The Fast Food Sandwich That Ruled Breakfast In The '80s

For much of American history, breakfast was a meal that people ate at home to provide fuel for the workday, not eaten on the run and definitely not ordered from a fast-food restaurant. Then came the mid-1970s, when McDonald's changed the way America eats breakfast with the introduction of the Egg McMuffin. Naturally, other fast food chains were not about to be left behind, but they also wanted to distinguish themselves. In 1983, Burger King came out with its Croissan'wich. The sandwich is similar to the Egg McMuffin, with layers of egg, cheese, and a choice of bacon, sausage, or sliced ham, but it's served on a croissant instead of an English muffin. "Even for a confirmed biscuit lover," a 1983 TV ad promised, "it's love at first bite" (via YouTube).

A little-known truth about Burger King breakfasts is the reason it took so many years for Burger King to catch up to McDonald's in this meal category. Burger King uses flame broilers rather than grills to cook its meat patties, and it took some trial and error in the cooking department before it could get an equivalent breakfast sandwich going. Once the Croissan'wich was menu-ready, horizons were opened. Hungry fast food customers of the 1980s suddenly had a wider landscape of breakfast sandwiches to choose from, and Burger King had a signature sandwich for the morning crowd.

When the Croissan'wich debuted in 1983, it cost $1.29, the equivalent of $4.34 in 2026 dollars. This isn't too far off from the average price in the U.S. today of $4.79, so customers don't need to feel too much like they're being taken to the cleaners by inflation. According to nearly 38% of people polled by Mashed, the Croissan'wich reigns supreme over the other options now featured on Burger King's breakfast menu.

The Croissan'wich has seen a few other changes. In 2020, it was given a vegetarian makeover with the protein option of a meatless Impossible Pork sausage patty. With the limited-edition Impossible Croissan'wich, Burger King became the first national chain to use the plant-based sausage in a breakfast sandwich. A few years later, the patty's recipe was tweaked to include more iron and less saturated fat, and for a short time in 2024 Burger King offered the "new" Impossible Croissan'wich (which included vegan cheddar) free with purchase via the BK app. This savvy promotion resulted in higher breakfast sales over the ensuing months, including an increase in Impossible Croissan'wich sales in restaurants where the sandwich was available. With an ever-shifting fast food landscape and innovations in food technology, who can say where the Croissan'wich will go next?