I Used to Think Dunkin’ Had the Best Breakfast, But These 8 Spots Are Even Better

Dunkin' was usually my first choice when it came to getting a quick breakfast on the way to drop the kids off at school, but it wasn't where I'd take the kids for a fun family breakfast. On those school mornings, the kids didn't even need to say anything when we got to the window, I knew what they would get by heart. That's the issue. Over time, it became repetitive. 

The price started to creep up too, so I decided to look for alternatives so I could mix things up and maybe find a spot or two for that fun family breakfast as well. Now, I'm not saying that Dunkin' is a bad choice. Far from it. But it's always good to vary, save a little along the way, and check out other spots once in a while. Here's what I found once I actually started paying attention.

McDonald's serves breakfast until about 10:30 most mornings. The $4 Breakfast Meal gets you a Sausage McMuffin, a sausage and cheese on a toasted English muffin, or a Sausage Biscuit, the same sausage, on a warm biscuit instead, plus a hash brown and a small coffee.

There's no breakfast Happy Meal here, but a stack of hotcakes with syrup, or just hash browns on their own, works fine for a kid who isn't up for a full breakfast sandwich. It's an easy fallback for a rushed morning, and that's kind of the point of this whole list, mixing it up beats getting stuck on the same order every time.

Although Chick-fil-A isn't the fastest drive-thru on this list, it might be the most consistent. Regardless of whether it is the Chick-fil-A near home or one you stumbled on three states away while traveling, the chicken biscuit always tastes the same, and that consistency means one less thing to worry about, wherever you happen to be.

Kids' meals here include the option to exchange fries for a fruit cup or applesauce, which is great if you're looking for something healthier without much hassle.

Tim Hortons has been quietly expanding into the U.S., but the Farmer's Wrap was what got me to make this particular detour. Egg, hash browns, cheese, and a choice of sausage or bacon, all inside a roll that even a child can easily eat without it falling apart by the second bite.

Timbits work just as well for getting the kids through a car ride as Dunkin's Munchkins always did, but the coffee that comes with them is better, and there's a rewards program if you want to rack up points while you're at it.

Panera's bagels gave Dunkin' a real run for its money once I compared them side by side. Panera rotates its bakery items often enough that my children will not stick to the same muffins every week. Their app makes all the nutritional information easily available, and they also keep a public list of ingredients that they won't put in their food. That's the kind of thing I actually pay attention to now.

There’s also the $14.99/monthly subscription fee for Panera's Sip Club, which gets you all you can drink coffees and teas. If there is more than one grown-up in your house ordering a drink every visit, it pays for itself fast.

Cracker Barrel makes breakfast a special experience rather than a routine purchase, which is great for weekends when we want to sit down and have some family time together. Gravy and biscuits are available throughout the day, and the rocking chairs out front buy ten free minutes while we wait for a booth.

Kids' menu portions are sized right, grilled chicken tenders or a biscuit with scrambled eggs, with a fruit or veggie side instead of an adult-sized plate. This is one breakfast experience that takes less than an hour, and the children enjoy the general store afterwards.

IHOP made it to this list for one simple reason: its pancakes. The kids' menu leans hard into smiley face pancakes, the kind that gets a four-year-old to actually finish her plate. Day long breakfast also means we can roll in at noon after a soccer game and still get a full breakfast. It is a sit down restaurant and thus is slower than Dunkin' by design. However, slow is a good thing when you want to have a proper sit down and enjoy your meal.

First Watch doesn't use fryers or freezers in its kitchens, and the food shows it. The menu changes five times a year, once each season, so a trip in June looks nothing like the one we made back in October.

It is more expensive than Dunkin', but we treat it as a once-a-month weekend thing, and the freshly squeezed juice is worth the extra buck. Even the pickiest kid will eat up the lemon ricotta pancakes without a second thought.

At the Village Inn, you'll get a free kid's meal on Tuesdays if you order an adult entrée. That's something that a lot of breakfast chains have quietly dropped, and it's what made it our go-to on evenings when no one felt like cooking. Having breakfast for dinner takes care of that issue. With the all-day breakfast feature, 7 in the morning before school works just as well as 6 in the evening after practice.