10 Chain Restaurant Breadsticks, Ranked Worst To Best

Would you rather bite into a warm, fluffy cloud of fragrant, herby, and garlicky dough, or a piece of lukewarm cardboard? If that answer seems obvious to you, then you're already aware of what separates good breadsticks from the inedible. Whether you're eating pizza, pasta, or a low-effort, carby snack, breadsticks are the unsung heroes of all three of these occasions (and plenty beyond).

Fortunately for bread lovers everywhere, breadsticks are an incredibly common food item that many chain restaurants across the country carry. However, not all of these breadsticks are created equal. In an effort to find the best chain restaurant breadsticks, my husband and I went on a breadstick-buying spree so that we could taste them for ourselves. This was my first time going on a shopping spree of this kind, and I must say, those tree-shaped air fresheners have nothing on the smell of hot breadsticks in the backseat.

I judged the breadsticks based on objective qualities like freshness and texture. You can read more about how I chose which chain restaurant breadsticks to try in the methodology section at the end of this piece. Otherwise, continue reading to find which breadsticks are better than sliced bread and which ones came up stale.

Even before I started this breadstick taste-testing marathon, I had a feeling Mr. Gatti's Pizza's Bread Sticks would be toward the bottom of my list. I kept an open mind walking into my hometown location, trying to ignore the weirdly sweet smell of Parmesan and sugar by which I've come to recognize this popular Southern chain restaurant.

That open-mindedness didn't last long after I opened my box of breadsticks. Mr. Gatti's serves its breadsticks in a sliced circular shape, just like the chain restaurant's pizza. The breadsticks are about as thin as a slice of pizza, if that pizza slice were unencumbered by anything but a sprinkling of dry, Italian-esque herbs and spices. Unfortunately, the end results feel scant and underwhelming.

There were also trace hints of that same sickly sweet smell that seems to permeate all Mr. Gatti's locations, surely a byproduct of its signature herb blends, low-quality Parmesan, or both. All in all, my initial hesitations were right. I think my hunger would have to be approaching emergency levels before I willingly partook in these breadsticks again.

Marco's Pizza is a chain restaurant I don't normally patronize on my own, though I have pals who prefer this brand, so I've had plenty of its pizza. I never had Marco's Pizza Breadsticks prior to this experiment, though, and what I found wasn't much to write home about. Given the haphazard way my breadstick order was sliced, I think there's a good chance some of the demerits these breadsticks earned were specific to the store location I went to, not the chain as a whole.

Still, even disregarding the fact that my breadsticks were half-cut, uneven, and hard to tear out of the bag, the flavor was less than mouthwatering. I'd actually consider it the opposite: mouth-drying, maybe? Whatever the adjective, noshing on these very dry, very floury, and very tough breadsticks felt more like I was eating some historically accurate hunk of bread from the colonial ages — the kind you might drink by candlelight with a goblet of beer.

Honestly, for as much as I wasn't a fan of the breadsticks fresh out of the bag, I anticipate them making some flavorful croutons after I zhuzh them up and rebake them.

To Papa John's credit, I looked right at the Garlic Parmesan Breadstick option and opted for the Original Breadsticks instead, which was a big mistake, albeit a self-made one. I figured sticking with the OG option would give me the most accurate idea of what this chain restaurant's breadsticks are really like. After eating them, I quickly realized why there's a seasoned version. I couldn't help but wonder why Papa John's would even serve this boring original version if garlic-parmesan exists.

These breadsticks were definitely bread, and they were definitely in the shape of a stick. I certainly can't deny that they are technically breadsticks. However, I would sooner classify these Papa John's sides as "pre-croutons" than actual breadsticks worth trying. The flavor is unremarkable, although the dough was pleasantly soft. I'd imagine that these breadsticks would taste a lot better, say, slathered in a flavorful marinara sauce á la Frank Sinatra's go-to recipe. Or, better yet, chopped into bite-sized pieces, tossed in olive oil, baked until crunchy, and thrown into a bed of fresh greens.

I can count on one hand the number of times a bite of bread has ever squelched beneath my teeth, and dear reader, this was one of those times. To be clear, I knew what I was getting into when I tried Little Caesars Crazy Bread. I've balled on a budget with a hot-and-ready pizza many times, although I never typically ordered crazy bread to go along with it. I realize now that I wasn't missing out on much, besides the strange sensation of eating a bread that is both dry and wet.

For my own sanity, I have to attribute the intense moisture of Little Caesars Crazy Bread to an overzealous distribution of garlic butter. While this certainly contributed to a punchier flavor (which is largely why I ranked these breadsticks No. 7 and not lower), I can't say that this wet-dry sensation is one I would actively try to seek out again.

Moreover, my Little Caesars Crazy Bread lived up to its name by actually looking kind of crazy. Rather than uniform breadsticks one might expect based on the menu photo, the breadsticks I received were fat on one side and oddly skinny on the other, which did little to entice me into eating more than one.

As a vegetarian who travels for work often, I source most of my meals from gas stations that have more meat-free options than, say, McDonald's or Wendy's. Whenever I see a gas station with a Godfather's Pizza Express logo near its store sign, I know there's a good chance I'll get a decent order of breadsticks to tide me over on the next leg of my journey, and the Godfather's Cheesesticks I tried for this experiment certainly fit that description. (I say that knowing that my experience is not universal, and there is an indelible stigma around gas station food.) In defense of Godfather's Pizza Express, I will argue that this pizza chain isn't exclusive to gas stations and travel centers, and its breadsticks weren't screaming "gas station food" by any means. Then again, good pizza is good pizza, even if it comes from an interstate pitstop. 

Flavor-wise, Godfather's Cheesesticks are straightforward and reliable. The blend of garlic, Italian seasoning, and mozzarella is a little greasy, but in that nostalgic, makes-you-think-of-high-school kind of way. The dough is soft and pillowy, holding its shape under a generous slathering of melted cheese. At first glance, I was immediately appreciative of the portion size: small enough to eat on your own if you're really hungry, but big enough to where you can comfortably share with one or two people. 

When I was younger and my family ate out at Olive Garden more frequently, I remember being obsessed with the breadsticks at this popular Italian chain restaurant. In fact, as an ultra-picky eater, these were one of the only things I ate at Olive Garden in the '90s, period. By the time I picked up my breadstick order for this experiment, it had been nearly 20 years since the last time I ate there.

Frankly, these breadsticks weren't as good as I remembered. Texture-wise, they were almost perfect. The breadsticks were uniform, a substantial size, and pillowy soft. They lost me on the flavor, though. The bread dough seemed overly sweet, almost bordering on Hawaiian roll levels of sweetness, which, honestly, makes it that much more understandable as to why I loved them so much as a sweet-toothed little kid.

As an adult, though, I wouldn't go out of my way to find Olive Garden breadsticks. Would I use them to sop up the last bits of my unlimited soup and salad? Certainly — but that's about it.

Fazoli's Signature Garlic Breadsticks taught me a valuable lesson in not judging a breadstick by its cover — or, in this case, smell. When I first opened my bag of Fazoli's breadsticks, I was bowled over by the intense garlic smell. I like garlic as much as the next person, but I found the aroma to be overwhelming, as if I was getting a preview of the bad breath these breadsticks would inevitably give me.

Upon trying them, though, I was pleasantly surprised that the garlic flavor wasn't nearly as pungent as the smell suggested. If anything, it was surprisingly subdued, perhaps tempered by the copious amounts of butter and salt infused into the bread. The dough was pillowy and soft. As someone who has been to Fazoli's less than five times in her entire life, I was honestly surprised at how much I liked the bread.

Really, Fazoli's breadsticks are what I imagined Olive Garden breadsticks might taste like: more savory than sweet. I wouldn't necessarily recommend going to town on these bad boys on a first date or any other occasion that requires good-smelling breath, but if you're not worried about having the kind of breath that would kill a vampire, these are a tasty option.

As much as I tried to approach my breadstick tastings with an open, unbiased mind, Pizza Hut breadsticks were my favorite when I was a kid. So, I had a feeling these might earn a high-ranking spot. These breadsticks (mostly) lived up to my expectations, though I felt like the ones I tried were slightly overcooked.

Even with the tougher bite, Pizza Hut's signature seasoning blend shines. A flavorful mix of Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt makes these breadsticks a delectable snack, cold or hot, that doesn't require dollops of marinara sauce to taste good. Unlike other breadsticks that feel like a blander extension of a pizza, Pizza Hut breadsticks can stand as a great snack in their own right.

Another aspect of Pizza Hut breadsticks I've always enjoyed is the crispy outer layer that contrasts the soft, chewy inside. The differing textures create an incredibly satisfying mouthfeel and are a large reason why these breadsticks can be so addicting.

The runner-up for best breadsticks, for me, came from a pizza chain that has become a go-to spot in America: Domino's. While it's very possible that the addition of cheese is what makes Domino's Stuffed Cheesy Bread so tasty against much plainer options, a good breadstick is a good breadstick. The dough is soft and sliced into easily snackable strips that are perfect for dunking into marinara (or, if you're like me, sriracha and ranch dressing).

I think part of what makes Domino's Stuffed Cheesy Bread especially delicious is the cheese blend. Domino's uses a combination of mozzarella, which is pretty standard fare when it comes to breadsticks, and cheddar, which is a little less common. The cheddar gives the breadsticks an extra savory flavor. Cheddar also tends to get greasy when warm, and while that might not be the best characteristic from a health perspective, it keeps the cheesy bread just moist enough.

One of my favorite parts about Domino's Stuffed Cheesy Bread is one that I understand might not resonate with everyone: the crusty bits of cooked cheese around the edges of the pull-apart bread. Fried cheese critics can keep moving — if you know, you know.

Of all the breadsticks I tried in my attempt to rank as many chain restaurant breadsticks as possible, I didn't expect Mellow Mushroom's Cheese Bread to make the top of the list. I've had plenty of pizza from this hippie-inspired chain, but this was my first time trying its cheese bread. It was the closest to something I would make for myself at home, which made this option the clear winner.

The first thing I noticed about Mellow Mushroom's Cheese Bread was that it appeared to be on actual loaves of French bread, which is great for me, since I adore French bread's slightly nutty flavor. The fact that I could see the actual crust of the bread made it feel like I was eating something fresh — not a warmed-up, previously frozen carb stick.

What really won me over about Mellow Mushroom's Cheese Bread was the seasoning blend. I've tried countless blends of Italian seasoning on breadsticks, but something about Mellow Mushroom's seasoning blend tasted especially herbal, as if there were greater amounts of basil and oregano (or an herb with a similar flavor profile to oregano). This only added to the overall fresh flavor, making this the clear No. 1 breadstick for me.

To determine which chain restaurant breadsticks were the best (and worst), I sourced breadsticks from every major chain within 45 minutes of my hometown of Murray, Kentucky. I looked for restaurants that are known for carrying breadsticks, like Italian restaurants and pizza places. Whenever possible, I ordered the most basic version of a chain restaurant's breadsticks to get as accurate of a flavor profile as I could.

Some popular chain restaurants didn't offer plain breadsticks. Instead, they carried cheesy bread, including other variations with pepperoni, spinach, and other complementary ingredients. In these cases, I chose the most basic cheesy bread option (usually just bread, cheese, and seasonings). I avoided any cheesy breads that had extra ingredients that might overpower the bread dough.

When determining the overall flavor, I looked at the breadsticks' consistency, texture, freshness, and taste. I ranked the breadsticks from worst to best, with the best options having the highest marks in all three flavor categories.