In an effort to identify the superior fast-food breakfast, a series of visits were made to prominent chains across New York City. Each meal included a breakfast burrito, potato side, and an iced coffee drink, providing a comprehensive comparison of taste, quality, and value.

Discover Which Chain Delivers the Ultimate Breakfast Experience

The Journey Begins at Wendy’s

Wendy’s reintroduced breakfast in 2020 after several unsuccessful attempts. My experience began with a sausage-burrito combo that included seasoned potatoes and a cold brew coffee with Frosty creamer. The total cost was $8.97. The sausage-burrito featured a square patty split into two, accompanied by eggs, American cheese, and cheese sauce. While the cheese sauce had a pleasant cheddar-like taste on its own, it became less noticeable within the burrito. The dryness of the sausage and the unnatural texture of the eggs detracted from the overall experience. Adding Cholula hot sauce significantly improved the flavor.The seasoned potatoes were overly salty and lacked the desired crunch. Smaller pieces resembled seasoned curly fries, but larger portions were mushy and unexciting. Wendy’s cold brew fell short, tasting more like a weak coffee-flavored beverage rather than robust coffee. The Frosty creamer did little to enhance the flavor.

McDonald’s Familiarity and Surprises

Frequent McDonald’s visits have shaped my breakfast preferences over the years. For this review, I ordered a combo meal consisting of two sausage burritos, hash browns, and an iced coffee for $9.13.The sausage burrito contained scrambled egg, sausage, cheese, and bits of tomato and pepper. Unfortunately, it lacked flavor and the tortilla felt squishy, similar to something microwaved at a convenience store. The salsa packet added some sweetness and mild spice but couldn’t salvage the meal.McDonald’s hash browns were predictably greasy, coating my fingers in oil. Despite their initial crunch, they quickly turned soft due to the grease.Surprisingly, McDonald’s iced coffee stood out as the best among all chains. Its smooth and rich flavor provided a welcome contrast to the disappointing food items.

Chick-fil-A’s Chicken-Free Experiment

Chick-fil-A is renowned for its chicken dishes, but for consistency, I opted for a hash-brown-scramble burrito with sausage. This meal, priced at $13.23, was the most expensive of the bunch, likely due to the Manhattan location.The burrito was large, yet the tortilla seemed oversized for its filling. The peppery sausage and fluffy eggs were enjoyable, but the hash browns were unnecessary, adding bulk and grease without much flavor. The tortilla tasted like a deli wrap, lacking heat and freshness.Chick-fil-A’s hash browns were plentiful but underwhelming. They were greasy and lacked crispiness and flavor.The coffee was strong and bold, bordering on burnt at times, making it one of the better drinks sampled.

Taco Bell’s Fresh and Flavorful Offering

Taco Bell’s breakfast experience was unique, especially since no coffee was available. I enjoyed a hash brown and burrito combo for $8.05, later sampling the coffee separately.The burrito featured a toasty tortilla, juicy tomatoes, moist eggs, flavorful sausage, and gooey cheese. It needed just a touch of Fire Sauce to reach perfection. The diced tomatoes added a fresh brightness not found in other burritos.Taco Bell’s hash browns were crispy with a sneaky black-pepper spice, making them the standout side dish. They were greasy but had a strong crunch and excellent flavor.Unfortunately, Taco Bell’s iced coffee disappointed. It was strong but overly acidic, and the sweetened vanilla creamer was too overpowering.

Burger King’s Unexpected Triumph

Burger King offered the Egg-normous burrito combo for $7.61, which included hash browns and iced coffee. This was the least expensive meal of the five.The Egg-normous burrito was generously filled with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese, hash browns, and spicy sauce. The spicy sauce had a unique sweet and spicy flavor, reminiscent of hot honey or pancake syrup mixed with hot sauce. The crispy bacon and peppery sausage were highlights, and the salsa packets added extra flavor.Burger King’s hash browns were crunchy and not excessively greasy, though not exceptional enough to warrant repeat orders.The iced coffee was adequate, neither outstanding nor particularly bad. It lacked bitterness or staleness but didn’t stand out in any remarkable way.Overall, Burger King emerged as the top choice, delivering a satisfying and flavorful breakfast experience that surpassed expectations.