Burger King hash browns (Photo by Deutschlandreform on Shutterstock)
In the world of fast food breakfast, few items inspire as much devotion as the humble hash brown. These crispy, golden potato patties have become a morning staple for millions, offering a satisfying crunch and comforting warmth to start the day. But not all fast food hash browns are created equal. From the perfectly seasoned to the disappointingly greasy, we’ve scoured drive-thru reviews across the web to bring you the definitive ranking of the best fast food hash browns. Whether you’re a breakfast connoisseur or just looking for a quick morning fix, join us as we dive into the crispy, potato-y world of fast food’s finest hash browns. Let us know your favorite hash browns in the comments below!
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5 Best Fast Food Hash Browns, Ranked
1. McDonald’s
Some McD’s stans will vehemently claim that breakfast at the golden arches is top-notch. When it comes to hash browns, they just might be right. “Earning the top slot on our list is the iconic hash brown patty from McDonald’s. In the end, we preferred the traditional patty style over the nugget hash browns on the menu at so many places. This style offers a better potato-to-crunch ratio given the size and shape,” raves Microsoft Start.
McDonald’s hash browns have achieved iconic status in the fast food breakfast world, with their crispy golden exterior and fluffy interior striking the perfect balance of textures. “McDonald’s switched from frying their hash browns in a mixture of cottonseed oil and beef tallow to vegetable oil with all-natural beef flavoring. They did this because beef tallow is a form of rendered fat, causing the original oil to be unhealthy and making the hash browns very high in saturated fat. The new and improved hash browns are now not only healthier, but also even more delicious. They’re made from fluffy shredded potatoes, so the crispiness of the exterior harmonizes with the cloudy interior without overpowering one another. They also don’t taste greasy, but somehow pack a load of flavor into one patty. It’s magic,” adds Eat This, Not That!
These oval-shaped potato patties are consistently delicious across locations, offering a satisfying blend of salt and oil that makes them a go-to choice for millions of morning commuters and breakfast enthusiasts alike. “The McDonalds hash brown is the most iconic fast food hash brown on the market, hands down. From its massive size to its perfectly ‘deep fried’ crunch, Mickey D’s hash browns have my heart. When making the early morning breakfast trip, don’t forget to add a hash brown on the side,” says Spoon University.
2. Wendy’s Seasoned Potatoes
Though strictly speaking these breakfast potatoes are not hashbrowns, they did achieve highest honors from our sources. A newcomer on the breakfast block, Wendy’s now offers black-pepper laden breakfast potato wedges that some folks crave. “Ranking this one number is going to make a lot of people mad, but, bring it on. Sure, Wendy’s Seasoned Potatoes might not be hash browns, but this is a better form factor and provides a better flavor than any other breakfast side. What you lose in crunch, you gain in flavor. This mix of cracked black pepper and garlic powder beats the salt, grease, and crunch combination that every hash brown delivers. It tastes so damn good that Wendy’s has no excuse to keep this a breakfast exclusive. If you could order these wedges at lunch and dinner time, Wendy’s wouldn’t even sell French fries anymore — they’re that good,” gushes Uproxx.
Although Wendy’s may not be well-known for breakfast offerings, some breakfast diners swear that these potato wedges are the best. “Imagine my pleasant surprise when the bag of hot potato I received from the cashier was not a patty, but individual chunks of potato—home fries!—like mini steak fries, but for breakfast. They resembled potatoes, were appropriately seasoned and taste like what you’d get at a brunch spot you’ve never been to but walk by every time, thinking ‘Oh yeah, this place.’ They’re good. Like, honestly pretty good. I’d eat these again,” writes a reviewer at My Recipes.
“When Business Insider checked out Wendy’s breakfast menu, they found them as worthy competitors to the more common hash browns, pointing out how they achieve that elusive balance between crispy exterior and soft center. Brand Eating called them ‘the best part’ of Wendy’s breakfast menu, finding them far superior to the chain’s fries. Most of the commenters agree, wishing that Wendy’s would offer these all day instead of sequestering them to breakfast only,” according to Daily Meal.
3. Burger King Hash Browns
In the never-ending comparison between the clown and the king, BK hash browns just barely miss the crown. “While the restaurant’s fried potato nuggets score points for staying true to their nature, two reviewers… complained that they had too much potato flavor, which seems like an odd thing to be disappointed by in a food item that’s pretty much all potato…. Unlike some of the other crunch-heavy options on this list, BK is able to achieve a crisp exterior while maintaining a soft center,” says Daily Meal.
Burger King’s hash browns, often overlooked in the shadow of their Whopper-centric menu, offer a surprisingly enjoyable breakfast option for potato lovers. “Burger King’s hash browns are thick-cut and fried to perfection. They have a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior…The best part of Burger King’s hash browns is that they are little rounds. The small cylinders maximize the amount of crunch texture on each hash brown. I’ll be honest; the crunchy parts are why I love hash browns. If you’re looking for a fast food hash brown that won’t disappoint, Burger King is the place to go,” states Restaurant Clicks.
These bite-sized nuggets of crispy, seasoned potato provide a fun alternative to the traditional patty shape, allowing for easy snacking or sharing during your morning meal. “They were in the middle price-wise compared to other fast-food restaurants. Burger King hash browns are vegan, so this is a safe choice for anyone looking for vegan fast-food options,” explains Microsoft Start.
4. Chick-fil-A Hashbrowns
Even haters come out of the woodwork to praise this hashbrown. “I’m genuinely surprised by this, not because I’m a Chick-fil-A fanboy (far from it, I actively root for this brand to lose like I do for BK to win) but because Chick-fil-A does just about everything they do… pretty damn well. Credit where credit is due, Chick-fil-A has an amazing batting average,” says Uproxx.
What makes these so scrumptious? “The hash brown nuggets from Chick-fil-A ranked as our favorite nugget-style hash browns on the list. They arrived warm and perfectly crisp. The hash browns at Chick-fil-A are vegan, so that’s another plus. Bottom line: Chick-fil-A makes the best nugget-style hash browns, served by a super friendly and helpful staff,” states Taste of Home.
These bite-sized morsels are expertly seasoned and cooked to a golden brown, providing a satisfying crunch and flavor that makes them a popular choice among Chick-fil-A’s breakfast patrons. Just make sure you get there before they stop serving breakfast! “Chick-fil-A may be best known for its chicken, but it has some decent hash browns. Having sampled these previously for a different taste test, I can confirm they’re still as tasty as the last time. Like Burger King and Carl’s Jr., Chick-fil-A has miniature hash-brown discs rather than single, palm-sized patties. But unlike the two other chains, Chick-fil-A’s hash browns actually offered the right texture and flavor,” adds Yahoo!News.
5. Jack in the Box Hash Browns
Jack in the Box isn’t afraid to let their hash browns out at night, as one of the only drive thrus to offer has browns outside of normal breakfast hours. “One word: Yowza. The hash browns from Jack in the Box aren’t your usual, let’s-just-shred-some-potatotes-and-form-them-into-a-patty-and-drown-them-in-hot-oil-and-leave-it-at-that kind of thing. They’re more like the how-in-the-world-do-they-make-potatoes-taste-this-freakin’-amazing kind. The smell alone is mouth-wateringly potato-y, as you’ll find out if you order them in your car. (That smell does kind of stick, though, so watch out for that.),” warns Mashed.
Jack in the Box offers a much thinner hash brown that is just different enough to set them apart. “Your opinion on Jack in the Box’s hash browns may depend on whether you think their skinny size is a plus, adding extra crunch, or a minus, necessitating a double order for true satiation. One bonus feature of this narrow frame is that it makes them easy to layer onto a breakfast sandwich, which adds an extra stratum of starchy, crunchy goodness,” explains Daily Meal.
“Jack in the Box’s hash brown got the flavor right, but it was way thinner than I expected… It was served super warm and had a solid potato flavor with a noticeable butteriness, but thankfully without any weird oily taste. I also liked that it came in a fun square shape since it made it different from any other hash brown I tried. For a moment, I thought this could potentially give my favorite a run for its money,” states Yahoo!News.
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You missed A&W’s hash browns, definitely the best around!
A&W hashbrowns are the best!
Dunkin’ Donuts are AMAZING and PERFECTLY SEASON! I don’t understand how someone could miss these delicious bites.
Every Hash Brown takes a backseat to Einstein Bagel’s Twice Baked Hash Browns !!!
McDonald’s has the worst everything. How can they be number 1.
Hardees too!!! I never liked McDonalds, Wendy’s, or Burger King’s breakfast.
Well that was the biggest joke. How do any of you eat that and remotely think it is good.
How could you leave out Hardees hashrounds!!Yum!!