I tried all of Wendy’s breakfast sandwiches and ranked them from worst to best

• I tried all 11 of Wendy’s breakfast sandwiches and ranked them from worst to best.

• I didn’t love the bread on most of the chain’s “classic” options, which was like a dinner roll.

• The hot-honey chicken biscuit may be the best fast-food breakfast sandwich I’ve ever tried.

Wendy’s started selling breakfast again in 2020.

Wendy’s had many failed attempts at serving breakfast over the past 30 years, but the chain officially brought back its breakfast menu in 2020.

From biscuits and croissants to sausage and crispy chicken, the chain offers a range of breakfast options.

As part of an ongoing series to find the best fast-food breakfast sandwiches, I spent a few months trying all of the options at various Wendy’s locations in California, ranking them from worst to best.

The sausage biscuit was a decent, no-frills option.

This sandwich was pretty basic — it is literally a biscuit with a sausage patty between it.

Of course, basic doesn’t necessarily mean bad. If you’re in the mood for a light snack to get you through the morning, this sandwich would work.

Wendy’s reportedly tested over 50 different biscuit recipes, and the version the chain landed on was one of the best fast-food biscuits I’ve ever tried.

Although it was on the thinner side, it had a perfectly crumbly outside and pillowy inside. The smaller size also made for a more balanced bread-to-meat ratio. It was salty enough with a mellow butter taste, all without being greasy. I just wish it was a bit sweeter.

Wendy’s sausage was fine, but its flavor wasn’t memorable enough to hold its own. The square-shaped patty had a mostly meaty taste with a mellow presence of black pepper. A layer of cheese would’ve really made it pop.

A version of this sandwich with egg and cheese only costs a dollar more, so I’d opt for that.

I didn’t like the bread on the classic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.

Most of Wendy’s “classic” sandwiches were served on rolls, which looked completely fine. After one bite, I realized how much bread can make or break a sandwich.

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The roll was dull and dry, lacking any real flavor. It was a bit chewy in some spots but tough in others, plus it wasn’t toasted.

It was also a bit too big for the sandwich, making every bite extra bread-y.

However, everything else about this sandwich was first-rate, redeeming this option. The fried egg tasted fresh and the bacon had an intense and enticing smoky flavor.

That said, you can find the same bacon, egg, and cheese combination on much tastier bread.

 

The classic sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich worked a bit better.

Since this used the same bread as the last sandwich, I wasn’t thrilled to try it. As expected, I wasn’t impressed, though this was a slightly better option.

The sausage patty was more like an actual hamburger, which better fit the diner roll. This sandwich seemed to cater to folks who wish they could order a regular Wendy’s burger before 11 a.m.

The egg on my order was also extra large and fluffy.

If you’re looking for a convenient way to get a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast into your body, this option works just fine. But if you want a sandwich worth waking up for, this probably isn’t your best bet.

Wendy’s breakfast Baconator is a morning take on the beloved burger.

Considering the Baconator is one of Wendy’s most popular items, it makes sense that the chain would offer a breakfast version of it.

This huge sandwich started with a layer of sausage and several strips of thick-cut, crispy bacon. Considering the meal’s name, I actually wasn’t expecting it to come with sausage. It seemingly stood in for the hamburger patty that comes on the regular Baconator.

The first bed of bacon was covered with melted American cheese, an egg, another slice of cheese, and more bacon. The top layer was slathered in the chain’s creamy Swiss-cheese sauce.

All of this somehow fit together on a single bun — the same bread used for the regular Baconator.

After the first bite, I could totally see this being the kind of hearty sandwich you eat the morning after a debaucherous night out, but I tried this on a regular Tuesday, and it was a bit too heavy.

This isn’t to say it wasn’t tasty. However, I didn’t love the inclusion of the Swiss-cheese sauce, especially since the sandwich already had multiple slices of cheese. It made the meal messier and greasier.

Still, the breakfast Baconator is iconic, and I will forever consider it a marvel of the fast-food world.

The sausage, egg, and cheese croissant was a great deal.

I’m a sucker for a good croissant sandwich in the morning, and I was excited that this one was only $1.99.

It came with a sausage patty, a freshly cooked egg, and the chain’s signature Swiss-cheese sauce.

The croissant bun was an instant upgrade from the bread roll. It had a soft, fluffy texture and a slightly sweet flavor that tasted great with the egg and savory sausage. It was also quite large.

However, the cheese sauce still threw me off. The creamy, sweet, and tangy mix reminded me of a cross between fondue and mayonnaise. The flavor was distracting, and it was too greasy for a soft sandwich. Regular cheese would’ve fared much better.

Still, this sandwich is a decent option if you’re looking to try something different.

 

Wendy’s maple-bacon chicken croissant was a bit too sweet.

This sandwich was decadent without feeling as blatantly heavy or meaty as the breakfast Baconator.

It smelled delightful. I unwrapped the foil and was met with the swirling aroma of honey-maple butter, savory breaded chicken, and smoky bacon. The croissant looked like it had just come out of the oven.

Unfortunately, the taste didn’t quite live up.

There may have been an error with my order, but the honey-maple butter wasn’t a cohesive mixture. It got all over the place and made this meal extra messy.

It also was too sweet. The sugar distracted from the salty bacon instead of complementing it.

But this sandwich wasn’t a lost cause. The chicken was juicy and delicious, and the bacon was tasty. I can see it working with the right sauce.

I would’ve liked the bacon, egg, and Swiss croissant more without the cheese sauce.

This sandwich was a significant step up from the classic bacon, egg, and cheese option.

The bacon added a salty flavor and a chewy, yet crunchy texture against the soft, slightly sweet croissant.

It was quite yummy, and I can only imagine how wonderful it would taste with something fresh like tomato or avocado.

The only thing that kept me from ranking this higher was the Swiss-cheese sauce. It wasn’t a total deal breaker, but it made me less likely to order this again without modifications.

The sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit had a great, sturdy base.

Wendy’s take on this classic fast-food breakfast is definitely worth trying. It featured a sausage patty, an egg, and American cheese between two biscuit halves.

The fried egg and sausage stuck out on all sides, but this meal still looked appetizing. The top appeared flaky, with a nice golden hue.

This is one of the better sausage-biscuit sandwiches I’ve tried — the biscuit is the superior sandwich bread at Wendy’s. The slightly buttery taste worked well with the mild sausage.

Even under the weight of the insides, the biscuit was sturdy until the last bite.

It was good enough to eat plain, but if you’re willing to add some ketchup or hot sauce, this is a reliable and tasty option.

The chain’s honey-butter chicken biscuit was balanced and flavorful.

This sandwich was scrumptious. The chicken was extra juicy and tasted fantastic with the biscuit.

Though I’m not sure why the “honey butter” tasted like maple. It was very sweet and reminded me of the icing on a maple doughnut.

Thankfully, it didn’t overpower the savory goodness, and the flavor was quite balanced.

The sweet butter’s slightly artificial taste kept me from ranking this higher, but it was still a fantastic breakfast sandwich.

This became my favorite fast-food bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.

This simple option just had the essentials — two strips of thick bacon, American cheese, and a fried egg.

Wendy’s has crafted what may be the best bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit in all of fast food. I don’t know if I can ever order this from anywhere else again.

It was well balanced, and all of the flavors came together without overpowering the others. Plus every ingredient tasted fresh. It was also the ideal size for a breakfast sandwich.

I wouldn’t change a thing about this A+ execution of one of fast food’s favorite breakfasts. It was well worth the $3.99 price tag.

Wendy’s hot-honey chicken biscuit may be the best fast-food breakfast sandwich I’ve ever tried.

From the first bite, I knew this sandwich was the best thing to happen to Wendy’s menu, if not all of fast food.

The hot-honey chicken biscuit tasted like something from a hole-in-the-wall shop. It was wonderful in every possible way.

Hot honey is a condiment that elevates every meal, and Wendy’s take derives its kick from habanero peppers. The medium heat practically melted onto my taste buds.

That made for an unbelievably sophisticated flavor combination when paired with the crispy chicken and buttery biscuit. This sandwich proved that less can be more.

This is the closest fast-food option I’ve found to a restaurant-quality breakfast sandwich.

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