The sausage and egg McMuffin is widely considered the king of fast food breakfast sandwiches. It’s so good that almost every fast food brand has tried — and failed — to mimic its magic. It is simply McDonald’s greatest gift to fast food (aside from the fries, of course). So the idea that another brand could ever come along and make a better breakfast sandwich is hard to fathom. In fact, if you told me at the beginning of this year that it would ever happen, I’d have just laughed at you.
Enter Wendy’s, who today just dropped two new English Muffin Sandwiches at locations nationwide. The new sandwiches feature a light and fluffy muffin topped with browned butter and black pepper, a fresh cracked and fried egg, American cheese, and your choice of oven-baked applewood smoked bacon or a grilled sausage patty. Folks, believe me when I tell you this — Wendy’s has just dropped the two best breakfast sandwiches in all of fast food.
I know, I know, it’s incredibly easy to be charmed by something new, but trust me on this one, I’ve ranked breakfast sandwiches, I’ve blind taste tested them, I’m intimately familiar with just about every sandwich on the market. Wendy’s wins, hands down. Here is why:
Wendy’s Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Muffin
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
Easily the best part of McDonald’s famous Sausage, Egg & Cheese McMuffin is that perfectly toasted English muffin. It’s craggy, airy, and remarkably textural. But when the best part of your sandwich is the bun… how good is your sandwich really? Beat for beat (aside from the muffin), Wendy’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Muffin is an improvement over what you can get at McDonald’s.
The sausage patty is incredible, it’s tender with a great smokey flavor that has some mild sweetness to it, a heavy emphasis on pepper, and some herbal depth. The combination of fennel and thyme with the savory meat flavor is satisfying in itself, but the sandwich is further elevated by the fried egg that has a good amount of moisture and texture to it, the salty American cheese, and the complex nuttiness of the browned butter which adds some caramel sweetness to each bite.
The muffin is spongier and chewier than the McMuffin, and while I don’t like that quite as much, it helps the sandwich from coming reading dry. Overall, each bite is more addicting than the last. But what really surprises me is the bacon-topped version of the sandwich…
Wendy’s Bacon, Egg & Cheese Muffin
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
When I ate the sausage-topped version of this sandwich, I was ready to crown a new king in the world of fast food breakfast sandwiches. I generally find sausage sandwiches more satisfying and savory than bacon sandwiches, so I assumed this sandwich was going to be a slightly less delicious version and even considered not reviewing it at all. I’m glad I did because this sandwich is even better.
There is slightly more emphasis on the non-meat ingredients here — Wendy’s bacon is thick but not as thick as a sausage patty — changing the flavor profile slightly, but that allows the flavor of the fried egg, savory brown butter, and salty cheese to really shine. This sandwich is also much smokier and less sweet than the sausage version and helps to add a better crunch and sense of texture, which counterbalances the spongey quality of the muffin.
Overall, the sandwich is very well-balanced. It’s meaty but doesn’t rely on its protein to dominate the flavor. Crunchy and textural, savory, buttery, and slightly sweet — can you tell that I dig this one?
The Bottom Line:
Whether you’re more down for sausage or bacon, one thing is for certain — both sandwiches offer a significantly better eating experience than the mighty McDonald’s McMuffin by focusing on great base ingredients. Wendy’s wears the crown as the new king of breakfast.
Find your nearest Wendy’s here.