Why the Egg McMuffin Still Beats Other Fast-Food Breakfasts

As I get older, it’s getting harder to justify a fast-food breakfast. I now skip the fried potatoes and greasy hash browns altogether, and lately, if I stop anywhere but McDonald’s, the sandwiches seem way too salty. It’s like they punch me in the mouth and spike my blood pressure 20 points. My go-to, as I’ve said many times before, is the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin.

That got me thinking: I know McDonald’s is the healthiest breakfast sandwich among the major fast food chains, but I wanted to see how the Egg McMuffin really stacks up against other popular breakfast sandwiches (all of which I’ve eaten). Here are the numbers I found:


The Classic Egg McMuffin

🥓 How the Egg McMuffin Stacks Up in 2025

When you’re talking fast food from the big chains.. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr., Bojangles, Whataburger, the Egg McMuffin still holds its own. Here’s a look at how it compares:

McDonald’s — Egg McMuffin: ~310 calories, ~770 mg sodium. Simple ingredients, moderate calories, good protein. Balanced and widely available.

Wendy’s — Classic Bacon, Egg & Cheese: ~330 calories, ~18 g fat ~870 mg sodium, Slightly heavier but still reasonable for a fast-food breakfast.

Hardee’s / Carl’s Jr. — Frisco Breakfast Sandwich: ~490 calories, ~1,300 mg sodium, 24 g protein. Tasty but high in sodium compared to simpler sandwiches. I love this sandwich.. but OUCH! This is half of your daily allowance of sodium.

Burger King — Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich: ~720 calories, ~1,620 mg sodium. Delicious but packed with calories and salt.

Whataburger — Breakfast on a Bun: ~415 calories ~ 900 - 1100 mg sodium, depending on the meat chosen.

Bojangles — Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: ~470 calories, ~1,280 mg sodium. Big flavor, big salt. 


🥯 The Takeaway

I’m not saying the Egg McMuffin is “healthy,” but compared to most other big-chain breakfast sandwiches, it’s definitely healthy-er. Moderate calories, decent protein, and reasonable sodium make it one I feel good about grabbing. Leaving off the cheese makes it just a little better, a perfect compromise between convenience, flavor, and starting the morning right.


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