Nothing beats a hot breakfast out, whether it is a stack of pancakes with a pat of butter or a plate of eggs and hash browns. But not every chain gets it right every time. To find out which ones come closest, we turned to The Takeout, which ranked 14 breakfast chains by their pancakes using customer feedback from sites like Reddit and Yelp. We also checked The Daily Meal and customer satisfaction news from Restaurant Dive. Here are six well known chains, from the top of the pancake ranking to the bottom of our list. Every opinion is attributed, and where a source was silent, we say so. Come hungry.
1. Cracker Barrel
The Takeout gave Cracker Barrel the top spot in its pancake ranking of 14 chains. The chain offers six pancake types, and a Business Insider writer found them tasty even without butter or syrup and better than the ones at Denny’s or IHOP. Customers on Reddit praised their thinness and crispy edges, and one tip suggested coating the pan with plenty of butter. The Daily Meal also rates the chain well, placing it seventh on its list of 19 best chain breakfasts and describing soft pancakes that are firm enough to hold toppings. On the customer satisfaction side, Restaurant Dive reported that Cracker Barrel’s score slipped 1 percent in the latest ACSI results, so it is not perfect. Still, for a sit down breakfast with a country store attached, the sources point to Cracker Barrel as the one to beat.
2. The Original Pancake House
Second in The Takeout ranking is The Original Pancake House. Most of the customer feedback was positive. Yelp users called the pancakes fresh and made from scratch, and one diner wrote that they were the best pancakes ever. There were a couple of notes of caution. One Reddit user found the yeasty flavor an acquired taste, and others noticed the prices run high. The Apple Pancake is among the specialties mentioned. The Daily Meal lists the chain too, saying the pancakes are the main draw, with Swedish, sourdough and pecan varieties on offer. If a special occasion breakfast is on your calendar and you do not mind paying a little extra, this one earns a spot on the list, with the understanding that the taste may take some getting used to.
3. Perkins
The Takeout ranked Perkins third among the chains we are featuring here, noting that Yelp customers praised the flavor and quality of its pancakes. There was some debate on Reddit about whether they come from a mix or are made by hand, and one Tripadvisor customer said the blueberries in their blueberry pancakes tasted bitter and looked old. The chain offers blueberry buttermilk, regular buttermilk and potato pancakes. The Daily Meal highlights the big all day menu and calls the Tremendous Twelve, a plate of eggs, pancakes, hash browns and meat, a standout for hearty appetites. If you are shopping for a plate that covers all the breakfast bases at once, this one gets a nod from that source. As always, one location may differ from the next.
4. Bob Evans
Bob Evans lands in the middle of The Takeout pancake ranking. Reddit users called the hotcakes doughy, heavy and bland, and Yelp customers said they were lukewarm and tasted boxed. On the other hand, a Business Insider writer found them exceptionally large and said they were the only item the family would return for. That is quite a mixed picture. The Daily Meal is kinder overall, describing country style cooking with inventive pancakes, toast and biscuits, such as banana blueberry pancakes and cinnamon sugar biscuits. So the verdict depends on what you order. If you stick with the bigger plates and enjoy a country breakfast, you may do fine, while the sources suggest the plain hotcakes are the part to double check. Everyone’s taste is a little different.
5. Denny’s
Denny’s ranks in the lower half of The Takeout pancake list. Business Insider praised the texture and sweetness of its cinnamon roll, nine grain and choconana pancakes, but Yelp customers reported pancakes that were reheated, undercooked or charred, and one diner said they tasted like they were made last week. On the other hand, The Daily Meal ranks Denny’s tenth of 19 and calls its pancakes, bacon, eggs and hash browns consistently good. And Restaurant Dive reported that Denny’s ACSI customer satisfaction score rose 3 percent in the latest study. That is a good sign for a chain that is open around the clock. Taken together, the sources suggest a reliable diner breakfast that can vary from one location to the next, so a quick look at how your local one is doing may be worth your time.
6. IHOP
IHOP sits near the bottom of The Takeout pancake ranking. The chain offers about ten pancake plates, including pumpkin spice, but customers found most of the pancake tacos uninteresting, though the strawberry cheesecake taco stood out. A Business Insider writer needed extra syrup to get any flavor. The Daily Meal ranks IHOP sixteenth of 19, saying the decadent pancake flavors are the highlight while the rest of the menu is less impressive. And Restaurant Dive reported that IHOP’s ACSI customer satisfaction score dropped 3 percent in the latest study. None of this means you cannot enjoy a plate there, especially if you have grandchildren who love a fun, colorful stack. It simply means the sources place IHOP behind the other chains on this list when the focus is on the pancakes.
