McDonald’s McMuffin vs McGriddle: Which Sandwich Comes Out On Top?

McMuffin vs McGriddle, woof. Talk about coughing baby vs hydrogen bomb here. I have an obvious bias on this and it’s going to be apparent, so let me just get it out of the way. The McGriddle is, in my (correct) opinion, the single best fast food invention of our lifetime. That said, let’s have a little fun with things. Let’s compare the McMuffin and the McGriddle and see why the McGriddle clears the McMuffin.

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McDonald’s McMuffin

Pros: This is a fine sandwich, considering you can make it at home. The best part of this sandwich is by far the use of a soft English muffin. I can only imagine the first few attempts they ran. Trying to rip through a tougher standard muffin while you’re trying to drive down the highway would lead to a major headache (and a change of shirt).

McDonald’s also uses a whole egg vs a scrambled egg like you’ll find on the McGriddle. It’s an interesting choice that I think is more intentional on the McGriddle side but here it adds a nice little resistance to your bites.

The McMuffin, for as much crap as I like to give it, is an impressive thing in its own right. The muffin holds together a freshly cracked egg, a filling sausage patty, and a melty slice of American cheese. It’s everything you’d want in a standard breakfast all wrapped up to be eaten on the go. You know that meme about every Disney channel kid rushing away from a full breakfast spread? This is what they should have been handed on their way out.

Cons: To my earlier point, this sandwich is very much replicated across the country in every breakfast joint you’ve ever walked foot into. Which doesn’t mean the sandwich itself can’t be good, it’s just that we lose some energy compared to the G.O.A.T.

McDonald’s McGriddle

Pros: I watched a video on how the McGriddle was created when I was 16 and I’ve never been the same. The ingenuity behind creating a griddle cake with the syrup inside. Wow. The sorcery that food scientists are able to do. To get things right, syrup has to be crystalized and mixed into the cake. That way when things are heated up, the crystals start to melt and you get the perfect taste and texture. Just truly wondrous.

Beyond the actual creation of the McGriddle cake, the whole sandwich is a thing of beauty. You get many of the same ingredients as the McMuffin: egg, sausage, cheese. The egg though? It’s scrambled up so it’s more uniform in texture. That way when you take a bite through the more delicate cake, you’re not fighting any resistance that a whole egg would have. The sausage is perfectly spiced and, of course, the cheese is American cheese. You know it, you love it.

Cons: I think we all know the obvious con here. It’s that I can’t walk into a McDonald’s at any time and get a freaking McGriddle. Bring back all-day breakfast, you cowards! I would ascend to the heavens if I could get a McGriddle after a late night out. Which I guess if I just stay out long enough for them to switch over to the breakfast menu then I technically could.

Verdict: You don’t need a crystal ball to figure this one out. The McGriddle easily clears the McMuffin. That said, I’m thankful I got to experience the McMuffin again. I see it in a new light. If you’re not a big fan of sweetness or maple flavors in general, then you can get a lot of mileage out of the McMuffin, too. McDonald’s is just once again proving themselves as the clear choice for a fast food breakfast (and that’s not even counting the hotcakes).