One Of The Best Fast Food Breakfasts Of 2026 Uses A Classic Southern Staple To Make A Sandwich

Fast food breakfast sometimes struggles to innovate. The acceptable ingredient list for what is considered breakfast food can limit restaurants to little more than a reshuffling of eggs, cheese, bread, and some kind of sausage or bacon. As a result, when a chain finds a way to bring something new to the breakfast table, it is a cause for celebration. And that is exactly what happened over at Chick-fil-A with the introduction of its new Chicken and Waffles Breakfast Sandwich.

The origin of chicken and waffles is somewhat mysterious, with restaurants on either coast claiming to have invented it, but the South has a more compelling claim. Regardless of how the inspiring first dish came to be, however, we know exactly how it came to be at Chick-fil-A, with the chicken and waffles sandwich hitting the fall menu alongside s'mores milkshakes and coffee drinks. The breakfast sandwich features a breakfast-sized fried chicken fillet — available in spicy or grilled varieties as well — sandwiched with strips of applewood-smoked bacon and a honey butter spread between two maple-flavored waffles.

The combination of quick-service innovation and just plain delicious food lands this Chick-fil-A offering squarely among the best fast food breakfast sandwiches of 2026. The sandwich walks the line between salty and sweet, with an included side of warm maple syrup allowing customers to dial it in perfectly to their palate. And those looking for more traditional fare can easily add egg and cheese to the chicken and waffles sandwich for a more filling and typical fast-food breakfast.

The general sentiment across the legions of Chick-fil-A fans appears to be that this sandwich is worth the trip. "Everything was fresh," writes one satisfied Redditor, "the chicken was hot and the waffle was the perfect texture, firm, moist and sweet ... I can hardly wait to get it again." A common refrain among diners is that the sandwich is best with the spicy filet, though the original and grilled sandwiches also have plenty of advocates out there. Or, in the simple terms used by another voice on Reddit, "Verdict: DELICIOUS!"

Of course, any new item hitting the menu at a restaurant chain as large as Chick-fil-A is bound to face a certain amount of backlash as well, and the chicken and waffles breakfast sandwich does have its detractors. Common gripes about the sandwich include it being too sweet even sans syrup, and that the price is too high. There isn't much to be done about the former concern, except perhaps to ask for no honey butter, but the latter concern varies by location, and customers can order the sandwich without bacon to knock a couple of dollars off the cost. Sometimes, though, for whatever reason, it just doesn't land. As one unhappy diner put it on Reddit after sampling the sandwich for the first time, "I am left with no desire to try this again, but I'm glad I gave it a go."

In the end, there's only one way to really know if you'll enjoy this new entry to the Chick-fil-A breakfast menu, and that's to try it for yourself. And don't worry if breakfast hours are over; the chain offers the same sandwich with a larger filet during lunch and dinner.