The 9 Best Fast Food & Chain Restaurant Biscuits, Reviewed & Ranked by a Food Editor

• Availability: morning only
• Price: $2

This buttermilk biscuit plays the base in a number of sandwiches on the Wendy’s breakfast menu. For the simplest comparison, I went with the honey butter biscuit. It’s crumbly and fluffy all at once, but I feel it’s missing salt and is a bit messier and heavier than necessary. That said, the smell and texture are both nice, largely due to the honey butter spread. It gives the biscuits an almost pancake-y flavor and necessary moisture.

• Availability: all day
• Price: $3/four

Of all the Cracker Barrel side dishes (yes, I’ve tried them), this is among the tastier options. Also made with buttermilk, the biscuits are salty, buttery, dense and crumby (not flaky) and perfect for spreading with jelly or honey. They tend to harden around the edges surprisingly quickly and can turn dry, so have mashed potatoes and gravy at the ready—odds are your server will drop some, alongside cornbread, on the table before you even order.

• Availability: all day
• Price: $1

This buttermilk-infused gem is fresh, soft and warm with a crusty exterior and fluffy interior. It’s notably bready and dense compared to the others on this list. A saltier top would be nice and make it more flavorful but figure you’re eating it with fried chicken or other salty items. It’s not the best fast food biscuit I’ve ever had, but it’ll do just fine with a side of mashed potatoes.

• Availability: morning only
• Price: $2

Chick-fil-A serves chicken biscuits for breakfast at select locations, but I opted for the buttered biscuit for fairness. The texture here is divine with a moist, tender crumb, no doubt in part due to the melted butter. There’s a notable sweetness that made it stand out compared to competitors, but I wouldn’t mind a saltier top. Nevertheless, it’s still delicious and has a glossy, appetizing look.

• Availability: morning only
• Price: $1

This fast food biscuit has a very crisp exterior, supremely tender inside. I appreciate how freshly baked it seems, served glistening and warm. It offers a nice salt ratio, but the only thing I don’t love is its artificial-like butter taste. That said, it’s a sleeper hit I didn’t see coming. (Oh, and the hash browns are a must, too.)

• Availability: morning only
• Price: $2

This pick is very simple and bready. Mine felt freshly baked and very soft. It’s not dense in texture necessarily, but each bite feels substantial to chew on and sort of glues your jaw shut in a surprisingly pleasant way. I also appreciate its notable tang (is that you, buttermilk?), and it’s still buttery without being doused in melted dairy. This serves best as a side rather than a standalone menu item, but it’s pretty darn good regardless. I just might ditch my usual McGriddle next time.

• Availability: all day
• Price: $1.50

Historically, these are my favorite fast food biscuits of all time. (I’ve been known to say I’d request these as part of my last-ever meal.) Made with buttermilk, the biscuits are dependably buttery and satiating, yet still pillowy and soft. They’re sturdy enough to hold their own against mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, and the salty top makes for a balanced bite and extra flavor. They’re frill-free and deliciously simple.

• Availability: all day
• Price: $5.50/six

I’ve gone to Red Lobster a number of times to try fall drinks, appetizers and the entire Crabfest menu. But nothing ever tops the cheesy, salty bliss of the Cheddar Bay Biscuits. And while it feels unfair (or borderline unethical) to compare them to plain biscuits, I’d also be remiss not to include them, as they’re arguably the most iconic chain restaurant biscuit of all time. Supremely soft, supple and buttery, they straight-up melt in your mouth. The topping is garlicky and salty, like it’s brushed with garlic butter. The cheese is detectable on the inside, offering lots of moisture and a rich, melty texture without being gloppy, heavy or even profoundly visible.

• Availability: all day
• Price: $3/two

Yup, this underrated pick takes the cake—and it’s my favorite of all the Jollibee side dishes to boot. It was salty, buttery, simple and…well, flawless. It had a tender, soft, pillowy crumb (softer than Popeye’s) and a salty top, as well as a semi-crunchy, sturdy rim. To me, that signals it can hold its own against any warm main or side you pair it with. This no-frills option gets the crown in my book.