5 Breakfast Chain Waffles Ranked Worst To Best

I grew up on Eggo waffles, hot and crispy (and, occasionally, hard as a rock) straight from the toaster. At the time, they seemed very special to me, but of course, as I've gotten older, my tastes have evolved, and I now have higher expectations for waffles. So I was eager to try out the waffles at five breakfast chains near me to determine which one was the best.

Each chain I visited had different ways of serving a waffle, from Waffle House's classic waffle with butter and syrup to Another Broken Egg Cafe's cookie dough Belgian waffle topped with whipped cream and chocolate. But to evaluate them fairly, I tried the plain waffle at each restaurant, with only the toppings served with it by default.

This limitation led to some surprising results. After all, Belgian waffles are built with deep wells and high ridges to hold big, chunky toppings, but standing alone without them stealing the focus, some simply couldn't hold up.

There was a time not too long ago when IHOP was my go-to breakfast restaurant, from late-night pancake runs in college to a budget-friendly meal stop on road trips. But this was my first experience with an IHOP waffle, and unfortunately, it was a letdown, especially at $10.99. I guess IHOP's not so inexpensive anymore.

The waffle itself was somewhat bland, and the texture was all wrong, with a surprisingly tough, almost chewy exterior. The syrup that came with it was fine, and it went a long way towards covering up the waffle's sins, but the dish as a whole was unsatisfying, especially in comparison to the other waffles I tried.

And, oddly enough, the carryout container was too small for the waffle to lie flat inside. That didn't factor into my ratings at all, and it's a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. But it did make me wonder how much IHOP thinks of its own waffles if it doesn't even stock containers large enough to fit them. In the future, I'll stick to my usual IHOP favorite — the pancake-batter omelettes.

I love getting brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe, but I usually go for the more savory Southern-style breakfast dishes, like the loaded grits. Though I was sorely tempted by the chicken and waffles, in order to be fair to all the other restaurants, I stuck with the plain Belgian waffle with butter and syrup. It came lightly dusted with powdered sugar, and though the batter wasn't quite as sweet as that at Original Pancake House, it was definitely enjoyable on its own. The edges were ever-so-slightly crisp, but not crunchy, which I liked. Some Belgian waffles can be downright hard, which is unpleasant to bite into, but Another Broken Egg strikes the perfect balance between crisp and pillowy.

The syrup, though, was a disappointment. The plain waffle came with individually-packaged pancake syrup from Gordon Food Service, and Another Broken Egg doesn't even bother hiding it. Paying $12 for a waffle at a restaurant that describes itself as "upscale" and getting the same maple-flavored corn syrup served in high schools and hospitals is just wild. Even Waffle House's pancake syrup is branded. At least transfer it to a new container and lie to me about it, ABE.

If I had been tasting specialty waffle offerings, Another Broken Egg Cafe likely would have ranked higher. But based on the waffle alone (and the syrup and butter that came with it), this waffle couldn't compare to the others. And because the restaurant closes mid-afternoon, it's only available for brunch — never for brinner — which is another downside.

I got a lovely little giggle out of my Original Pancake House order when I opened up the bag and found a syrup container with a Wing Stop lid on it. Ah, yes, a Belgian waffle with classic Wing Stop syrup, just what I always wanted. But I promptly stopped laughing when I opened up the carryout box and was smacked in the face with the sweet aroma of a freshly-made waffle.

Unlike most of the other restaurant waffles I tried, Original Pancake House doesn't bother with even a dusting of powdered sugar. But that's fine with me, because the waffle was delicious on its own, even before adding the butter and syrup. It was tender, moist, and full of sweet cream flavor. Syrup and butter only made it better, and it was reasonably priced at around $10.

I wouldn't say there was anything exceptional about the Belgian waffle at the Original Pancake House, but it was tasty, huge, and very satisfying. There are plenty of varieties at OPH, too — strawberry, chocolate chip, pecan, apple, bacon, blueberry, and coconut — with ingredients both in the batter and on top, and I'm definitely looking forward to trying one of those on another visit. My only complaint is that the syrup was thin and runny, but it's clearly not maple, so it has a distinctly "watered down" vibe. And, like Another Broken Egg, the restaurant is only open through lunchtime.

The Belgian waffle at First Watch was, on its own, almost completely indistinguishable from the one at Original Pancake House. The only real differences were that it was lightly dusted with powdered sugar and the batter was less sweet. And for me, that's a good thing, because I'm a firm believer that you really need a little salt with your sweetness, and the First Watch Belgian waffle nailed that balance.

What really set First Watch apart, though, was the blueberry compote that came with the waffle. That same berry compote is the reason First Watch won the top spot in our chain restaurant French toast rankings, too, and yet somehow I was still surprised to find it in my carryout bag. It was bright and tangy, loaded with whole berries, and it worked perfectly with the waffle. Other chain restaurants charge extra for fruit toppings on a Belgian waffle, but at First Watch, it's included in the price of the plain waffle, which is reasonable at $10.99.

I had a really hard time deciding between the First Watch waffle and the one that took the top spot. I have to admit that, if my rating scale were based on flavor alone, First Watch (and its compote) would have won easily. But other factors, including the fact that First Watch is only open until mid-afternoon, tipped the scale ever-so-slightly in favor of the winning waffle.

I really hoped that, through the process of writing this article, I'd come across a waffle that would knock Waffle House out of my own personal top spot. But as it turns out, you really can't mess with a classic. In fact, Waffle House has the only classic waffle of all the restaurants I tried for this article. Other restaurants go for the thicker, heavier Belgian waffles that can be loaded with extra fancy toppings. But on their own, they just can't compare to Waffle House, which never has to hide behind any extras.

Waffle House has the advantage of comfort and nostalgia, too, because who hasn't had a night they'll never forget (or can barely remember) that ended at the WaHo? Even Anthony Bourdain was a fan of this Southern staple. And the classic waffle is also perfectly designed to hold exactly the right amount of syrup in its little wells. Best of all, it's five bucks, and you can get it any time, day or night, 365 days a year. Waffle House is so reliable that FEMA uses it as a low-tech indicator of the severity of emergencies and natural disasters — if Waffle House turns off the lights, you know the storm is bad.

It may not be as pretty or as fancy as the Belgian waffles at higher-end restaurants, but for my money, Waffle House waffles are every bit as satisfying, half the price, and always there when I need them. Yes, it's true that this ranking would have shaken out a lot differently if we were looking at specialty waffles. But comparing waffles to waffles, Waffle House has the best.

Of course, the most important factor in determining the best breakfast chain waffle was the flavor. Ideally, the waffle should be good enough to eat on its own, with syrup and other toppings complementing what's already there. It should also be pillowy and just a little bit crisp, but never crunchy or tough.

But other factors came into play, too. The quality of the toppings mattered, and pre-packaged food-service corn syrup simply can't compare to something like pure maple syrup or fresh fruit compote. Price also mattered — everyone's budget is tighter these days, and while I'm not opposed to paying a reasonable price for a quality plate, if I'm paying more for a waffle, I'm going to expect more out of it.

And the final factor I considered was availability. Many breakfast chains are only available for breakfast and brunch, so if I want a waffle after work, I'm out of luck. Being forced to brave the weekend brunch crowds is a negative. Though not a heavily weighted factor, the ability to get a waffle when I want a waffle mattered too.