I compared the cheapest breakfast sandwiches at 5 fast-food restaurants and the $2.39 sausage McMuffin from McDonald's came out on top

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I compared the cheapest breakfast sandwiches at 5 fast-food restaurants and the $2.39 sausage McMuffin from McDonald's came out on top
mcdonalds breakfast sandwich

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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If you have a couple of dollars laying around, opt for the sausage McMuffin from McDonald's.

  • The best part of getting out of bed is arguably a warm, toasted breakfast sandwich on a buttery English muffin or a flaky, Southern-style biscuit.
  • However, what if you've only got a few dollars to spare on your breakfast sammie of choice?
  • I tried the cheapest breakfast sandwiches from five different fast-food restaurants to determine which one reigns supreme, and which ones were total flops.
  • The sausage McMuffin from McDonald's and Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit impressed me the most. On the other hand, I thought Dunkin's egg and cheese English muffin was overpriced, dry, and flavorless.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When you've only got a few dollars to spare, you want to make sure your fast-food breakfast sandwich is the best one out there.

I went to five different fast-food restaurants - McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Dunkin', and Chick-fil-A - to determine which breakfast sandwich is the best bang for your buck.

Chick-fil-A's chicken biscuit impressed me with its flaky, authentic-tasting biscuit and juicy chicken, while the sausage McMuffin from McDonald's came out on top in terms of taste and value.

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On the other hand, I thought Dunkin's egg and cheese English muffin was overpriced, dry, and flavorless.

Here's a breakdown of every breakfast sandwich I tried, and how they ranked from worst to best according to taste and value.

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7. DUNKIN': In my opinion, the egg and cheese English muffin from Dunkin' left a lot to be desired — and not just because it was the only meatless sammie.

7. DUNKIN': In my opinion, the egg and cheese English muffin from Dunkin' left a lot to be desired — and not just because it was the only meatless sammie.

Despite being thin and meatless, the sandwich was the second-most expensive sandwich of the ones I tried. It cost $3.49.

Despite being thin and meatless, the sandwich was the second-most expensive sandwich of the ones I tried. It cost $3.49.
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The English muffin was overdone, thin rather than fluffy, and utterly butterless. The sandwich contained thick egg, but not nearly enough cheese.

The English muffin was overdone, thin rather than fluffy, and utterly butterless. The sandwich contained thick egg, but not nearly enough cheese.

All I could taste was the egg — which definitely needed more flavor — and the dry, crusty muffin.

All I could taste was the egg — which definitely needed more flavor — and the dry, crusty muffin.
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6. BURGER KING: The second-cheapest breakfast sandwich I tried was Burger King's sausage biscuit without cheese, which cost $1.39.

6. BURGER KING: The second-cheapest breakfast sandwich I tried was Burger King's sausage biscuit without cheese, which cost $1.39.

I thought the biscuit was painfully dry and crumbly, though the sausage had a decent amount of flavor.

I thought the biscuit was painfully dry and crumbly, though the sausage had a decent amount of flavor.
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However, despite the low price, I couldn't get over the biscuit's poor texture.

However, despite the low price, I couldn't get over the biscuit's poor texture.

5. BURGER KING: Since the sausage biscuit was so reasonably priced, I decided to see if adding cheese for just $0.30 could save it.

5. BURGER KING: Since the sausage biscuit was so reasonably priced, I decided to see if adding cheese for just $0.30 could save it.
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Alas, I was wrong. Despite smelling like pure butter when I opened the wrapping paper, I thought the sandwich was just as dry as the first.

Alas, I was wrong. Despite smelling like pure butter when I opened the wrapping paper, I thought the sandwich was just as dry as the first.

Though the cheese did add slightly more flavor, what was done was done.

Though the cheese did add slightly more flavor, what was done was done.
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4. McDONALD'S: One of the cheapest menu items on McDonald's value breakfast menu is its sausage biscuit, which cost $2.19 at the location I went to.

4. McDONALD'S: One of the cheapest menu items on McDonald's value breakfast menu is its sausage biscuit, which cost $2.19 at the location I went to.

The biscuit was crumbly and cake-like, rather than flaky like traditional biscuits.

The biscuit was crumbly and cake-like, rather than flaky like traditional biscuits.
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However, the gooey cheese atop the sausage patty was plentiful and cut through the biscuit's dryness.

However, the gooey cheese atop the sausage patty was plentiful and cut through the biscuit's dryness.

The sausage also had a nice level of kick and seasoning.

The sausage also had a nice level of kick and seasoning.
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3. WENDY'S: The sausage biscuit sandwich from Wendy's cost just $0.99, making it the cheapest sandwich I tried.

3. WENDY'S: The sausage biscuit sandwich from Wendy's cost just $0.99, making it the cheapest sandwich I tried.

Wendy's has yet to launch its breakfast menu in all of its locations nationwide, so trying this sandwich from a nearby location in New York City was a true privilege.

I was intrigued by the square-shaped patty, which is the same shape Wendy's uses for its beef patties.

I was intrigued by the square-shaped patty, which is the same shape Wendy's uses for its beef patties.
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The biscuit was softer and less crumbly than the McDonald's one. It had a moist inside, unlike others that I tried.

The biscuit was softer and less crumbly than the McDonald's one. It had a moist inside, unlike others that I tried.

The sausage had a slightly spicy, delicious flavor, accentuated by its buttery biscuit. I could've gone for some egg or cheese, but for $0.99, I wasn't complaining.

The sausage had a slightly spicy, delicious flavor, accentuated by its buttery biscuit. I could've gone for some egg or cheese, but for $0.99, I wasn't complaining.
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2. CHICK-FIL-A: Chick-fil-A's plain chicken biscuit was the most expensive breakfast sandwich I tried. It cost $3.79.

2. CHICK-FIL-A: Chick-fil-A's plain chicken biscuit was the most expensive breakfast sandwich I tried. It cost $3.79.

The biscuit was slathered in butter and, frankly, didn't look like a fast-food biscuit — it looked like the real deal.

The biscuit was slathered in butter and, frankly, didn't look like a fast-food biscuit — it looked like the real deal.
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I tried it first without sauce — the chicken was juicy and the biscuit melted in my mouth.

I tried it first without sauce — the chicken was juicy and the biscuit melted in my mouth.

Then, just for kicks, I decided to try it with a little Chick-fil-A sauce.

Then, just for kicks, I decided to try it with a little Chick-fil-A sauce.
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This sandwich is the stuff breakfast dreams are made of.

This sandwich is the stuff breakfast dreams are made of.

However, I couldn't ignore the fact that the sandwich was the most expensive — the value factor alone knocked it down to second place.

1. McDONALD'S: At the price of $2.39, the McDonald's sausage McMuffin — despite being among the cheapest sandwiches I tried — came out on top.

1. McDONALD'S: At the price of $2.39, the McDonald's sausage McMuffin — despite being among the cheapest sandwiches I tried — came out on top.
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The cheese was perfectly gooey and the buttered muffin was moist from a heavy slathering of butter.

The cheese was perfectly gooey and the buttered muffin was moist from a heavy slathering of butter.

The sausage patty was so flavorful and juicy, I almost forgot there wasn't egg inside the sandwich — and I didn't care.

The sausage patty was so flavorful and juicy, I almost forgot there wasn't egg inside the sandwich — and I didn't care.
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If you have a couple of dollars laying around, opt for this classic fast-food item — no egg required.

If you have a couple of dollars laying around, opt for this classic fast-food item — no egg required.
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