The 17 Best Fast Food Mac And Cheese, Ranked

Mac and cheese is probably one of the most widely beloved dishes ever invented. Who can resist its rich, creamy goodness? Sometimes it's made on the stovetop, sometimes it's fresh from the oven, and sometimes, it comes from a fast food restaurant. While pasta dishes are rarely found in such establishments, some chains make an exception for this tried-and-true favorite. They serve mac and cheese alongside their burgers, fries, and milkshakes — but it doesn't always measure up to those grab-and-go classics. Rubbery noodles and gloppy cheese are common problems, to say nothing of the way a heat lamp can dry out even the moistest cheese sauce.

But all is not lost when it comes to fast food mac and cheese. In fact, some chains do a spectacular job serving up the beloved dish. You can even find genuine innovation in the world of fast food mac and cheese, particularly when it comes to adding unique sauces, toppings, and meat into the mix. Today, we're celebrating the chains that do right by this iconic dish. These are the 17 best fast food mac and cheeses, ranked from the merely tasty to the absolutely scrumptious.

Though Golden Chick's mac and cheese lands at the very bottom of our list, it is by no means bad. In fact, it's not even subpar — this is mac and cheese pretty much anybody would be pleased to find themselves eating. It's flaw is that it isn't much more than that.

Noodle-wise, things are solid, if a tad bit mushy. This is surprising, given the chain's focus on crispy, crunchy fried food — one could reasonably assume their mac and cheese would be more susceptible to being overly al dente. But no: This mac tastes as though it's been boiled for a minute or two too long. The cheese sauce is solid, however, boasting rich flavor and a smooth consistency. If you're craving mac and cheese and you're already at Golden Chick, go ahead and order it. But if it's just one of many attractive menu options to you, you're better off with the fried chicken that's made them famous.

Ordering mac and cheese at KFC is a roll of the dice. You might get a golden bowl of dairy-rich deliciousness, or you might get something a whole lot more disappointing. This averages out to something decent, but not worth getting in the car for on its own.

At its best, KFC's mac and cheese is one of the most impressively flavorful around. It doesn't just taste cheesy — its cheesiness has layers. Sharpness, milkiness, and even a subtle smokiness are all present in the best bowls. The worst, however, are dried-out, tough, and weakly-flavored. What's the reason for this gulf? We can only speculate, but many Reddit users hypothesize that the smaller servings have been sitting out under a heat lamp for way too long. If you can get your hands on freshly-made KFC mac and cheese, you should count yourself lucky. If you can't, consider opting for something else entirely.

Bojangles' mac and cheese is a safe bet every time. This isn't the case for a lot of entries on this list, including ones that rank higher. Such consistency is a virtue to be savored, for sure — but it doesn't mean Bojangles' mac and cheese is going to blow your socks off. It's tasty, filling, decently textured, and enjoyably cheesy. And that's about it.

While this might sound like a diss, it isn't, really. In a world full of clumpy, dried-out, poorly emulsified, and tasteless bowls of mac and cheese, a known quantity is a precious thing. The fact that Bojangles' mac and cheese never seems affected by weather, the cook's skill, or the amount of time it's been sitting out is genuinely impressive. Fast food is an ever-shifting landscape, full of factors that endanger a meal's quality, yet this mac and cheese seems to avoid them all. There's nothing wrong with a decent meal, and that's exactly what this is.

Chick-Fil-A's mac and cheese is a fickle thing. Sometimes, it's a delicious triumph of dairy and starch. While many other fast food chains' stabs at the beloved dish are merely creamy, Chick-Fil-A's distinguishes itself by being baked. This results — ideally, anyway — in a crispy crown of blistered cheese and noodles. As anyone who loves mac and cheese knows, this is a highly desirable trait. Moreover, Chick-Fil-A doesn't settle for a generic cheese sauce: As their website details, their noodles are swathed in a blend of Parmesan, cheddar, and Romano cheeses.

Sounds pretty fabulous, right? A lot of the time, it is — but not always. As aficionados on Reddit have discussed, Chick-Fil-A's mac and cheese doesn't always impress. "It varies day by day," u/OohSweetPotato noted. "It's not nearly as consistent as the other items on the menu. Some days you get Mac and cheese that tastes like nothing, and then some days you get Mac and cheese that makes you want to strip down naked." This unpredictability keeps Chick-Fil-A's mac and cheese from achieving a higher spot on this list. However, its occasional brilliance — and the fact that the chain takes the time to bake the dish — still manages to impress.

Texas standby Bush's Chicken takes its food seriously. This is most evident in the way the chain presents its titular poultry. No part of the chicken is unloved in these establishments — you can get widely-beloved treats like chicken tenders and drumsticks, but you can also get lovingly prepared livers and gizzards. This thorough appreciation of food extends to Bush's mac and cheese. While other chains — especially those that focus on a specific, non-noodle foodstuff — treat the dish as an afterthought, Bush's makes sure its mac and cheese is up to snuff. This is most apparent in their noodles, which are cooked to toothsome perfection. There's no mushiness, crunchiness, or blandness here — they're exactly as they should be.

Unfortunately, the cheese sauce needs a little work. It's not bad, by any stretch of the imagination: This sauce is well-blended, creamy, and appropriately cheesy in taste. But it just doesn't manage to excel in any of those categories. It's well-blended, but there's no nuance. It's creamy, but it's not rich. It's cheesy, but it doesn't taste of any cheese specifically. You won't have a bad time eating Bush's Chicken mac and cheese, but you won't find yourself raving about it to friends either.

Mr. Chicken's menu is bursting with Southern favorites like fried okra, corn nuggets, and chicken livers. Mac and cheese is there as well, nestled among the chain's hearty sides, and it doesn't disappoint. This is a distinctly regional take on the beloved dish. Where other establishments favor lighter cheese sauces or toss in a handful of bright green broccoli, Mr. Chicken's mac and cheese is ready for a church potluck in Macon, Georgia. The sauce is thick, clinging to every single noodle. The macaroni is robust, being both a bit thicker and larger than many other chains'. The flavor is big, bold, and cheesy with a capital C.

All in all, this makes for a very tasty mac and cheese. If you're ordering it alongside anything else on the menu, however, you might want to consider clearing out the rest of your day: You're in for a major food coma. This can be either positive or negative, depending on your point of view. If you want a seriously rich eating experience, Mr. Chicken's mac and cheese ensures satisfaction. If you don't want to organize your day around digestion, then you might want to order the mac and cheese unto itself, or opt for a different establishment entirely.

Panera offers not one, but two varieties of mac and cheese: Patrons can enjoy either broccoli cheddar mac and cheese or traditional mac and cheese. That's not the end of their options, either — you can also have either type of mac and cheese served in a bread bowl. This all adds up to one of the most decadent mac and cheese experiences a fast food enthusiast can have. Both varieties are among the most rich and flavorful on the market, and the bread bowls ratchet the luxury up even further. The broccoli cheddar mac and cheese (not to be confused with their famous broccoli cheddar soup) is especially delicious. The broccoli is delectably fresh and brings wonderful texture into the mix, while the cheddar is sharp and distinctive. A lot of fast food mac and cheese tastes generic, but Panera's can't be mistaken for anything but Panera.

Unfortunately, Panera's mac and cheese is also plagued by runniness. One Reddit user summed the issue up perfectly when they asked, "Why is the Mac and cheese so inconsistent? Sometimes it's really good and creamy, sometimes it's watery and runny, almost like a soup with pasta." Commenters offered up many different explanations, but they're cold comfort to someone confronted with a watery bowl of noodles and cheese soup. Panera's mac and cheese is often delicious — but "often" isn't "always."

Boston Market's mac and cheese distinguishes itself with one major departure from the standard recipe: It's not actually mac and cheese. Specifically, it features no macaroni — here, the noodles are rotini, a tightly curled spiral shape. This is such an excellent choice, it makes you wonder why more recipes don't make the swap. While macaroni can become thickly coated with cheese, rotini gets positively loaded with it, each blade of its spiral holding onto as much sauce as possible. This makes every mouthful more flavorful, enhancing the entire mac and cheese experience.

This is a major point in Boston Market's favor. Unfortunately, their cheese sauce keeps this innovative take on mac and cheese from absolute greatness. It's not bad, granted — being smooth, creamy, and distinctly cheddar-flavored — it's just not particularly great. You won't mind this all that much as you scoop cheese-soaked rotini into your mouth — the shape swap goes a long way towards impressing even the most jaded mac and cheese fan. But you probably won't be thinking about it once you've finished your meal.

Dave's Hot Chicken doesn't do anything by halves. Their titular chicken isn't just crispy — it's craggy, crunchy, and crackling. Its heat is just as impressive, clocking in at seven distinct levels of intensity. We're not talking about the sort of heat that only induces a bit of palm sweat, either — the highest level of spice available is the ominously named "reaper." Even the most ardent spice-lover in the world needs something to counteract that sort of mouth-destroying heat. Enter: mac and cheese.

As many spice-lovers know, dairy is the key to stopping capsaicin in its tracks. Any old mac and cheese would probably do the job, but Dave's Hot Chicken doesn't settle for a default dairy experience. Their mac and cheese looks fairly standard, boasting macaroni noodles and a velvety yellow-orange sauce, but this hides its true depth. This is a uniquely rich take on the dish, absolutely brimming with milk fat and cheddar flavor. Texturally, this mac and cheese's sauce is among the thickest on this list; it's tongue-coatingly creamy, to the point that it brings peanut butter to mind. This is fantastic when paired with hot chicken, and not just because it does such a great job of cutting intense spice: In tamping down the heat, it allows the chicken's multifaceted flavor to breathe. You'll be able to taste the cumin and garlic coating each tender after taking a bite of mac and cheese, not just the spice. This brings nuance to the Dave's Hot Chicken experience, which elevates the entire meal.

Slim Chickens' mac and cheese is solid stuff. Both its noodles and cheese sauce are noticeably more robust than many competitors, making this a truly filling side. The cheese is especially impressive: It's lusciously textured, being both creamy and silky, and boasts multifaceted cheese flavor. We can't say for sure what varieties are used, but notes of cheddar, edam, and Parmesan are all in play here, which makes for a seriously delicious experience.

But Slim Chickens has also sold other kinds of mac and cheese. Their Tender Mac and Cheese Bowl, which has only been available for limited stretches of time thus far, comes in two forms: the Original Tender Mac and Cheese Bowl and the Buffalo Tender Mac and Cheese Bowl. The former consists of mac and cheese, torn chicken tenders, and a flavorful topping of cheddar and Monterey Jack. The latter brings buffalo and cayenne ranch flavor into the mix, along with fried and green onions. Both varieties are absolutely irresistible. Somehow, the chicken tenders never become soggy, which allows their crunchy breading to play deliciously off the velvety cheese sauce. The buffalo bowl's tangy dressing takes it to a new level of delectability; its hint of spice cuts especially well through the chicken and noodles. This is mac and cheese on a whole new level, and all we can do is cross our fingers and hope it'll be back for another stretch of time soon.

McAlister's Deli has an extensive menu that boasts everything from strawberry shortcake to French dip sandwiches. Other establishments offering such a cavalcade of choices tend to cut corners; sure, you can get just about everything from them, but that doesn't mean everything's going to be good. Not so with McAlister's. This menu is well-rounded, from its dessert section to its array of salads, and its mac and cheese is a perfect example.

McAlister's mac and cheese is seriously creamy: The cheese sauce clings to each macaroni noodle in big, dripping gobs of pale orange deliciousness. The noodles are a tad bit more al dente than you might expect, which pairs wonderfully with such intense richness and prevents the dish from being a mushy mess. The cheese sauce's flavor is what really makes it something to write home about, however. Uniquely, it uses a blend of cheddar, American, and Neufchâtel cheeses. The former two varieties create a rich, mellow base of cheesiness just sharp enough to excite the palate, and the Neufchatel brings a funky, salty, tangy edge to the proceedings. This results in a mac and cheese unlike any other, capable of satisfying gourmand cheese hounds and those seeking a more tried-and-true experience alike. You might not have heard of Neufchâtel cheese before, but McAlister's mac and cheese will make you a fan.

Church's Texas Chicken serves down-home food. This is never more apparent than on their menu of sides: Crispy fried okra, biscuits glazed with honey butter, and golden apple hand pies are all on offer here. Their mac and cheese is, as you might expect, a comfort food classic. Unlike most chains on this list, they take the time to sprinkle each serving with cheddar and stick it in the oven, resulting in a golden-brown top of delectably broiled cheese. This home-style approach makes it stand out from the pack — but it isn't what lands it a relatively high spot on this list.

Beyond being baked, there isn't one particular element of Church's mac and cheese that makes it stand out. That's not to say nothing else is impressive about it — rather, everything is. This dish simply fires on all cylinders. The cheese sauce is full of vivid flavor, the noodles are soft without being overcooked, and the overall texture is deliciously varied. Smooth sauce mingles delightfully with tender macaroni and crispy cheese; no element overpowers the other. This is culinary harmony in the Texan tradition, and representative of the menu's overall strength. Mac and cheese might not be in the chain's name, but it's impressive enough that it definitely could be.

Wait a minute — you might be saying to yourself — Wienerschnitzel sells mac and cheese? It sounds strange, given the chain is most closely associated with hot dogs, but it's true: In spring 2023, Wienerschnitzel started selling mac and cheese. Specifically, the venerable chain began offering two kinds of it. One keeps things straightforwardly classic, consisting of macaroni noodles in a silky cheese sauce. The other brings chili sauce into the mix.

Those who love Wienerschnitzel are likely already familiar with their chili sauce, which tops many of their most popular hot dogs, burgers, and fries. As it turns out, it's just as good on mac and cheese as it is on a bun. This sauce is tangy, rich, and spiked with just the right amount of heat. It cuts through the rich mac and cheese like a bolt of delicious lightning, throwing all that creamy, dairy-based goodness into sharp relief. While the chili mac and cheese is undoubtedly the star, Wienerschnitzel's classic mac and cheese is nothing to sneeze at either. Their macaroni noodles are impressively hearty, which pairs wonderfully with their luscious cheese sauce. In exploring entirely new kinds of food, Wienerschnitzel finds delicious success.

Noodles & Company is the only noodle-specific restaurant on this list. It's no surprise, then, that their mac and cheese is some of the best around. First off, they don't just offer one type of mac and cheese, but four. Their Wisconsin mac and cheese is the standard recipe, blending elbow macaroni with a cheddar and Jack cheese sauce. Then there's the buffalo chicken mac and cheese, which brings Parmesan chicken, straight-up Parmesan, spicy buffalo wing sauce, and green onions into the mix. Their barbecue chicken mac and cheese adds grilled chicken, jalapeños, and barbecue sauce to their Wisconsin bowl. Finally, their gluten-sensitive pipette mac and cheese brings cheesy goodness to gluten-restricted diners' plates.

All of these takes on mac and cheese manage to impress. The barbecue chicken bowl is a zingy delight; the tangy barbecue sauce plays beautifully off the creamy cheese and hearty chunks of chicken, while the jalapeños add a delicious jolt of spice and freshness. Similarly, the buffalo chicken mac and cheese is a tasty marriage of dairy-based richness, electrifying spice, and fresh onions. Gluten-free eaters will appreciate the gluten-sensitive mac, which doesn't cut corners on flavor, texture, or satisfaction. But the humble Wisconsin mac and cheese still manages to be the star of the show. It's simply everything you could want out of a bowl of mac and cheese, from its pleasantly al dente noodles to its glossy cheese sauce.

Luby's is a cafeteria-style chain offering a plethora of down-home favorites. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, liver and onions, and gumbo are all on offer here, and they're all pretty darn delicious. But even amidst all this Southern-style splendor, mac and cheese manages to rise above. Their take on the classic dish isn't just delicious — it's pretty close to being the Platonic ideal.

Luby's mac and cheese distinguishes itself right out of the gate by being a bit paler than many other renditions on this list. This doesn't indicate lacking flavor, however — quite the contrary. This mac and cheese is seriously, unadulteratedly, and unignorably cheesy. It's a very clean, creamy, and classic cheese flavor, bringing to mind Alfredo sauce and grilled cheese sandwiches. Texturally, it's an excellent balance of rich creaminess to silken fluidity. A sprinkle of fresh black pepper across the top takes to further heights of deliciousness. This is mac and cheese as it's meant to be.

Arby's mac and cheese is like a comet: It's brilliant, it's beautiful, and it's something you can only enjoy for a limited amount of time. The long-running chain has tried out a few different varieties over the years, and all of them have been strong. The loaded chicken bacon ranch mac and cheese, which landed in restaurants in winter 2022, is perhaps the most spectacular. It combines mac and cheese with chicken nuggets, bacon bits, and peppercorn ranch sauce. That's a whole lot of flavor packed into a single bowl, but it never becomes an inedible mish-mash of flavor and texture. Rather, the cheese and ranch sauce blend beautifully, while the chicken and bacon bring satisfying heartiness and enjoyably varied texture.

Yet, Arby's standard white cheddar mac and cheese still manages to outshine this over-the-top dish. It's pretty basic to the naked eye, consisting of macaroni noodles and a paler-than-average cheese sauce. But one bite makes it clear that this is an all-time great mac and cheese, and it's all in the white cheddar. This distinctively tangy cheese simultaneously cuts through the meal's richness and brings it to the fore, making it taste even more decadently creamy. The robust noodles do a wonderful job of trapping the delicious sauce and never taste overcooked, like so many other fast food mac and cheeses. How good is this mac and cheese? Let's just say you should consider setting a Google alert for "Arby's mac and cheese," to make sure you don't miss out next time it comes around.

What does it take to reach the top of this list? Nothing short of perfection — and that's what Popeyes delivers. Their mac and cheese keeps things simple with macaroni noodles and a rich sauce made from cheese, butter, and cream. These noodles are some of the best around, being firm, chewy, and flavorful on their own. The cheese sauce is the real star, though. Somehow, it's both straightforward and multifaceted. The cheese flavor is strong, and leans towards cheddar, yet it's also complex: There are nutty, tangy, salty, and mellow notes to be found here.

Then there's the fact that it's baked. After getting sprinkled with shredded cheddar, Popeyes slides its mac and cheese into the oven. This adds a delectably crispy crust to each serving, which brings both flavorful and textural interest to the dish. The ooey-gooey cheese sauce and golden-brown cheese crown create a particularly irresistible contrast that will remind you of the very best homemade mac and cheese you've ever had. There's a reason legendary gourmand Anthony Bourdain loved this mac and cheese: It really is that good.