Hardee's Breakfast Items, Ranked Worst To Best
Hardee's is a decades-old fast food chain. It was an American food restaurant for years prior to its attachment to sibling company Carl's Jr. According to Hardee's, the first location opened in North Carolina in 1960. Back then, burgers, fries, and milkshakes were the focus. By the 1970s though, Hardee's introduced biscuits to the menu, which have remained a hit. CKE Restaurants — the owner of Carl's Jr. — acquired Hardee's in 1997, becoming the parent company of both chains. For a while, Hardee's and Carl's Jr. kept separate menus. But eventually, the food offerings at the chains became nearly identical.
Breakfast is home to some of the popular menu items sold by Hardee's. That's mostly due to the "Made from Scratch" biscuits, which are supposedly freshly made by hand daily, at each location of Hardee's. The breakfast items containing biscuits do tend to be of a higher quality. But those aren't the only morning meals worth buying. Using customer reviews, recipe analysis, and more research, we assembled a ranking of the best foods on the breakfast menu at Hardee's. Read on to learn about some of Hardee's most popular breakfast items, ranked worst to best.
14. Hardee Breakfast Platter
The Hardee Breakfast Platter is a menu item from Hardee's consisting of one biscuit with gravy, two pieces of bacon, two "folded eggs," and a side of hash browns. According to Hardee's, some restaurants will also let you add sides of ham, sausage, chicken, steak, smoked sausage, or pork chops. Even without the extra side, this platter is a huge feast.
We are not in love with this breakfast menu item — for reasons which we will get to — but some people are. One Tripadvisor user wrote, "I know it's probably a million calories, but Hardee's has the best breakfast platter anywhere for the money." However, even in this review, the person feels they must qualify their adoration for the Hardee Breakfast Platter. They mention the meal's affordability and unhealthiness to downplay their compliment. "The breakfast platter didn't look like the photo (let's face it, they never do)," one person also said on Yelp.
Difficulty in consumption is the main issue with this dish. The amount of food, plus the fact that it contains a biscuit and gravy, makes it impossible to eat on the go. You couldn't — or shouldn't — pick this up in the drive-through line and eat it in the car. In theory, we like that Hardee's has the option to combine so many breakfast items. But it just doesn't cut it.
13. Frisco Breakfast Sandwich
The Frisco Breakfast Sandwich is a popular Hardee's breakfast item. It's made of ham, eggs, and two kinds of cheese (American and Swiss). Two slices of Sourdough toast hold the whole thing together. In concept, it's a balanced sandwich; two kinds of cheese, two proteins, and two pieces of bread. But in actuality, it doesn't come out so well.
Pictures can be deceiving. At least one person who ordered the Frisco Breakfast Sandwich from Hardee's discovered this when their dish arrived without eggs and on the wrong type of toast. Another customer experienced disappointment, writing, "The one in Wytheville, Virginia gave me two where the bread was just bread and not toasted." Ingredients prepared incorrectly (or not included at all) are a surefire way to ruin a breakfast sandwich.
We have an inkling as to why this happens. The Frisco Breakfast Sandwich has too much going on. Four items need to be assembled. Perhaps that's asking too much of a fast food place like Hardee's. But more importantly, this breakfast sandwich isn't made on a biscuit. These flaky, buttery baked goods are what the chain is known for, in terms of breakfast. Just ask Wide Open Eats. The blog reported that biscuits account for around half of all of Hardee's sales. If this item were made with a biscuit, we would consider awarding it a higher ranking.
12. Sunrise Croissant
Hardee's Sunrise Croissant consists of a croissant, American cheese, and the customer's choice of meat. For those choices, guests can pick between bacon, ham, or sausage. The picture on Hardee's menu website suggests choosing ham, but we won't tell you what to do.
Brand Eating's review of the Sunrise Croissant at Carl's Jr. (the sibling company with identical menu items, per LA Times) was less than complimentary. The website called this sandwich lacking in flavor. On Tripadvisor, visitors to Hardee's were similarly unimpressed. "Wish that they would grill the croissant," said one person. "Our breakfast was terrible. The sunrise croissant was very dry," wrote another customer.
As you may have noticed, there is a theme to the complaints about the Sunrise Croissant: the bread. Of course, the croissants used at Hardee's are not scratch-made. You're not going to eat something light and flaky, you're going to get something spongy and stale. Then, as reviews have pointed out, the preparation is all messed up. The pieces of the croissant are not toasted. To make it even worse, the rest of the sandwich is flavorless. Skip this one and stick to the biscuit sandwiches.
11. Loaded Omelet Biscuit
To make the Hardee's Loaded Omelet Biscuit, bacon, sausage crumbles, cheddar, and ham are put into folded eggs, then placed inside two halves of one biscuit. This item is only available at participating restaurants, so you may not be able to get this at every Hardee's. For those fortunate enough to come across the Loaded Omelet Biscuit, they'll find a sandwich better than its fellow non-biscuit breakfast items, but worse than any other Hardee's biscuit sandwich.
This menu item has been around since 2002 (via QSR Magazine), so you'd think there would be some redeeming qualities — aside from the bread it's made on — but as it turns out, customers don't love it. One blog described the sandwich as unsatisfactory, calling it out for not looking at all like the advertised sandwich and rather puny compared to its stacked with ingredients photo. That sounds disappointing.
Even if this product lived up to expectations, we wouldn't recommend it. Hardee's is also being misleading by calling this an "omelet." The eggs used in this recipe are no different than those used in other sandwiches (at least in appearance). None of Hardee's eggs are real omelets but simply scrambled eggs cooked into flat, folded patties. The only thing that makes this Hardee's breakfast item an omelet is its stuffed quality. If you want eggs on your Hardee's biscuit sandwich, we'd recommend picking something else.
10. Monster Biscuit
A sausage patty, some bacon, ham, two slices of American cheese, and a folded egg are all stacked on top of one another to make Hardee's Monster Biscuit. If you were to go off the chain's photos alone, it would appear to be a very sizable biscuit sandwich. But like many other fast food products, the Monster Biscuit doesn't always come out looking as advertised. However, it seems to have a higher success rate than the Loaded Omelet Biscuit.
The blog Keto Connect liked the sandwich's bang-per-buck aspect, and noted that customers do get two and possibly even three scrambled eggs. Other customers don't care about the price but simply love the taste. Another blogger wrote that Hardee's Monster Biscuit was surprisingly good, even calling it one of the best fast-food breakfast items out there. But still, this blogger had one complaint: the ham in this sandwich tastes off, they said.
We agree. The Monster Biscuit's biggest flaw is that the ham tastes weird. On any of these sandwiches, we would go without ham. It's not really what you want for your fast food breakfast. Aside from this type of meat, we would recommend this sandwich to the very hungry Hardee's customer, especially ones who like a lot of protein.
9. Pork Chop 'n' Gravy Biscuit
A boneless pork chop, sausage gravy in two places, and a biscuit cut in two: that's everything included in Hardee's Pork Chop 'n' Gravy Biscuit. Anything with gravy at Hardee's is a hit. Customers tend to approve.
"The Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Biscuit is a winner, with perfectly seasoned, lean pork fried in a tasty batter, then sandwiched between creamy white gravy in a homemade biscuit," wrote one customer. "Just had a five-star pork Chop biscuit for breakfast!! Hot, fresh...incredible!" said a Yelp user. However, another Yelp review of the same location said, "My pork chop was dry and lacked flavor."
This sandwich suits some Hardee's customers. However, we don't trust the boneless pork chop. Boneless pork chops tend to cost less, but they also lack the flavor that comes from the bone when cooked. Case in point, the boneless pork chops in Hardee's sandwich are not the best you can get. Then, there's the issue of the gravy. It doesn't look pretty, but some people can get past that. But no one can argue with the fact that this gravy biscuit is a mess. You will not be able to comfortably eat this in the car. We rank this biscuit sandwich below many of Hardee's breakfast items.
8. Cinnamon Roll
Hardee's Cinnamon Roll is your standard fast food pastry. You might be lucky enough to receive one served warm. Regardless of temperature, the cinnamon roll is a personal-sized, swirl-shaped pastry with a topping of icing. It's a simple enough recipe, but Hardee's customers seem to like it, either as a breakfast side or main course.
But according to online reviews, the Cinnamon Roll can be hit or miss. It depends on how fresh, warm, and overall well-prepared the cinnamon rolls are at any given location of Hardee's. On Reddit, one disappointed customer called the breakfast item "the most dry, stiff, and tasteless cinnamon roll. Better snacks have come from vending machines." To make matters worse, people generally prefer the Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits, a Hardee's item which has been discontinued. Fans even created a petition to bring back this menu item (via Change.org). A comment on the petition simply says the "Cinnamon roll is not the same."
However, a satisfied customer said the baked goods "really are so gooey and delicious." On Yelp, another Hardee's cinnamon roll fan agreed, saying "Cinnamon roll was nice & fluffy." We also think the Hardee's Cinnamon Roll works. It's the only classic dessert item or self-contained pastry offered (The French Toast Dips are a more complex side). For this reason alone, we included this icing-covered item in the top 10 — even if it's not the best breakfast side on the menu.
7. Biscuit 'N' Gravy
Hardee's Biscuit 'N' Gravy incorporates the chain's famous biscuits with a side of sausage gravy. Once purchased, you're free to do with the gravy as you wish. Most people pour it right over their biscuit. No matter what you do with it though, this meal is popular with Hardee's customers.
Of Hardee's Biscuit 'N' Gravy, the blog MyRecipes said the biscuit looked fresh and handmade. The gravy tasted was seasoned well with a peppery flavor profile. Other users were just as impressed. "First time having the biscuits and gravy.....will get that again," said one person on Tripadvisor. Another customer appreciated the meal's portion sizes, calling both the gravy and the biscuit generous portions of food.
This meal doesn't disappoint Hardee's biscuit and gravy fans. There will probably be a lot of those — or at least, more of said fans going to Hardee's than Carl's Jr. — as Hardee's is the chain with locations in the South. Since that's the American region where biscuits and gravy is incredibly popular, this item is a good fit for Hardee's breakfast menu (via Washington Post). Messiness is the main reason we rank this breakfast item below others from Hardee's. It's just a little too hard to eat on the go for fast food.
6. Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit
The Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit is one of the simplest breakfast sandwiches sold at Hardee's. It consists of only "a tender all-white meat chicken breast, battered and breaded in our crispy coating" served on a biscuit (per Hardee's). It may be strange for a breakfast sandwich, but something about this straightforward item is hard to mess up.
UPROXX called the Hot Honey Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit — a very similar product that was released in 2021 — delicately fresh; crumbling with each bite. The website said the chicken was tender on the inside, and breaded to perfection on the outside. This is a good sign for Hardee's Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit. It includes the same base as its hot honey sibling (minus the eponymous condiment). Renowned vlogger Report of the Week — who New York Magazine once called "Youtube's best food critic" — seemed to enjoy Hardee's classic biscuit chicken sandwich, as well. "The Hardee's biscuits ... so buttery you don't even need to put anything on that ... Then, the piece of chicken, which I like even more," said Report of the Week, in his review of Hardee's Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit. The vlogger complimented everything from the breading to the portion size of this plain chicken sandwich.
While we agree it's difficult to mess up this sandwich (in presentation or taste) it's still not Hardee's best breakfast option and gets edged out of the top five.
5. French Toast Dips
The chain's French Toast Dips seem to have a better track record than Hardee's Cinnamon Roll. With a dipping sauce and handheld shape, it's very easy to savor this Hardee's breakfast item in the car or on the go. These dips aren't usually compared to a discontinued item — as the Cinnamon Roll is to the Cinnamon Raisin Biscuit — but have made a reputation for themselves. Unfortunately, the reputation of the French Toast Dips is still not a perfect track record. On Reddit, one user described the French Toast Dips as "Nothing special — just a novelty item I'll get very occasionally."
This is certainly not the best breakfast side at Hardee's, but it is the best sweet or dessert side you can get. There are still plenty of people that appreciate the French Toast Dips (especially more than Hardee's Cinnamon Roll). The website Brand Eating complimented the powdered sugar, syrup, and fried elements. Their review said it's all of these elements that combine to make a gratifyingly sweet breakfast treat that's similar to funnel cake "[It's] ...melt in your mouth ... a nice crispy outside with a buttery, very gooey, inside. These have shocked me and rocked me to my core," said YouTube vlogger The Southern Snack of Hardee's French Toast Dips.
4. Hash Rounds
Hardee's Hash Rounds are the most reliable side on the morning menu. They are the French fry equivalent during breakfast hours, so they are somewhat necessary. Per Hardee's, these "crispy potato rounds," can also be lower in calories than other items, coming in at a minimum of 240 calories in the smallest size.
"... got hash rounds, who wouldn't love a mini fried potato round!" said one reviewer on Tripadvisor. Another person described the Hash Rounds as "more like flat tater tots." That sounds pretty good to us. On the downside, these potato snacks are not always cooked to perfection and may vary from store to store, with other online reviews calling them stale and greasy.
While not consistently amazing, we trust Hardee's ability to serve up something easy like Hash Rounds. Even if they don't always come out the best, the Hash Rounds are bound to satisfy your craving for salty, fried potatoes.
3. Sausage Biscuit
The Sausage Biscuit is one of the most reliable items at Hardee's. The best items at this company are simple — and involve biscuits. That's how the Hardee's Sausage Biscuit earns one of the top spots.
"Can't beat Hardee's sausage biscuit...This is a great place for a quick breakfast on the run," said one customer on Tripadvisor. On Yelp, another person had no complaints, saying "I love a good Hardee's sausage biscuit." There are little to no negative critiques out there of this item — it's just that good.
It is just a sausage placed in between one biscuit, but that's what's great about it. You are going to have to try hard to mess this up. Even if something does go wrong, and the biscuit goes cold, it's not the end of the world. You at least get the biscuit's buttery flavor alongside the sausage's smoked, meaty flavor. Add some hot sauce or ketchup and it's a great breakfast. Our only issue is that adding egg and cheese makes it better, which brings us to our next Hardee's breakfast menu item.
2. Sausage & Egg Biscuit
Hardee's Sausage and Egg Biscuit is exactly what it sounds like. With the simplicity of only three ingredients, every sandwich component has time to shine. There is little room for disappointment in the way of preparation. Add a slice of cheese, and you make the savory meal all the better.
On a Reddit thread concerning the best breakfast items at Hardee's, many users recommended the sausage biscuit sandwiches. "I love any of their sausage biscuit sandwiches," wrote one user. "Can't go wrong with a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese biscuit or a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese biscuit," said another person. "Sausage egg and cheese biscuit is a classic, very good," wrote yet another Reddit-er on the thread. Another blogger was also obsessed. So Good Blog called the combination of this sandwich's elements a 9 out of 10.
The Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit is only ranked below our final entry for differences in texture and widespread appeal. There's nothing wrong with the sausage, but we think bacon is better.
1. Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit
If you're worried about what to get for breakfast, go with the Hardee's Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit. As we've said before, Hardee's biscuits are the best. Alabama.com called them the best fast food biscuits in the country. The amount of butter on each biscuit was a key factor in their recommendation. As for the rest of the sandwich, it's only bacon, folded egg, and a piece of American cheese. But that combination trumps all other biscuit sandwiches from this chain.
"I got the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. Everything was delicious as usual, very fresh and hot," said one enthusiastic fan of Hardee's BEC. "The saltiness of the bacon combined with the buttery biscuit makes the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit so good," wrote the IndyStar, which ranked Hardee's sandwich in the top 10 fast food breakfast offerings out there. "The best BEC hands down," said yet another Hardee's fan.
All the biscuit sandwiches are good. Fans of the chain will tell you the sausage biscuits are some of the best. But the bacon, egg, and cheese are just a little bit better. The delicate, crisp texture of the bacon, the soft folded eggs, and the savory, melted cheese — it's a classic combination. Also, it's bound to look a little better (more dynamic) than the sausage biscuit. We're not saying you have to go to Hardee's, but if you end up there during breakfast, go with this sandwich.