a side at McAlister's, they're large enough to order as a meal. The chain doesn't hold back when it comes to potato toppings. The Smokehouse Spud comes with smoked pulled pork, mac and cheese, bacon, cheddar jack, sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, and green onions. The Chicken Bacon Ranch Spud includes seasoned grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar jack, buttermilk ranch, and green onions. McAlister's also offers a Spud Max (with turkey, ham, and bacon), as well as a Veggie Spud, Bacon Spud, Honey BBQ Pork Spud, and Cheese Spud.

If you don't have a McAlister's Deli nearby, you can also find pretty tasty baked potatoes at other chain locations, like Wendy's, Jason's Deli, Outback Steakhouse, Del Frisco's, and the aforementioned Longhorn Steakhouse, Cracker Barrel, and Texas Roadhouse. All of these restaurants, like McAlister's, made an appearance on our list of chain restaurants with the best loaded baked potatoes.

Most of these chains can't compete with McAlister's potatoes in size, but they can stand on their own in terms of flavor. You might even consider ordering two loaded potatoes if you want to recreate the McAlister's version elsewhere. That said, if you're lucky to have a McAlister's near you, by all means, go enjoy those giant baked potatoes and the best fast food sandwich chain bread out there.