We’ve just found a fast food breakfast that’s ‘even better’ than McDonald’s

From McMuffins to hash browns and pancakes, McDonald’s has everything you could want for a quick and tasty breakfast.

But another restaurant is set to rival Maccies’ early morning offering, as Popeyes is finally rolling out its full breakfast menu across the UK, from April 14.

Highlights on the menu include the Big Cajun Breakfast Roll, the Cajun Hash Brown, and biscuits with Nutella (which are like a scone, but lighter and creamier thanks to the buttermilk they’re made with).

You can also order chicken for breakfast, as Popeyes offers its breakfast wrap and roll with the option of either a sausage patty or a Chicken Breakfast Patty.

The New Orleans-inspired chain first started selling breakfast in select restaurants in 2024, but this will be the first time the full menu is available at all the stores nationwide, which is more than 100 locations.

Ahead of the rollout, the team at Metro gave the menu a go, and some felt it was ‘even better’ than the standard McDonald’s fare.

Here are our honest thoughts…

Big Cajun Breakfast Roll, £4.99

Hands down, this whopper of a breakfast burger is the star of the show. It features a sausage or chicken patty, a Cajun hash brown, egg, smoked streaky bacon, and American cheese. It’s served in a soft brioche bun with Cajun ketchup.

Meto’s specialist food writer, Courtney Pochin, gave this a go to see how it compared to the McDonald’s Breakfast Roll. She previously proclaimed the Maccies version (with a hash brown added inside) the ‘superior’ fast food breakfast order, but it seems she’s had to eat her words. Literally…

‘McDonald’s, I love you and your Breakfast Roll, but my foodie heart now officially belongs to another,’ she said.

‘I was worried the Big Cajun Roll would be an unusual choice for 9 am with the spicy seasoning thrown into the mix, but I’m pleased to admit I was wrong. It had just the right level of spice, and it certainly lives up to its name as it’s crammed full of filling, and yet, somehow, it was surprisingly easy to eat and didn’t fall apart at all.

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‘The Cajun ketchup is what really makes this special. It adds a unique flavour that you don’t get from any other fast-food breakfast order. If you love a breakfast sandwich, you need to try this ASAP.’ 

She was also a fan of the chicken patty, which ‘offered something different from the usual’ and was ‘pleasantly herby’.

Lifestyle reporter Eleanor Noyce agreed that it was a great breakfast choice, adding: ‘The Big Cajun Breakfast Roll was lovely, and I thought that the bread was definitely of a higher quality than similar competitors.

‘The only drawback for me was that I found it a little too saucy, but only slightly, and that’s not enough to deter me from having it again.’ 

Cajun Hash Brown, £1.50

Popeyes is serving up both regular and Cajun hash browns for £1.50 each (cheaper than at Maccies, where it can be as much as £1.69), but it’s the latter that was the buzz of the office.

Eleanor boldly stated she thought they were ‘even better’ than the McDonald’s treat, rating them a ’10/10′.

She said: ‘Obviously it’s got extra flavouring so that adds an extra element, but it was also more structurally sound.’

Breakfast muffins, from £3.50

It’s hard to compete with the mighty McMuffin, but Popeyes is bravely giving it a go.

Jess thought the Egg and Cheese one was ‘very tasty’ and ‘pretty hard to tell apart’ from its McDonald’s counterpart, but lifestyle editor, Kristina Beanland, wasn’t impressed.

The die-hard Maccies fan was offended by the McDonald’s comparison and felt the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Muffin from Popeyes didn’t look anywhere near as appealing as a McMuffin.

Looks can be deceiving, but for Kristina, the taste didn’t improve anything, as she felt it was merely ‘ok’, but nothing special.

Biscuit with Nutella, £2.29

This southern delicacy is served in a few different ways at Popeyes — on its own, or with a pot of Nutella, jam or honey to dollop on top.

‘I love a proper American biscuit, so it’s great that Popeyes is selling them as no other big chain is making food like this in the UK’, says Courtney. ‘But, if I’m being honest, these are a bit hit and miss.’

She explains: ‘If you can visit a Popeyes branch in person to order one, definitely get one there, slather it in honey, and eat it while it’s hot, because that’s when it’s going to be at its best.

‘But if you’re getting your food delivered, I’d say skip the biscuit, as by the time it reaches you, it will likely have hardened and lost the light, flakiness that separates it from being a basic scone.’

For those keen to give breakfast at Popeyes a go, the new items will be served from opening until 10:30 am, and to celebrate the launch, the chain is giving away one million free breakfasts.

Fans simply need to log on to the Popeyes app (or register) to claim their free Big Cajun Roll or Big Cajun Wrap.

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