7 Best Chain Restaurants To Visit For Brunch, According To Customers

Anyone who has ever lost count of pancakes and mimosas over a weekend meal knows that brunch is more than a sum of its parts. Sure, brunch menus combine some of our favorite breakfast and lunch dishes, which is convenient in many regards. The teenager who got up late can indulge in a hearty breakfast while the mother who was up at 6 a.m. can enjoy a salad for her second meal of the day. Or else, you and your friends can order a whole host of dishes, mixing and matching menu items for everyone to share. And of course, restaurants frequently offer special brunch menus with dishes not otherwise available, giving us yet another reason to look forward to the meal. To whet your appetite, we've taken a deep dive into online customer reviews of both food and ambiance to find the best chain restaurants to visit for brunch.

While we love the charm of locally owned restaurants and want to support the hardworking communities behind them, we've also found that it can be useful to have a few chain restaurants up our sleeve for when we need a reliably delicious brunch. From eco-friendly initiatives and cheery upholstery to innovative cocktails and extravagant French toast, there's a lot to love about the chains on this list. Aside from food and ambiance, consistency was one of our top criteria when curating this list. You can find more information on methodology at the end of this article.

You don't have to wait for the weekend to justify a plate of Barbacoa Breakfast Tacos — that's something you can get every day at First Watch, a restaurant with numerous locations across the country. Most locations are open from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., ensuring that the chain can prioritize and perfect its breakfast, brunch, and lunch options.

Indeed, folks generally love items like the Million Dollar Bacon, lemon ricotta pancakes, French toast, and A.M. Superfoods Bowl. One pleased customer compared First Watch to a fancier version of IHOP, and others agreed that it is more expensive than breakfast chains of a similar ilk. Even so, many customers said that a heftier investment will be rewarded with higher quality food. The seasonal menu items have been called out as particularly spectacular, so order that strawberry tres leches French toast before it's gone.

Though sandwiches, tacos, and pancakes take up a great deal of the menu, First Watch is nevertheless one of the best restaurant chains to eat gluten-free. Not only is gluten-free toast on the menu, but much of the standard fare is gluten-free by default, including bacon, sausages, and eggs galore.

Finally, for those who believe brunch to be incomplete without a fancy beverage, there's a selection of fresh juices, coffees, sparklers, and cocktails up for grabs. Customers have left raving reviews for the seasonal Pineapple Express and the Purple Haze. While the coffee seems to be a hit or miss for customers, we love that single-origin coffee beans are intentionally sourced from female farmers in Huila, Colombia.

The Flying Biscuit Café started as a humble restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, but now has more than 30 locations in the South. Cafés typically open between 7 A.M. and 8 A.M. and remain open until the early afternoon (or later on weekends), making this restaurant the perfect brunch destination. We named Flying Biscuit Café one of the best restaurants for biscuits and gravy in North Carolina, and indeed, its angel logo will start to make sense as soon as you take that first bite.

True to its name, this cafe serves excellent biscuits, with a soft, flaky texture that will make your mouth water. However, while customers frequently praise the biscuits, it's the creamy, dreamy, white cheddar cheese grits option that gets the most love from diners. One Tripadvisor user said that while grits are not typically their preference, they could eat these on a daily basis. Southerners are regularly impressed with these grits, too, often labeling them as the best they ever had.

Due to its comforting, diverse menu, Flying Biscuit Café performs well among families, even those with picky eaters. French toast, waffles, beignets, wraps, and more await hungry diners, and there's even a special vegetarian and vegan menu featuring Beyond sausage. Several items, such as the omelets and scrambled eggs, are gluten-friendly, too. 

Menus vary slightly by location, but some cafés do offer well-rounded beverage menus alongside brunch. If you're lucky enough to visit one such location, then you can look forward to signature lattes, cocktails, and highly reviewed mimosas.

Snooze is an excellent brunch place where customers praise the selection of biscuits, eggs, tacos, and pancakes. The chain was founded by two brothers in Denver, Colorado, but now has locations nationwide. Most are open from early morning until early afternoon.

Snooze is also one of the chains described as an improved version of IHOP – in fact, the chain sells millions of pancakes each year. If you have trouble picking between the pineapple upside down, strawberry shortcake, or sweet potato pancakes, you can sample them all in the immensely popular pancake flight. Seasonality of these pancakes is a hit and reason enough to pay Snooze a return visit.

Even if you're not a pancake person, you'll find something to like on Snooze's menu. Many customers have expressed gratitude for the restaurant being consistently delicious. The Bennys (egg benedicts) have received top marks, as have the tacos. For drinks, don't pass up the opportunity to try a highly acclaimed spicy bloody mary.

Aside from Snooze's solid menu, this restaurant chain has some of the best decor around. Customers love that it's bright, colorful, hip, and groovy. Adding to the welcoming atmosphere, Snooze maintains an admirable set of business values. Cage-free eggs, real maple syrup, and community garden days are just a few examples of what Snooze brings to the table. The chain keeps a finger on the pulse of current events. In a recent promotion, customers were invited to obtain discounts equal to the average price of gas in their respective states.

If you've been California dreamin', but nervous about the steep prices of a vacation in the Golden State, you're not alone. Rather than going to one of the fanciest brunch spots in the U.S., fill up on affordably delicious brunch grub at Breakfast Republic. With plenty of locations around San Diego and Los Angeles, this restaurant is beloved among customers for both its hip ambiance and satisfying food. Lines can get long, so arrive early to secure a table; locations are generally open from 7 A.M. until early afternoon.

While there's no dedicated brunch menu, Breakfast Republic's standard menu is filled with omelets, scrambles, and benedicts, all made using Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs. The chilaquiles — featuring three eggs, Mexican rice, black beans, corn tortilla chips, and condiments like sour cream and queso fresco — are especially popular among customers. Diners generally appreciate their affordability and their exciting textures.  One customer even described the chilaquiles as the highlight of their vacation, sharing that their family visited Breakfast Republic thrice during a four-day stay.

If you're yearning for a lighter brunch, order the yogurt bowl instead. Containing whipped yogurt, bruléed bananas, granola, berries, hemp seeds, and coconut flakes, this nourishing bowl comes with several customers' stamps of approval.

If you fall in love with this chain, consider taking home a few souvenirs. One enamored customer encouraged folks to purchase a bottle of the restaurant's Cluckin' Hot Sauce, but you can also opt for Bloody Mary mix, house ketchup, salt and pepper shakers, and even Breakfast Republic-branded sunglasses.

The Cheesecake Factory indisputably offers one of the longest menus we've ever seen at a chain restaurant. In addition to a plethora of cheesecakes, you can get anything from pork buns to flatbread pizzas. Clearly, the restaurant refuses to settle on just one cuisine, but when it comes to brunch, the menu is blessedly more streamlined.

Available on Saturdays and Sundays until 2 p.m., the brunch menu contains just over one dozen options. Familiar favorites like Belgian waffles, buttermilk-based pancakes, and eggs Benedict are all accounted for. The fine balance of sweet and savory menu items is part of what makes The Cheesecake Factory one of the best sit-down chain restaurants to visit for breakfast and brunch.

Still wondering where to start? The aromatic cinnamon roll pancakes come highly recommended due to their crispy edges and delicious glaze. The Belgian waffle topped with strawberries, pecans, and Chantilly cream is also highly praised by customers who especially appreciate how the tenderness waffle texture perfectly contrasts the crunchiness of the candied pecans and the smooth nature of the Chantilly cream.

The Cheesecake Factory is a place where you can enjoy a seemingly luxurious meal without breaking the bank. Its polished, warm, and inviting atmosphere can attract large crowds, particularly on the weekends, so make a reservation whenever possible. After all, brunch is meant to be a leisurely affair!

As it can be difficult to nail a moist, fluffy biscuit at home, it's not unusual that many restaurants offer biscuits for brunch. However, to find a superb biscuit often requires going to a restaurant that specializes in this Southern staple. Thankfully, customers often find that Biscuit Belly, a chain with locations primarily in the Southeast, delivers on all counts. One Tripadvisor user, impressed with the piping hot country breakfast, summed it up by saying that Biscuit Belly joins the best of Southern hospitality with noteworthy food. 

Indeed, several reviews mentioned long lines, but not in a negative sense; rather, they are testament to the high quality of food at Biscuit Belly. The biscuits are said to be tender and are a clear favorite that you can savor with gravy or as a sandwich option. Folks also love Bonuts, or biscuit donut holes that are dusted with cinnamon sugar and served alongside either berry jam or bourbon cream cheese frosting. Biscuit sandwiches are especially creative and come in sweet and savory versions that customers continually praise as excellent options –  they are a fabulous example of how Biscuit Belly gets the simple things right.

Finally, there's no shortage of refreshing beverages at Biscuit Belly. The lattes are supposedly exquisite, and the mimosas fabulous. Or, you could always wash your biscuits down with a glass of milk (and on that note, this chain is said to be perfectly kid-friendly).

Do you like your eggs sunny side up or poached? In an omelet or as a scramble? You can get them every which way at The Toasted Yolk Café, a chain spread out across the southern United States. The standard menu, which you can order from any time the restaurant is open, features a wide selection of dishes, including tacos and biscuits. Meanwhile, the brunch section houses a Belgian waffle, French toast, and pancakes. Brunch specials may also be available, such as the recently offered Brunch Pot Pie. Though there's seemingly something for everyone to eat here, vegetarians should note that the restaurant now fries everything in beef tallow.

Customers recommended The Toasted Yolk Café over Famous Toastery, a strong competitor in the brunch space. Meanwhile, we've previously recognized it as one of the breakfast chains serving the best bacon. You can try the savory breakfast meat yourself in the southern style variation of The Toasted Yolk — a menu item featuring a breaded chicken tender, country sausage gravy, cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and optional diced tomatoes. Customers have also left stellar reviews for the Southern Fried Arnold, an open-faced biscuit with breaded chicken tenders that are crispy, crunchy, and juicy; country sausage gravy; and two poached eggs.

On a sweeter note, the churro-style and blueberry donuts have both received stellar reviews from customers. In fact, one Yelper said that the churro-style donuts were tastier than any other donut they had eaten in 60 years. Order them for dessert, and don't hesitate to take some home with you, too!

To be included on this list, restaurant chains had to be consistently recommended by customers for both their food and ambiance. We looked for reviews on sites like Reddit, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Facebook where folks described the food as satisfying, filling, and tasty. Though biscuits, waffles, and pancakes are standard brunch fare, we strove to feature restaurants catering to folks of different backgrounds where possible, including gluten-free and vegetarian communities. Cost did not factor into our decisions.