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Mar 29, 2023

Ranking fast

Need a quick breakfast sandwich and don’t know where to go? We ranked 23 from 9

Need a quick breakfast sandwich and don't know where to go? We ranked 23 from 9 popular fast-food restaurants.- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Oh-- While breakfast has long been heralded as "the most important meal of the day," one in five Americans say they would rather sleep later than start their day with a hearty meal.

Whether you are running late or just not in the mood to whip up something before leaving the house, there are those days when a fast-food drive-thru breakfast sandwich can make all the difference.

We believe even an inexpensive handheld breakfast should be tasty, so cleveland.com's Best of Cleveland team embarked on a quest to find out which fast-food chain offers up the yummiest breakfast classic: the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich.

We found 23 versions of our targeted meal at just nine different popular fast-food chains and tried them all in our efforts to find the tastiest and most filling.

Here are our thoughts:

No. 23 Taco Bell Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito Sausage- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 350

Price: $1.49

Menu description: "Grab the Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito and go. Getting up. Getting ready. Getting in the proper mindset to tackle the upcoming day. It takes a lot of effort, and it can really take it out of you. Enter: The Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito with sausage. It brings just the right touch of fluffy, cheesy deliciousness to brighten your on-the-go morning. This sausage breakfast burrito does its best work when you’re in a rush and don't have time for us to enjoy your company. Put simply, when you’re out there trying to seize the day, you need a breakfast burrito that comes in clutch. That's what the Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito with sausage is here for."

Our thoughts: This breakfast "sandwich" begs the question "do you really get what you pay for?" One of the most inexpensive breakfast entrees we tasted, we gave them bonus points for the chopped hashbrown pieces, but sadly those points were negated by the lack of cheesiness. The tiny sausage "pellets" where overwhelmed by the eggy flavor. And when you go "south of the border" we were expecting some spice -- which was missing as well.

No. 22 Starbuck's Sausage, Cheddar & Egg

Calories: 480

Price: $1.75

Menu description: "A savory sausage patty, fluffy cage-free eggs and aged cheddar cheese on a perfectly toasted English muffin."

Our thoughts: Microwave much? Everything about this sandwich is processed and could be easily found in a rest stop vending machine. While the price is nice, there was little "nice" about this sandwich. The "toasted" muffin was tough and the egg and cheese were nearly tasteless. The sausage did offer some flavor -- but nothing to rave about. Our advice: Stick to the coffee and pass on the breakfast sandwich.

No. 21 Sonic Sausage Breakfast Toaster- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 670

Price: $3.99

Menu description: "Our Sausage BREAKFAST TOASTER® is crafted with melty cheese, savory sausage, and fluffy eggs all stacked up on two thick slices of Texas Toast."

Our thoughts: Sonic may not be the first place you think of when it comes to breakfast, but it is an option for those of us who find our breakfast hunger pangs arriving later in the morning. If toast is your breakfast go-to, then this sandwich may be your answer. The very dry "Texas Toast" dominated this sandwich. The sausage patty was way too thin, and got a little lost. The best thing about this sandwich was that they actually cracked an egg to make it, and the eggs were well-cooked. Still, we needed that included packet of "salsa" to coax much flavor out of it.

No. 20 McDonald's Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 680

Price: $5.09

Menu description: N/A

Our thoughts: In our childhood, stores sold "day-old" bread at a discount. The bagel we got on the day we visited may have come from that category. Even though it was lightly toasted, it was dry and didn't taste fresh. Typical McDonald's eggs -- made with egg substitute -- so light and fluffy, but a tad overwhelmed by the two slices of cheese on this one. The cheese was cold, which took away from the overall experience. While nicely spiced, the sausage patty was small compared to the size of the bagel.

No. 19 Sonic Sausage Breakfast Burrito- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 500

Price: $2.99

Menu description: "Kick-start your morning with a classic breakfast burrito. Scrambled eggs, melty cheddar cheese and savory sausage, all wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla."

Our thoughts: Despite the description, this breakfast entree was neither savory nor cheesy. The diced sausage tasted a little "old," but the egg substitute did offer a buttery flavor, though dry. We would have appreciated more cheese.

No. 18 McDonald's Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 550

Price: $4.99

Menu description: "Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles® feature soft, warm griddle cakes — with the sweet taste of maple — that hold a fluffy folded egg, savory sausage, and melty American cheese. McGriddles® cakes have no artificial preservatives or flavors and no colors from artificial sources."

Our thoughts: We loved the idea of a pancake "bun" with pockets of syrup baked in. Sadly, the McGriddle we tasted was severely undercooked and raw in the center, meaning we missed out on what might have been a true experience. Getting past the pancake, the sausage was nicely spiced, though the patty was thin. The eggs were well-cooked, but we felt they could have benefitted from some salt or pepper, but that is a personal thing.

No. 17 Dunkin’ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 720

Price: $5.25

Menu description: "IT ALL STARTS WITH SAUSAGE A tasty sandwich stacked with egg, American cheese and irresistible sausage."

Our thoughts: This sandwich was a tale of two cities for sure. A larger croissant than most fast-food eateries serve up, the flavor was light and buttery, but sadly ours was burnt on one side and dry. On a positive note, the egg was "real" and nicely cooked, but the patty tasted overly microwaved. If cooked correctly, this sandwich could be a star.

No. 16 McDonald's Sausage Biscuit with Egg- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 480

Price: $4.89

Menu description: "McDonald's Sausage and Egg Biscuit features a warm, flaky biscuit brushed with real butter, a sizzling hot pork sausage patty, and a classic McDonald's folded egg. It's the perfect savory breakfast sandwich when you’re looking for a quick, easy breakfast."

Our thoughts: Another up and down experience. The biscuit had that homemade buttery flavor and a flakey texture. But the rest of the sandwich seems to have suffered from an overworked chef: the eggs were dry, as was the sausage. And the slice of cheese was too small.

No. 15 Wendy's Sausage, Egg, & Swiss Croissant- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 600

Price: $4.39

Menu description: "A fresh-cracked grade A egg and grilled sausage covered in creamy Swiss cheese sauce on a flaky croissant bun. There's a lot going on in this simple sandwich and it's all delicious."

Our thoughts: There is no doubt Wendy's uses real eggs when making this sandwich since Yadi Rodriguez encountered a large piece of shell in her very first bite. The eggs were nicely seasoned, but the sausage was overdone. The cheese was creamy and melted though and it was delightful to have Swiss cheese instead of the standard American.

No. 14 Taco Bell Grande Toasted Breakfast Burrito Sausage- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 570

Price: $3.29

Menu description: "Sausage, fluffy eggs, melted three-cheese blend, potato bites, and tomatoes wrapped up in a flour tortilla and grilled."

Our thoughts: The incorporation of tomatoes into this over-stuffed burrito was a delightful twist and gave this a more Hispanic flavor, which we enjoyed, but they were sparse. Sadly, the seasoned potatoes tasted oily and more of the "left over from yesterday's breakfast," while the sausage had little spice. We needed the salsa packet included to make it tasty.

No. 13 Taco Bell Breakfast Quesadilla Sausage- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 510

Price: $3.89

Menu description: "A flour tortilla filled with fluffy eggs, sausage, and melted three-cheese blend."

Our thoughts: If you are looking for a "big breakfast," you’ll get a full-sized tortilla when you order the Breakfast Quesadilla, but that is the only "big" you’ll get from this entree. The eggs were made from an egg substitute and seemed to have been cooked in a crepe pan, they were so thin. The sausage was in tiny pieces, all nestled in the standard taco bell shredded combo cheese blend. It was okay, but just okay.

No. 12 Wendy's Classic Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 500

Price: $4.19

Menu description: "A fresh-cracked grade A egg, grilled sausage and melted American cheese on a warm breakfast roll. It's how mornings were meant to begin."

Our thoughts: This is definitely a ‘middle of the road’ option in the breakfast sandwich wars. You’ll get a soft, warm, slightly toasted bun filled with a peppery, albeit thin sausage patty, a real fried egg and no-so-melty American cheese. What makes this "nothing special" is that the sausage tasted more microwaved than freshly cooked.

No. 11 McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 480

Price: $4.49

Menu description: "McDonald's Sausage McMuffin® with Egg features a savory hot sausage, a slice of melty American cheese, and a delicious freshly cracked egg all on a freshly toasted English muffin."

Our thoughts: Yes, McDonald's was the first fast-food restaurant to jump into the breakfast business and we all grew up on this sandwich, but there is a reason it has been around for so long: The sausage was tasty and you get a real fried egg -- not one of those ‘folded’ egg substitute patties. The muffin was on the dry side. So yes, there are other options out there, but this is still a great way to quell those morning tummy grumblings.

No. 10 Chick-fil-A Sausage, Egg & Cheese Muffin- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 500

Price: $3.95

Menu description: "Savory pork sausage, freshly prepared eggs and American cheese served on a toasted multigrain English muffin."

Our thoughts: The multigrain muffin added a new depth of flavor to this breakfast sandwich. Lightly toasted and filled with the same fluffy eggs and grilled sausage as the other Chick-fil-A offerings, it was the different muffin that made this sandwich stand out.

No. 9 Chick-fil-A Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 610

Price: $3.75

Menu description: "A tasty pork sausage patty along with a folded egg and cheese served on a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit."

Our thoughts: The biscuits at Chick-fil-A are bigger than most we found on our journey and tasted as though someone's grandma was in the back rolling out the dough. The sausage was spicy and offers a real morning wake-up call to your palate. Rodriguez noted that it even had grill marks on it. The eggs were fluffy and tasted fresh and were nestled on a bed of melted American cheese. What's not to like?

No. 8 Wendy's Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 610

Price: $3.79

Menu description: "A fresh-cracked grade A egg on a fluffy buttermilk biscuit with grilled sausage and melted American cheese. Meet your new morning favorite."

Our thoughts: Everything you would want in a breakfast sandwich was present in this sandwich: a buttery and flaky biscuit, a real fried egg and a nicely spiced -- and sizable sausage patty. It was a tasty combo, even though the sausage was a little on the crispy overdone side.

No. 7 Dunkin’ Turkey Sausage, Egg & Cheese muffin- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 470

Price: $5.25

Menu description: "A TWIST ON A CLASSIC BREAKFAST FAVORITE Delicious turkey sausage, egg and American cheese."

Our thoughts: The muffin -- which was toasted on the inside, but soggy on the outside -- was what brought down the score on this sandwich, otherwise it would have ranked higher. For anyone seeking something different, you’ll love the turkey sausage option -- while those who are ‘nervous’ about trying poultry-based sausage shouldn't give it a second thought. There is plenty of texture and flavor to love. Let's not forget you get a real fried egg, which gets bonus points in our book.

No. 6 Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 550

Price: $3.99

Menu description: N/A

Our thoughts: This sandwich could have been a contender, but the biscuit was slightly undercooked and doughy. Still, it had that homemade flavor one longs for and held together to encase all the fluffy eggs, melty cheese and spicy meat.

No. 5 Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap Sausage- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 730

Price: $3.99

Menu description: "A crispy hash brown, fluffy eggs, sausage patty, cheddar cheese, and creamy jalapeño sauce wrapped inside a warm flour tortilla and grilled to go."

Our thoughts: The hashbrowns and the accompanying spicy sauce were definitely the stars of this breakfast entree. The eggs were light and fluffy, and the sausage was juicy and nicely spiced. The potatoes were just the right amount of crispy. But the creamy salsa-flavored sauce amped up all of the flavors and brought them nicely together. Everything is wrapped in a crispy grilled tortilla.

No. 4 Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissan’Wich- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 510

Price: $4.19

Menu description: N/A

Our thoughts: One of the flakiest and buttery croissants we encountered along the way. This is a solid breakfast sandwich with a lot to enjoy. Light fluffy eggs, a spicy sausage patty and plenty of ooey-gooey cheese melted atop. The croissant, itself, was on the smaller side so it had some trouble encasing all of the good insides of the sandwich.

No. 3 Burger King Sausage Cheesy Breakfast Melt- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 550

Price: $4.09

Menu description: N/A

Our thoughts: We loved the amount of creamy cheese on this one -- two slices melted on each side of the thick sausage patty and a nice amount of egg, all nestled in two thick slices of toasted sourdough bread. All of the flavors melded together perfectly, with just the tiniest bit of heat at the end.

No. 2 Panera Sausage, Scrambled Egg & Cheese on Brioche- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 610

Price: $5.69

Menu description: "Sausage, scrambled egg, aged white cheddar, salt and pepper on Brioche."

Our thoughts: There is something to be said for a more "high-end" toast when it comes to a breakfast sandwich. The brioche bun was nicely toasted but remained very soft and warm, and filled with a sizable sausage patty with just a hint of a peppery spice at the end. While the eggs were described as "scrambled" the texture was more omelet-like, with a pleasing peppery flavor. The cheese was subtle and evenly melted.

No. 1 Panera Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Asiago Bagel- Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Calories: 770

Price: $6.19

Menu description: "Sausage, over-easy egg, American cheese, salt and pepper, and garlic aioli on a freshly baked Asiago bagel."

Our thoughts: This is no hand-held breakfast sandwich. Plan on a knife and fork and a place to sit, but you will experience "perfection" with this breakfast entree! The lightly toasted Asiago bagel was big, fresh and soft. And this was one of the few sandwiches where the size of the sausage patty matched the size of the bread and had just enough spice to wake up your tastebuds without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. Our over-easy egg was perfectly cooked, and the runny yolk added a creamy texture once it was pierced and ran over the rest of the sandwich. Topping it all off was a mild garlic aioli -- spread on both sides of the bagel, so you tasted it in every bite. The perfect blend of textures and flavors. Definitely worth the price -- and the calories.

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