The Ultimate Ranking Of Chain Restaurant Baked Potatoes
A classic oven-baked potato is a beautiful thing. This celebrated side dish is delicious, thrifty, easy to make, and amenable to all kinds of customization. It's no wonder, then, that it's such a mainstay of so many restaurant menus. Many of the most stalwart restaurant chains offer baked potatoes, some in a vast array of forms. Spuds loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream are particularly popular, but establishments also offer unique takes featuring signature ingredients like lobster, caviar, and exotic cheeses. Don't go sleeping on the simple baked potato, however, ornamented with nothing more than a pat of butter. The very best chains can take this humble approach to the heights of deliciousness.
With such a profusion of options available, the baked potato enthusiast is faced with a quandary: Which chains serve up the greatest spuds of all, and which offer the worst? We're here to answer that question. By drawing on our own personal experiences and that of our friends', we've assembled the ultimate ranking of chain restaurant baked potatoes. You can read more about our methodology at the end of this article. Get your knife, fork, and butter — we're going from worst to first.
14. Golden Corral
Golden Corral doesn't just offer patrons a baked potato; it features an entire baked potato bar. Pretty sweet, right? Yet we still deem the baked potatoes a Golden Corral dish customers should avoid. Why? The answer is pretty simple: An array of toppings, ranging from cheese to bacon bits, can only do so much for a mediocre spud. Plus, those toppings have their own issues.
These baked potatoes aren't terrible, mind you. There's only so bad a baked potato can be, after all, as long as it's cooked through and not rotten. But these tubers do absolutely nothing to rise above that line. They're fluffy enough, to be sure, but they're also oddly sweaty — you'll find no deliciously flaky skin or broiled edges here. It's unclear if this is due to the cooking process or the buffet-style nature of the restaurant, which necessitates most food sit around for long stretches of time. Either way, the spud's not much to write home about.
The toppings aren't all that stupendous, either. The shredded cheese — one of the most classic baked potato toppings in existence — is particularly disappointing. Somehow, it lacks both sharpness and richness. Bland toppings on a bland potato land this entry the bottommost spot on our list.
13. Wendy's
Wendy's sets itself apart from most fast food joints by offering baked potatoes. This is a welcome departure from the standard roster of burgers, fries, and shakes; all those things are delicious, but sometimes, diners on the go crave the simplicity and wholesomeness of the baked potato. Unfortunately, Wendy's spuds leave a lot to be desired.
Even with multiple butter pats, these potatoes are dry. They taste like they've been sitting out for hours, slowly losing moisture in a hot and bustling fast food kitchen, which very well may be the case. Wendy's baked potatoes also tend to be wrinkly and somewhat shrunken. Some even have a slightly musty aftertaste that shines through all manner of toppings and condiments, as if they're older potatoes which have been sitting at the bottom of a sack for entirely too long. We can't be sure this is the case, of course, but the fact that we're even considering such a conclusion is a sign of a so-so spud.
12. Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse has a fascinating history, a lengthy menu, and a lot of tasty steaks. But its baked potatoes aren't going to win any prizes anytime soon. Neither are they going to earn major scorn, though. These are baked potatoes at their most ordinary. In truth, it's easier to list the things they're not, rather than the things they are. They're not too old. They're not too dry. They're not too small. As the bottom two entries on this list indicate, these are very real pitfalls, and Texas Roadhouse should be commended for avoiding them.
But these statements fall short of being actual compliments. These just aren't the kind of potatoes that deserve outright praise. Their skin isn't particularly crisp or flavorful, nor are they dreamily fluffy. Texas Roadhouse's butter does the job, but not much else (although the restaurant definitely provides you with a lot of it, which is a mild plus). These are default baked potatoes, present because they're expected to be at a largely straightforward steakhouse. That's just fine — but it's not anything more than that.
11. Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse is one of the best high-end steakhouse chains in America. The fact that it does nothing by halves is a big reason why. Here, the outrageously creamy mac and cheese is studded with lobster, the crème brûlée comes with a tiramisu twist, and the steaks are dripping with sauces from all over the world. It follows, then, that the establishment's baked potato is an over-the-top affair.
These fully loaded potatoes are crowned with the classic toppings: bacon, sour cream, chives, and cheese. Individually, every element is solid, if not sensational. The potato itself is fluffy and fully baked, if a little dry. The cheese and sour cream are appropriately rich, and the bacon is smoky and crisp. The chives get a little lost in all this abundance, but their sharp taste is still discernible. But somehow, this all adds up to a side that's less than the sum of its parts. It's not bad by any means, but these flavors just don't manage to blend together into the kind of decadent triumph you'd expect from such an establishment. You won't have a bad time eating this baked potato, but when you reflect on the meal, you'll remember everything else you ate at Del Frisco's before it comes to mind.
10. Morton's The Steakhouse
Morton's baked potato is the first entry on this list that does the potato itself justice. These baked potatoes are loaded with fillings, but the humble root vegetable itself is the best part of the dish. Its skin is pleasantly papery and flakes well at the slightest touch of a fork's tine. This isn't just texturally pleasant; it's an indication of how flavorful it is. There's a deep, smoky, golden-brown taste to this potato's skin — one wonders if Morton's chucks it under the broiler for a minute or two to bring out such deliciously earthy notes. Whatever it is this place is doing, it's working.
The toppings need some help, however. Morton's baked potatoes overflow with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives. We're not talking about a few crumbled meat-bits and a dollop of dairy, either. The bacon comes in thick, curling chunks and is lavishly sprinkled. But this ends up being a bit much of a muchness. It's hard to tell the dairy items apart, and the bacon just adds to the confusion. The chives pretty much disappear within this clash. Beneath it all, the potato — unquestionably the strongest element — struggles to assert itself.
9. Cracker Barrel
In many ways, Cracker Barrel's baked potato resembles many others on this list. The veggie itself is thoroughly baked, boasting a pillowy interior and a salt-sprinkled exterior. It's crowned with a towering assemblage of butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions. All in all, fairly standard — or is it? This potato is distinguished by many small departures from the formula. Some are for the better, but others are for the worse.
In the "plus" column, there's the butter. Cracker Barrel goes the extra mile and whips its butter so that it's fluffy, smooth, and melts luxuriously into the potato. The cheese is also strong. This chain opts for Colby cheese rather than something more generic, and the slight tang of this variety works very well with the other ingredients.
But in the "minus" column, there's, well, everything else. The potato's skin wilts beneath the many toppings, which ends any possibility of flakiness. Cracker Barrel also uses a frustratingly light hand with the bacon bits and chopped onions. The former's meatiness and the latter's bright flavor could do a lot for this potato if they weren't drowned out by every other ingredient. It all adds up to a so-so potato no one would bother sending back, but few will rave over.
8. Sizzler
Sizzler is one of America's best casual steakhouse chains. Appropriately, its baked potato stands out from the pack. Mostly, this is because of its toppings. This potato comes heaped with butter, sour cream, and green onions. Most baked potatoes that venture beyond butter don't stop at those other two ingredients — if they're using sour cream and green onions, they're also going to add bacon and cheese to take the thing into "fully loaded" territory.
Does this departure work? Sort of. It helps that the potato itself is very solid. Unlike many on this list, this spud is never soggy, wrinkled, or squishy. It's also not the most delectably bronzed potato around, but there's nothing wrong with middle-of-the-road success. The butter, sour cream, and green onions are also all of good quality. But unfortunately, the dairy-on-dairy combination of butter and sour cream is a little too heavy to fully enjoy. It all starts to taste the same and slump into an undifferentiated paste of butter, potato interior, and sour cream as you dig through it. If there were more green onions to cut through all this richness, it'd be a better experience, but each potato comes with a mere sprinkle that barely makes an impact.
7. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse offers diners with two baked potato options. One is a traditional loaded baked potato, with bacon, sour cream, cheese, butter, and green onions. The other is more subdued option, which pairs the potato with butter, sour cream, and green onions. Both are pretty darn good, thanks, in large part, to the potatoes used. BJ's baked potatoes seem to have been rubbed with oil before getting put in the oven, and this extra step makes them crisp, flaky, and utterly delicious. Earthy notes emerge from the potato skin, which blend well with each and every topping. The skins also resist wilting, even after a serious length of time.
The toppings are more of a mixed bag. The green onions are straightforwardly great, being cut into bigger pieces than average and on a diagonal. This allows them to pack a real punch — but both potato options could still use more. The cheese is also good, if a tiny bit gluey. Blending cheddar and Monterey Jack gives it a bit more of a kick than the average generic orange shreds, which is welcome. The sour cream and butter, though, are only okay, and tend to drown out every other ingredient. These potatoes are decent, but you might find yourself scraping most of the toppings off just to enjoy them on their own.
6. Mastro's
Sleek steakhouse Mastro's takes things seriously. This is most obvious in its steaks, but its sides aren't slacking. Consider its baked potato. This isn't the petite spud other places on this list offer. No, this is a hefty, weighty, rugged potato, advertised on the menu as, specifically, the 1 Lb Baked Potato.
This is the first truly good potato on this list. Its greatest asset is its exterior, which is delectably papery and a deep, rich brown. Infused with luscious fat and crusted with sea salt, it's full of intermingled flavors. The interior isn't a step down, though. You won't find rubbery chunks, too-firm spots, or any sort of mushiness. It's as fluffy as a cloud and full of dreamy, earthy flavor.
The toppings, in contrast, are a little bit of a letdown. They're not bad by any means, but they vary wildly depending on the location and the night. This can be a good thing — some Mastro's locations have fun with limited-time-only dishes, like a twice-baked potato topped with caviar offered in 2023. Sometimes, though, "variation" can mean that your potato comes with way more cheese than usual. The cheese is a particular sticking point, in fact. It seems to either come in too-big quantities or too-little, never just right. Oh, well. At least the potato beneath is scrumptious.
5. Outback Steakhouse
Are Outback Steakhouse's baked potatoes truly representative of Australia's take on spuds? If so, Aussies are a lucky lot — these baked potatoes are seriously good. Outback's offering boasts the crispest skin on this list. At its thinnest, it's as light as a feather and delicately bronzed, yet never burnt. At its thickest, it's a crunchy, rugged, golden-brown delight, reminiscent of excellent kettle chips. All of it is bursting with deep, rich flavor from both the potato itself and the fat they coat it with. This spud tastes luxurious, which makes the fact that it also happens to be one of the cheaper items at Outback Steakhouse even more impressive.
Each potato's interior is also very good and notably tender, to the point of being cloudlike. But the toppings present a bit of an issue. Something about them — especially the dairy items — just falls apart. We mean that literally: Sour cream and butter melt into mush atop these potatoes, and even the bacon bits have a way of crumbling to dust. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when it comes to butter, which you want to melt into the potato's nooks and crannies. But when everything collapses into an admittedly tasty but texturally undistinguished slurry, you have a problem on your hands.
4. Red Lobster
Baked potatoes aren't as closely associated with seafood restaurants as they are with, say, steakhouses. But you wouldn't assume this is the case after chowing down on one of Red Lobster's baked spuds. This spot might serve up shrimp, cod, and, yes, lobster, but it gives its potatoes the same amount of care and attention.
There are two baked potatoes on the Red Lobster menu. One is simply baked and buttered, but it's no pushover. In large part, this is because the contrast between this potato's skin and flesh is remarkable. Crusted with salt and fragrant with fat, the skin is so crisp and light it practically cracks apart at the touch of a knife. The interior, however, is lush, tender, and gorgeously gilded with butter. It's pretty much the baked potato all potatoes aspire to be.
The other baked potato on the menu is smothered in beurre blanc sauce and lobster meat. This luxurious take is definitely tasty; the lobster meat is particularly flavorful. But it's also a tiny bit too overwhelming. The baked potato's delicious nuances disappear beneath this sauce, and while what results is still tasty, it's hard not to miss that whisper-light skin and succulent flesh. Consider passing on this one (unless you're a die-hard lobster fan) and opting for the simple potato instead.
3. Jason's Deli
Jason's Deli's menu is a lengthy affair, but nothing gets short shrift. Its baked potatoes are a great example of this. They serve not one, not two, but four different kinds of spuds — and these aren't simply sprinkled with a bit of cheese and onion. No, these are meals unto themselves, boasting ingredient combinations you might never have seen before. The Pollo Mexicano, for example, tops a baked potato with cheese, sour cream, butter, pico de gallo, and grilled chicken breast. The Texas Style Spud, meanwhile, combines pit-smoked beef and barbecue sauce with butter and cheddar.
This is a bold approach to the baked potato, and it pays off. Incorporating chicken is an especially good idea: The bird's juicy flesh is a natural partner to the potato's creamy, mild taste. Pico de gallo is another inspired element, especially since Jason's Deli's pico is a bit sharper and tangier than other spots'. But the foundation of these creations is the potato itself. Beneath all the beef, cheese, and salsa, Jason's Deli's baked potatoes are excellent examples of the form. They're full of earthy sweetness, highlighted by just the right amount of salt and fat. The additions don't smother these virtues — if anything, they make them even more obvious.
2. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Steakhouse chain Fleming's takes potatoes seriously. This is obvious in its menu, from its decadent North Atlantic Lobster Mashed Potatoes to the signature "Fleming's Potatoes," an au gratin dish that incorporates leeks and jalapeños. Yet the humble baked potato still manages to dazzle, even in this crowded field.
In large part, this is due to its incredible interior. Fleming's baked potato is the fluffiest spud on this entire list. It's so light and airy, it brings cotton buds in a summer field to mind. Yet it's not insubstantial — in fact, it's outright fleshy. Each bite is full of rich potato flavor, limned with just the right amount of butter and salt. Further additions like cheese and bacon (if you opt for a loaded baked potato) succeed thanks to these strong fundamentals. Somehow, when cushioned by such a superb potato, the bacon tastes meatier. It's all wrapped up in gorgeously burnished skin that never loses its crunch.
1. McAlister's Deli
Many restaurants on this list respect the power of the potato. They might be steakhouses, wine bars, or sandwich shops, but they understand that this humble root veggie is as valuable as anything else they sell. But only McAlister's gives the baked potato the truly royal treatment. This deli chain celebrates baked potatoes with its own section of the menu, entitled "Giant Spuds." That title is most definitely earned: These potatoes are seriously huge. One of them could easily serve as a meal — and that's before we take the full breadth of topping options into account.
McAlister's currently offers six different kinds of baked potatoes. The Justaspud is the simplest offering; as its name denotes, it's a simple baked potato, served with sour cream on the side. This tender spud is a robust tribute to everything a potato can be, and an excellent foundation for the chain's other offerings. And oh, what offerings they are. The Corned Beef Spud, for example, tops the potato with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing, while the Spud Max takes things even further with cheese, sour cream, olives, green onions, ham, turkey, and bacon. These off-the-wall combos are all delicious, memorable, and unlike anything else on this list. That's why McAlister's takes the baked potato crown.
Methodology
To create this ultimate ranking, we first drew on our personal experience of these potatoes. We're eaten the majority of these spuds ourselves — in some cases, multiple times. To make sure this list wasn't entirely restricted by our own experiences, though, we also asked food-loving friends to detail their experiences with chain restaurants' baked potatoes. In ranking the spuds, we carefully considered texture, taste, customization options, and size. The best entries succeeded on multiple axes, while the worst failed to impress on any front.