The Ultimate Ranking Of Fast Food Breakfast Hash Browns

It's hard to imagine breakfast without potatoes. That's probably why every fast food joint that offers breakfast has some version of the starchy, carb-filled spuds — and most take the form of the classic hash brown. Likely descended from the rösti, a Swiss potato pancake dish, according to the Idaho Potato Commission, hashed brown potatoes first made their appearance in food history in the late 19th century. This fast-food breakfast staple is the morning menu's answer to french fries.

But not all hash browns are created equal, which is where this handy breakdown comes into play. While the items on this list all involve potatoes, the style can vary greatly from place to place. You'll find them in shapes of coins, sticks, and patties; some are simply seasoned with salt and others with more complex spices; some focus on the soft, fluffy center and others on the outer crunch.

While no fast-food ranking is purely objective and scientifically sound, we tried to take into account as many varying opinions as we could to create the most accurate placing for each competitor. Keep in mind that these restaurants and items vary regionally and may not be available to you, and breakfast is not always available all day. And with that preamble, here is our hash brown hierarchy.

Southern California-based Mexican fast-food chain Del Taco began serving breakfast in the '80s. Its morning menu has continued to evolve as the brand has expanded from the West into the Midwest U.S., focusing on breakfast burritos and tacos in keeping with its south-of-the-border theme. In addition to their Mexican- inspired breakfast fare, they offer hash browns in the form of crispy, golden-fried potato sticks.

Del Taco's Hashbrown Sticks may not have the same fame or fanbase as the other competitors on this list, but they do have devotees. One commenter on Reddit stated that the tots are their "go-to for hashbrown cravings," while another comment raved about how "they're always cooked to the right amount of crunch." Restaurant Clicks appreciates them for their convenience as a "perfect breakfast snack." And everyone seems to agree that they're perfect for dipping in a combo of ketchup and one of Del Taco's signature hot sauces.

One advantage these hash browns have is a long, narrow shape that allows them to be easily added to other items — like tacos, for example. You'll find these crispy potato sticks stuffed inside many of Del Taco's breakfast offerings, from tacos to wraps. So while they may be nothing to write home about on their own, as an ingredient in other breakfast items, these golden bars are a valuable addition.

They say everything's bigger in Texas, and that's true for fast food, too. The state's famed chain Whataburger put itself on the fast-food map in 1950 with its larger-than-life burger, per the brand's website. Potatoes were a later addition, with french fries not showing up until 1962. Breakfast made its debut in 1979 and now includes an abundance of items, including hash browns in the form of crispy sticks.

While these hash brown sticks may not grace many best-of lists, they do have several fans on Reddit, including one user who ranks them "a close second" after perennial favorite McDonald's. The biggest gripe people have seems to be with the stingy size; there are at least two threads dedicated to complaints that the number of sticks in an order is simply not enough, or as one fan colorfully put it, "they dank but 4 of 'em ain't cutting it."

The long shape of these hash brown sticks allows them to be easily layered onto other items, and Whataburger takes advantage of that with limited-time breakfast offerings. If you're lucky enough to catch them, the Breakfast Bowls feature hash browns along with cheese, eggs, meat, a biscuit, and gravy, and the Breakfast Burger features the crunchy sticks nestled among a beef patty, bacon, egg, cheese, and pepper sauce on a bun, per Thrillist.

In the past, Taco Bell was known for its wild breakfast concoctions — anyone remember the short-lived Waffle Taco? Now, it's turning over a new leaf and going back to basics. "We honestly over-innovated in breakfast," chief brand officer Sean Tresvant told CNN Business. Comedian Pete Davidson has been tapped as the celebrity apologist for the fast food giant's fanciful menu missteps. But one thing he won't need to publicly atone for is the chain's hash brown patty, which could hardly be simpler. Taco Bell describes it as a "straight shooter," and its only ingredients are potatoes, oil, salt, and dextrose.

A classic deep-fried potato cake, Taco Bell's hash brown offering is similar in shape and style to McDonald's; but most find it pales in comparison. Insider found it greasy and flavorless, and The Sheaf found it to be too thin, lacking any texture besides crunch. If crunchiness is your thing, though, you might see that as an asset rather than a drawback. 

Taco Bell's hash brown patties may not reach the top of any rankings, but they play a pivotal role in the brand's revamped morning menu, serving as one of the main ingredients in the Breakfast Crunchwrap. Its crispiness may be a drawback on its own but serves it well as a crunchy filling.

Another entry in the rectangular-shaped division, Jack in the Box's hash brown patty is similar to those from its competitors Taco Bell and McDonald's in its simplicity and style. Like the rest of the company's breakfast menu, it's perhaps a bit on the plain side, although you could argue that makes it a blank slate for complementing other flavors. Insider was less than impressed, while they claimed it "got the flavor right," the problem was with the thin size and mushy texture. But Restaurant Clicks had a different experience, praising the flavor and crispiness. 

Your opinion on Jack in the Box's hash browns may depend on whether you think their skinny size is a plus, adding extra crunch, or a minus, necessitating a double order for true satiation. One bonus feature of this narrow frame is that it makes them easy to layer onto a breakfast sandwich, which adds an extra stratum of starchy, crunchy goodness.

Once a humble taco stand, Taco John's now sells its Mexican fast-food favorites from almost 400 locations, located mainly throughout the midwestern U.S. One of the signature items is a cup of fried potato nuggets known as Potato Olés. The Takeout praises these fried spuds for their balance of texture and subtle spice seasoning, as well as their dippability, grading them an A in their taste test. Potato Olés, while perhaps best categorized as hash browns, are not just a morning treat — they're available on both the breakfast and regular menu, to the delight of at least one Redditor who says they're "so good any time of day."

It's hard to find a negative word about these crispy hunks of gold and people from all walks of life love them, according to the Argus Leader. Perhaps the worst thing one can say about them is that if you're unlucky enough to live in the half of the country that's outside of Taco John's territory, Potato Olés remain out of your grasp until your next interstate road trip.

This is it, the undisputed champion of fast food hash browns: McDonald's. The McDonald's potato patty takes the top spot in just about every ranking you can find and even made it onto The Ringer's list of "The Top 50 Fast Food Items in America" (the only hash brown to do so). This iconic hash brown's superiority may be due in part to its somewhat secret ingredient, natural beef flavoring, which is added to the oil before they're fried, per Better Homes & Gardens. But it's not just that unique component that sets them apart.

Reviewers far and wide praise every element of these golden patties, from the "salty, buttery potato flavor" (via Insider) to the "toothsome and crisp" exterior (via My Recipes). Restaurant Clicks calls it "the perfect fast food breakfast item." Redditors agree, with one user claiming they "could eat like 50 of them at one time" and another saying "can't go wrong with the OG." 

It's hard to disagree with such widespread consensus, and why bother? Classics are classics for a reason, and the McDonald's hash brown is the gold standard.