7 Best Fast-Food Biscuits Loaded With Buttery Goodness
Biscuits are ubiquitous in Southern cuisine, but they originated in the late 1500s, as rations fed to the British Royal Navy. But while those hard little crackers became a part of trips around the world, when they landed in the Southern United States, fresh flour and plenty of buttermilk transformed them into the delicious quick bread we know today.
Today, the popularity of biscuits has spread across the country. They're available frozen at most grocery stores, and can often be found with savory and sweet toppings, at fast food and casual chain restaurants. There's not much better than a pat of butter melting on a warm biscuit, and these are the best chain restaurants around the country to find different types of biscuits to please your palate.
All nutrition is per item unless otherwise noted.
Church's Texas Chicken
Formerly known as Church's Chicken, this chain has over 1,500 restaurants worldwide, and is known as Texas Chicken outside the U.S. But the real score here is the chain's biscuits, which are made in house and drizzled with a generous amount of honey butter while they're still warm, creating a nice sweet and savory balance. Matched with the biscuits' light, flaky layers, Church's Texas Chicken's biscuits are a must with every order.
Red Lobster
Mention Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay biscuits, and you'll likely elicit a few "yums" and a plan will hatch to head to the Lob for some flaky goodness. These biscuits are so beloved the seafood chain now sells a mix, so you can make them at home. Served fresh and hot with entree orders – and you can order an extra half dozen or dozen – the biscuits have a buttery, flaky texture, with a rich cheddar cheese flavor, and a garlic butter topping that adds an aromatic layer of flavor.
Popeye's
Buttermilk is the key to Popeye's light and flaky biscuits. Why? Buttermilk's acidity reacts with baking soda in the recipe, which creates a chemical reaction that leads to a nice rise, resulting in Popeye's satisfying biscuits. The buttermilk also adds a nice tang, which pairs well with fried chicken and a heaping pat of butter.
Tupelo Honey Southern Bar & Kitchen
The first location of this Southern-style bistro opened in Asheville, NC, in 2000. 25 years later, there are 20 locations from Denver to Grand Rapids to Chattanooga. And, since Covid-19 impacted the restaurant industry, the chain has offered Biscuits for a Cause, an appetizer serving of flaky, tender biscuits served warm with housemade blueberry compote. If that's not enough of a selling point, the proceeds of the sales go to helping Tupelo Honey employees in need.
Whataburger
Some mornings, you just need a comforting meal of biscuits and gravy, and the best bet for this dish from a fast food restaurant is Whataburger. The San Antonio based chain has around 1,000 locations in the U.S., and while the chain is best known for burgers, the biscuits shouldn't be skipped. You can order the flaky treats as a side or even as a bun for some of the restaurant's breakfast sandwiches, but we're always going with gravy topped.
Another Broken Egg
This growing chain, with about 100 locations in the U.S., serves Southern-inspired breakfast, brunch and lunch seven days a week, and naturally part of that is biscuits. Broken Egg is known for their outsized version of the bread, which they serve with several breakfast entrees, but the chain's Biscuit Beignets are truly a treat. Served covered with powdered sugar, the treats are paired with a sweet honey marmalade.
Denny's
For a classic American take on the biscuit at breakfast, we'll always consider Denny's a top contender. Dense and layered, these biscuits are meant to be smothered in gravy, and although they are available as a side, we suggest getting them covered in house sausage gravy for a hearty start to the day.
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