7 Breakfast Sandwiches At Dunkin', Ranked

Dunkin's got a little bit of everything to fuel your morning. Whether you want to munch on the brand's selection of donuts or sip on the iced coffees, you won't find any shortage of options. But what do you buy when you're seeking something more hearty for brekkie? A breakfast sandwich, of course. I called it upon myself to test the entire line of breakfast sandwiches (not including any wraps) to see how they fared, from worst to best. Luckily, nothing was too unpalatable, but I do have some critiques.

Each of these items comes directly from the menu with absolutely no modifications. I judged the menu items as-is, based on taste, texture, and value. That said, you can make changes to your sandwich as desired — which is one reason why Dunkin' is so alluring and something I will note for some of the sandwiches. You could swap the bread, cheese, or protein on virtually all breakfast sandwiches at no extra cost (adding on items is different, though); you might even tack on a side of hash browns to give your sandwich a quick upgrade. I hope you're hungry, because you're bound to have a favorite or two after reading this list.

The sourdough breakfast sandwich is quite enormous side by side to the other sandwiches. You get two eggs compared to the rest, which only include one, and the price is a bit higher than the others. But this isn't the reason it ranks last place. There are issues with nearly every component of this sandwich, minus the eggs (which are good).

First, the bread crust is very crispy, so you have to gnaw your way through the initial outer edge to get to the toasted inner portion, scraping the roof of your mouth in the process. The middle of the bread gets quite moist from the humidity of being wrapped up, which is okay — not good, not bad. At least it has the tang that you expect from sourdough to give it some flavor points. The second issue is the cheese, or lack thereof. This sandwich calls for white cheddar, but it is basically disintegrated into nothing. It offered no flavor or texture, and most of it melted off the side, turning into a cheese crisp.

The last issue is the bacon. It is lumped into one area of the sandwich rather than being evenly spread out to ensure bacon in every bite. I also feel like the amount of bacon (five half slices) to the egg and bread ratio is unbalanced. The bacon is supremely soft, which could be good if you prefer limp bacon, but I am not that person. I've had this sandwich before, but it was not a hit this time.

This sandwich comes on a plain bagel, with one egg, American cheese, bacon, and chipotle aioli. It ranks in sixth place because I have one question: Where exactly is the chipotle aioli? Sure, when I lifted the top half of the sandwich off, I could visibly see it; it was placed in the center of the cheese, leaving a lot of the surrounding sandwich without any aioli. While I know it's there, it effectively offers no flavor. Where's the creaminess, the tantalizing smokiness? I'll never know. Even after dipping my pinky in it to taste it by itself, it barely offered any flavor. I can't be sure if I got a bad batch or if it really is just tasteless.

The other elements — bacon, egg, cheese, bagel — are satisfactory; I'd even venture to say that the bacon here is crisp and delicious, compared to the sourdough sandy. Since this sandwich costs slightly more than the plain bacon, egg, and cheese because of the sauce, I'd just skip it and get the standard one (coming up next). However, if you're in the mood for the (supposed) condiment, ask them to put extra, extra chipotle aioli.

The picture of this sandwich and the previous one look identical, right? Well, they're different, and the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich is certainly a step up from the chipotle aioli one — it has a couple of minor issues, but nothing too glaring. The bagel has that shiny snap that you expect from a boiled bagel. The exterior is slightly hard to bite into — a tad firmer than the previous bagel sandwich. But I like the way the heat from the eggs and cheese makes the interior toasted part soft. You don't have to worry about scraping the roof of your mouth. However, you have to chew and tear away at the outer part of the bagel — luckily, it's not nearly as rock-hard as the sourdough crust. I can tell that the bagel is fresh and tasty.

The bacon is rich, smoky, and salty. You can smell it right as you're about to take the bite. Because there's only so much bacon, the bagel sandwich feels like it's missing meatiness in certain areas. It would be wise to open the sandwich up and evenly spread out the pork, so it's more balanced. The bacon is quite soft here, which is a turn-off. This could be rectified by customizing it so the bagel remains untoasted, adding extra bacon, or asking if the bacon can be cooked longer.

Now, we've reached the part of the ranking where everything is good. Sometimes you want to skip the meat and go straight for an egg and cheese sandwich. Dunkin's version is delicious! I am a big fan of the chain's English muffin — I ranked it in the second place spot when trying vegan menu items because it's soft, fresh, fluffy, but dense in that it doesn't have the holes you expect from a standard muffin. This may be a no-go for some, but I think it helps the ingredients stay in place and seems as though it's more filling. In this sandwich, we get American cheese, an egg, and of course, the English muffin.

It's no frills, but you don't need ruffles when the basics are more than satisfactory. The English muffin itself is soft, despite being toasted, and has an almost buttery flavor. The toasting process gives a smoky taste that could mimic the smokiness that you get from bacon. Despite the minimal ingredients, it still delivers a flavorful punch. The eggs, like the previous sandwiches, are wonderful. They don't taste rubbery or unpleasant. In my previous experiences purchasing from Dunkin', the staff are always making the food right then and there, so you feel like you're getting a super fresh meal. This is a staple dish, and the following items rank higher purely for added flavor and dimension.

In the mood for something more filling? The sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich that comes on a croissant might be your best bet. It has the lush, buttery taste that you associate with a standard croissant, but it's nowhere near as flaky or crisp as a French bakery version. The croissant is soft but still holds up against the condensation of the hot food and being enclosed in the paper wrapper. I like that the baked good provides a different mouthful than an English muffin or sourdough slices.

The sausage is salty and mildly fatty, but easy to bite into. It's slightly thicker than the turkey sausage (coming up soon) and has a circular shape. This is the go-to sandwich that you'd want to pick if you have a hangover or want something hearty and satisfying – the richness of the croissant, fattiness of the sausage, and gooey, creamy cheese all come together to create a pleasurable, heavy meal. It's a terrific bang for your buck.

If you want a well-made bacon-forward sandwich, then I have just the suggestion for you. The sweet pepper bacon breakfast sandwich is flavorful and multi-dimensional; you can actually see the pepper on the bacon. Here, the pork product is crisp and delicious, offering a sweet, peppery, smokiness that's noticeable from the first nibble. It hits your tongue and offers a nuanced bite compared to the plain bacon. The crispy bacon also creates a contrast to the softness of the rest of the components. The two sandwiches I mentioned that have brittle, crunchy bacon prove to me that it can Dunkin' has the capacity for firmer strips; if you desire a certain level of floppiness or crispness, your best bet is to order in person to voice this. The app does not allow you to customize things to such a degree.

The soft croissant has the buttery layers that are slightly flaky, but certainly not overwhelming, where you're riddled with crumbs and flecks on your commute to work. This sandwich, like the sourdough one, uses white cheddar cheese, but thankfully, it's not completely melted off. It's visible, melty, and brings a savory, mildly tangy touch to the decadent dish. Dunkin' is a master at the egg, which is cooked yet not at all rubbery or overdone. This would be my go-to bacon-centric sandwich order. However, the sandwich is known to come and leave, so grab it while it's available.

Finally, we have reached the tippy top of the breakfast sandwich ranking. Turkey sausage is an excellent option for those who don't want to eat pork, but still want a protein boost along with the foundation of egg and cheese. This is also one of the lower-calorie sandwiches, if that's something you're after. The English muffin is fluffy and soft despite its toasting — no crunchiness here. 

Turkey sausage gives it a nice added mouth feel without the fatty quality of the standard sausage; it doesn't taste overly poultry-ish, like you're eating a turkey sub. I particularly like that the sausage is thin (a little floppy even), as standard sausage patties can sometimes be too thick and hard to chew — this quality can be especially cumbersome in a breakfast sandwich. The square patty of the turkey sausage covers every part of the sandwich (it actually spills out a bit), ensuring an even bite of cheese, egg, protein, and English muffin. This sandy delivers on everything it advertises, it's an excellent value, it tastes delicious, and it is filling. I would also be inclined to customize it with the occasional bread swap of a plain bagel or croissant, based on my mood or hunger level.

So, how did I come up with my ranking? That is a great question; I'm glad you asked. Taste is the most important factor for me. It's vital to enjoy what I'm eating. Because the ingredients are pretty simple (bread, egg, cheese, and for most of the items I tried, a meat), it is easier to tell each ingredient apart and how it plays a role in each sandwich.

The second most factor that came up quite frequently was the texture — is it rubbery, tough, chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth? This quality played a role in some of the lower-ranking options, since the ingredients are almost the same. The price or the value for what you get is an occasional factor, although not really a big one, because the prices are pretty close together. Next time you head to Dunkin', grab one of these sandwiches, one of the best food items that isn't a donut, and then a secret menu drink to wash it all down.