The 9 Best Sit-Down Chain Restaurants To Visit For Breakfast

When you wake up in the morning and find yourself ravenous, you may want to order something to eat rather than make breakfast from scratch. You could certainly grab something from McDonald's or Chick-fil-A for a fast-food breakfast bite, but there may be the occasional time when you want something more robust, with a wider selection to choose from.

If you're looking for a sit-down restaurant meal to start your day, we have a handful of ideas that will fill your belly. You've probably heard of most of them and at least visited a couple over the years. Some of these have a lot of locations, while others are a bit more minimal, meaning you might have to go further to seek them out — if they're available near you at all. But every single one of these comes highly recommended through reviews, previous Tasting Table rankings, and our personal experience, with an amazing range of breakfast options.

Whether you're craving a thick stack of syrup-covered pancakes or a hearty breakfast burrito, there's a restaurant to suit your desires. We'll share what people like about each place as well as some customer favorite dishes at each restaurant; that way, you can feel more confident in your next order. As you read on, your hunger will grow, so grab a snack and let's dig in.

The Golden Corral makes customers happy at around 400 restaurants spread throughout the U.S., with the most locations in Texas and Florida, respectively. It already has a wide selection of foods, including soups, salads, seafood, and even vegan, vegetarian, and paleo options, so it only makes sense that the restaurant also has an enormous weekend breakfast menu. 

The buffet-style restaurant has a lengthy list of breakfast foods on Saturday and Sunday, usually served until 11 a.m.; however, the included items, days, and times can vary by location. This variety allows customers to find anything they desire in the realm of sweet or savory, placing it here on the list of the best chain restaurant breakfasts. You can spot various pancakes (blueberry and chocolate chip, for example), turkey bacon and sausage, French toast, hash brown casserole, and more. 

People love the breakfast buffet, saying it's hard to find such a thing these days and that they like to visit a couple of times per month. The great thing about a buffet is that you can take control of what and how much you eat, even concocting your own breakfast nachos with chorizo, eggs, tortilla chips, sausage gravy, and shredded cheese. But some people like a simpler option, such as creating their own omelet. Sit down and enjoy your eats before going back for more.

We already know that The Cheesecake Factory has an absolutely extensive menu that can feel overwhelming. But did you know that you can order breakfast essentials like eggs and omelets, even a brioche breakfast sandwich, all day long? You could also stop by for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays with iconic dishes like the delicious buttermilk cinnamon roll pancakes with a cinnamon and brown sugar swirl throughout. 

The thick-cut bruléed French toast, though, comes highly recommended. Each slice of bread is grilled and then topped with powdered sugar and a delectable maple butter syrup, making them look and taste unique compared to the average French toast you may be used to. People rave about this dish, saying it's the best French toast of all time. 

You don't have to stick with sweet foods either. You could get the green chilaquiles with eggs or the crispy fried chicken and waffles eggs Benedict, that's the perfect blend of crisp chicken, soft poached eggs, and creamy hollandaise. The Cheesecake Factory is the place to go when you want fresh, from-scratch food that feels and looks elevated, but doesn't come at a fine dining cost, making it a top contender for outstanding chain restaurants with breakfast. Although it's on the lower end of this list as far as how many locations it has, you can find this dining joint in most states across the nation.

Denny's is a top breakfast pick because it's available in every U.S. state and people like that it serves up lots of classic comfort food options, all of which come at a reasonable price. The chain is a household name for breakfast, namely its Grand Slams. Although it has a lot of options on the menu, the Original Grand Slam includes two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs that you can get any which way (scrambled, over-easy, etc.), two Applewood smoked bacon strips, and then a duo of all-pork sausage links. It's hearty, filling, and a staple that people have been enjoying for years and will continue to do so as long as it's offered.

You can't go wrong with this classic, but there are other Grand Slam iterations if you want variety. You could get a Berry Waffle Slam or a Plant-Based Breakfast Slam, which broadens the options if you have dietary restrictions. You can even build your own Slam, which allows you to pick four items from a selected list. The French Toast Slam comes highly recommended by reviewers who love the sweet and buttery toppings. For something more savory, we ranked Denny's biscuit in the second place position for chain restaurant biscuits; you can find this delicious carb as an option in the Every Day Value Slam, which is served with gravy.

Although you can head to Black Bear Diner for any meal (dessert, too), we are here, of course, because we're highlighting its breakfast fare. Not only is there a scrumptious array of brekkie picks, but you can eat them all day long — one of several reasons why this underrated chain diner made it on this list. When you're in the mood for pancakes, eggs Benedict, bread pudding French toast, or the signature Grizz Platter, you can get them as long as the restaurant is open. The breakfast selection is enormous, so you may spend a while perusing the menu to figure out what to order. 

What started as a small town diner has turned into a chain restaurant with 168 locations in 14 states. It certainly isn't as widely known or popular as IHOP or Denny's, but it is highly cherished by those who frequent it. That's yet another reason we'd like to put it on your breakfast-seeking radar.

From what we've found, there are plenty of happy customers who note that they like the atmosphere, rustic decor, and prices found inside Black Bear Diner. One person on Facebook says, "They have THE BEST scrambled eggs I've ever had in my 72 years." There's not much we can say to top that.

Cracker Barrel is a top chain eatery that is adored by its customers, and makes it on this list because of its large selection of breakfast and all-day breakfast offerings. While the majority of Cracker Barrels are located in Eastern and Southern states, there are a few speckled throughout the West Coast. So, it may be quite a drive to get to one, depending on where you live (but it's worth it). 

If you need a little help on what to order, we've previously ranked nine popular menu items and have a couple of favorites we want to shout out. The Country Boy Breakfast was our second favorite, ideal if you prefer something savory and hearty. It comes with eggs, two sides, biscuits and gravy, and your choice of steak tips (what we opted for), country ham, or sugar-cured ham. 

But at the peak of the list are the buttermilk pancakes, which we deemed so immaculate that you don't even need syrup as an enhancement. They have a balanced flavor with a little zing from the buttermilk and then a creamy touch with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla from the butter. The cakey texture makes it not just the top Cracker Barrel offering, but one of the best chain pancakes of all time. No matter what, make sure to add this to your order.

IHOP is a wildly popular chain with locations in almost every U.S. state (sorry, Vermont and Wyoming) and an enormous menu that makes it a leading choice for a chain restaurant breakfast or brunch. You can flip through pages of the menu and feel like you're not making a dent in its offerings, but thankfully, there's something for everyone. Whether you have a hankering for eggs Benedict, an omelet, a breakfast burrito, or a breakfast sandwich, IHOP has all of those and then some. 

Its pancakes are among the most well-known items on the menu, and when we tried 10 pancakes from IHOP, we deemed the Mexican Tres Leches Pancakes as our ultimate pick. This dish is a stack of four pancakes made with three leches, aka milks, then topped with a drizzle of vanilla sauce, dulce de leche caramel sauce, and whipped cream. It is loved for its beautiful appearance, great ratios, and flavor: A delicate balance of sweet but not cloying. And we're not the only ones who drooled over this option: Plenty of people on the Internet consider it a well-worthwhile choice to start your morning. 

When you're in the mood for something more savory, get the Big Breakfast Burrito and ask them to grill it for added dimension. People say this food is the greatest of all time, but there are plenty of other tasty breakfast picks that people enjoy, which is why we've placed IHOP on this list.

The Original Pancake House has a smidge over 100 locations and isn't too wide-reaching as far as which cities it's in, but those who have tried it rave about this restaurant chain. Some go as far as to say they won't live in a city without one. It can be hard enough to find parking on most days, and wait times on weekends can be pretty long because people flock there for a morning bite to eat, but it's well worth the wait.

As its name suggests, there are quite a few pancake options to pick from — from buttermilk to buckwheat to sourdough to Swedish. But beyond the titular flapjacks, this establishment is a stellar breakfast pick because of its extensive menu. There are waffles, crêpes, cereals, egg dishes, and more. Reviewers are consistently impressed with the food, noting favorites like the potato pancakes (that taste just like how mom used to make) or best-ever corned beef hash. 

People love the freshness of the ingredients, the homemade feel, and the stellar service. Not only is there no shortage of breakfast eats, but the recommendations keep flowing, meaning that a new patron will find something they will thoroughly drool over.

With a name like Waffle House, you already have an inkling as to what this establishment serves, but waffles aren't the only breakfast goodie on the menu. You can spot pancakes, egg dishes, hash brown bowls, sandwiches, and more as part of its offerings. Waffle House is so good that even Anthony Bourdain named it his favorite 24-hour restaurant. The restaurant has over 2,000 locations, mainly on the East Coast and in southern states. West Coasters, you'll have to travel to Nevada to get your hands on these incredible eats.

Customers on Reddit and Facebook certainly agree with Bourdain, listing off their favorite dishes from the menu. People seem to love the omelets (the Fiesta and the Cheesesteakones, to be specific) and, of course, the waffles. Loyal fans even comment with the name of their city on Waffle House's social media posts in the hope of getting a location in their area so they, too, can have access to such delicious breakfast feasts — one can only dream.

If you're having a hard time narrowing down your order, our tip for visiting Waffle House is to go for the All-Star Special — two eggs, a waffle, and your choice of sausage, bacon, or ham. Don't forget to get some hash browns and order them smothered and covered with sautéed onion and melted cheese. One Facebook user even says, "Nothing beats Waffle House. Best breakfast in the world. 10/10." In our books, there's not much higher praise than that.

It's a bit harder to find a Mimi's Cafe these days, as many locations have closed over the years, but it's well worth it when you can visit one. As of October 2025, there are 42 locations sprawled throughout 11 states — hopefully, you can find one somewhat in your vicinity to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast. Although it is small, it is mighty and remains a nostalgic part of people's lives.

We love that it has an all-day breakfast menu, so you can eat it for any meal of the day. Some offerings include omelets, eggs Benedict, quiche, crêpes, and other items, such as a range of Le Grande dishes, which tend to be on the sweeter side. People like Mimi's for its ambiance; it feels like you're hanging out at a French cafe with a retro quality. But, of course, the breakfast is elite, too. 

Fans call out the breakfast burrito, French toast, and bacon avocado omelet, but you can't go wrong with whatever you're craving. Make sure to order a muffin, especially if there's anything seasonally available; these are beloved by many, us included. Oh, and don't forget to order a set of muffins to take home with you, too. You'll want more!

We determined these picks based on customer reviews and insights on places like Reddit, Facebook, TikTok, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. We also pulled information from past Tasting Table articles, as well as our personal experiences. Although there are mixed reviews on any given place and dish (this goes for everything under the sun, not just these eateries), we found that people who liked these restaurants truly love them. 

There were multiple positive reviews and mentions of each of these restaurants to solidify their place on this list. We sought out places that had a range of breakfast items to make it more likely for readers to visit and find a dish they like — rather than a place that only had one or two choices. All data, as far as how many locations a restaurant has, what states they're located in, and menu items, was accurate at the time of writing.