To know Waffle House is to love Waffle House – it’s perfect for greasy diner food or one of their signature waffles (I recommend pecans and blueberry syrup).
But it turns out there are a surprising number of breakfast spots that have overtaken it – at least according to their fans!
And here’s the thing…
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I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Waffle House has responded to the increasing price of eggs by tacking on a 50-cent-per-egg surcharge to their food.
Which is, frankly, pretty ridiculous.
You’re already paying for the food, but now you have to pay again?
No thank you.
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So yeah, at this point certainly a lot of places have really upped their breakfast game.
But are they better than Waffle House?
Well, that’s for you to decide, starting with…
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Where you’ll find them: Founded in Louisiana, they’ve expanded rapidly as far north as Cleveland and as far west as Burbank, California. Most states in that zone only have a couple, but Texas has over a dozen and they’ve even got one near Baltimore.
Why the breakfast is better: Expansive gluten-free menu, delicious chicken and waffles, completely decadent crab cake benedict. (Seriously, try it – but don’t plan on a strenuous afternoon after, because you’re going to need a nap.)
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Where you’ll find them: The Carolinas and Virginia – here’s hoping for more locations soon! (They’ve got 70 so far.)
Why the breakfast is better: It won’t shock you to learn that their biscuits are fantastic. But what might surprise you is that they’ve done a lot of other great innovative baking – like their confetti killer brownie, plus breakfast sandwiches with waffles as the bun that you dip in syrup.
They’ve even done a S’mores iced latte that reminds me of the dearly departed Cracker Barrel classic.
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Where you’ll find them: An East Coast chain, Le Pain has restaurants in Florida, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York – and California as well.
(Wondering when they’ll start expanding to the Carolinas and Atlanta…)
Why the breakfast is better: Great tartines, great baked goods made with French flair. (Their salads are pretty good for lunch too.)
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Where you’ll find them: Scattered throughout the country – they’re in California, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Tennessee, Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington DC, Kentucky, Illinois, Georgia…
Basically, a lot of places. (Over 200 locations at last count, in fact!)
Why the breakfast is better: Delicious and filling egg bowls and scramblers, plus I’ve got a soft spot for their “Commuter Croissant” which is eggs, bacon, tomato, and cheddar on an excellent croissant. Their breakfast wraps are good too.
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Where you’ll find them: 49/50 states (Delaware doesn’t have a Denny’s – no clue why) with a scattering in other countries too.
Why the breakfast is better: Denny’s has its die-hard defenders and fans, and every argument for it boils down to: You get amazing value for the food.
That’s true! Their value menu is huge, and you get a ton of solid food for just a few dollars.
Plus, and maybe this is just me, but I feel like their stuff just tastes better than it used to.
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Where you’ll find them: IHOP is in all 50 states and several other countries (including both Mexico and Canada. Also Pakistan).
Why the breakfast is better: You’d think that with so many different menu items, IHOP would struggle with quality. But honestly, their eggs benedict are solid, their omelets are fantastic, the stuffed French toast is a longtime favorite, and their combos are a great value. All in all, it’s just an excellent meal for a great price.
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Where you’ll find them: Just 10 restaurants nationwide, of which four are in Las Vegas. You’ll also find them in other big tourist traps – Atlantic City, Orlando, San Diego, and a few smaller towns like Winter Garden, FL and Henderson, NV.
Why the breakfast is better: Big portion sizes, delicious food. Their big o’ pancakes are a crowd favorite, and their sage fried chicken is just absolutely decadent.
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Where you’ll find them: First Watch has over 500 locations in 29 states, centered in the American South, but with quite a few locations out in Arizona and as far north as Michigan.
Why the breakfast is better: Try their parmesan prosciutto toast, and you’ll know why it’s amazing. Or if you’re a fan of eggs benedict, try any of their (four) varieties – they’ll make your morning.
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Where you’ll find them: Silver Diner is a regional chain centered on Virginia, Maryland, DC, and New Jersey.
Why the breakfast is better: Silver Diner’s traditional diner fare is top-notch, and they’re well-known in the allergy community for doing a truly fantastic job of catering to alternative diets.
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Ok honestly, I couldn’t leave without giving Waffle House some love. I’ve got a lot of fond memories eating there with my family.
Where you’ll find them: 25 states, mostly in the American South and Midwest.
Why the breakfast is better: Great waffles, greasy and delicious food, great value. If you’re in the mood for Waffle House, you know exactly what you want.
Now, here’s the thing…
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Breakfast is all about what you’re in the mood for.
Want big portions? There’s a place for that.
Stacks of pancakes? There’s a place for that too.
Something lighter and healthier? There’s a place for that!
But really, this all brings me to the big question…
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What do YOU think? Is Waffle House still the best? Or did one of the restaurants above beat it?
Let us know in the comments!
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