Famous Fast-Food Mac and Cheese, Ranked Worst to Best
Updated: Mar. 31, 2024
To find the absolute best fast-food mac and cheese, we had to visit six popular chains. It ain't easy bein' cheesy!
The ideal complement to a fast-food chicken sandwich: a side of mac and cheese. You want al dente noodles in a rich and creamy cheese sauce for comfort food at its finest!
To find the best fast-food mac and cheese, we analyzed the quality of the noodles, the texture of the cheese sauce, the overall flavor of the dish and the value of the meal.
Here’s where we went to do our mac and cheese research:
- Chick-fil-A
- KFC
- Noodles & Company
- Panera
- Popeyes
- Potbelly
Of course, if you prefer to make your mac and cheese at home, take a look at our mac and cheese taste test ranking the best boxed versions you can buy at the grocery store.
6. KFC
KFC’s mac and cheese side came in at the back of the pack in our taste test. Even before taking the first bite, we noticed that the noodles were simply swimming in an artificial-looking yellow sauce. While a lot of sauce isn’t necessarily a bad thing, this sauce tasted more buttery and mealy than decadent and cheesy. The elbow-shaped noodles were on the larger side and cooked a bit past al dente for our palate.
Since many diners opt for potatoes or a biscuit at KFC, we wondered if this side dish was just sitting under the heat lamp for too long. On a positive note, the mac was a budget-friendly $3.39.
Bottom Line: You’re better off with the homemade version from our collection of KFC copycat recipes.
5. Panera
Since most of the menu items on this list were offered as a side dish, we scoured the Panera menu for a side of mac and cheese for comparison. However, Panera only offers its mac and cheese as an entree for $6.99. This price includes the serving of mac and cheese along with your choice of apple, bread or chips. The Panera mac was almost twice the price of other restaurants on this list, so our expectations were high for both quality and portion size. When we received a small cup of noodles similar to the sides at other restaurants, we were shocked!
The oversized noodles were pleasantly tender and the white cheddar sauce was creamy; however, the flavor felt a bit lackluster. In the end, it was the price and portion size that made this mac and cheese a tough one to swallow.
Bottom Line: With the price of this entree running so high compared to the side portions of mac and cheese at other chains, it might be worth it to make your own copycat Panera mac and cheese.
4. Noodles & Company
Of all the restaurants we tried, Noodles & Company is the only noodle-centric place on the list. Since pasta is its specialty, the chain has several mac and cheese options on the menu. The list includes a Buffalo chicken mac, a BBQ chicken mac and even a gluten-sensitive mac. For comparison purposes, we ordered the traditional Wisconsin mac and cheese dish that’s described as a classic blend of cheddar and jack cheeses with cream and elbow macaroni.
Noodles & Company offers regular and small size entree portions of the mac and cheese, as well as a side dish portion. The side was only $2.85! It was the least expensive mac and cheese we purchased, yet even the side dish portion size was larger than what we received for $6.99 at Panera. Food for thought if want value.
Bottom Line: The first thing we noticed was the perfectly cooked macaroni noodles. Noodles & Company stayed true to its name and offered the best pasta of the bunch. However, the cheese sauce here didn’t blow us away. It tasted more like something from a box than a restaurant-quality dish.
3. Potbelly
The white cheddar mac and cheese at Potbelly offered a sauce with a wonderfully creamy texture, but the noodles were a bit too al dente for our taste. The serving size did match the $4.79 price point, though, and the balance between sauce and noodles was spot on. The texture was pleasant without a hint of grittiness. Potbelly is known for its elevated and quality food in the fast-casual space, and the chain’s mac and cheese matched this reputation.
Bottom Line: While this was a tasty mac and cheese experience, other spots on the list shined a little brighter.
2. Popeyes
The top two slots on our ranked list have something in common: They’re both finished in the oven for a homemade taste and a bit of crispy crust scooped into each serving. The mac and cheese from Popeyes tastes like a big southern-style hug in a bowl. The cheddar cheese flavor tasted strong and anything but one note. The noodles were tender and the sauce coated every bite. It tasted homemade, and felt like it was prepared with real ingredients. At $3.19, the price was more than fair for the quality of the food from this drive-thru window.
Bottom Line: We will absolutely come back for more of this fast-food mac and cheese. In the end, there was just one chain that outranked Popeyes…
1. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A sells the cream of the mac and cheese crop. Baking the mac and cheese imparts next-level texture in every bite. You’ll find perfectly cooked noodles in a blanket of decadent sauce and you can look forward to bites of crispy topping here and there throughout the bowl. In fact, the chain prides itself on broiling the mac and cheese prior to serving.
Our only complaint is that Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. If you get a craving that day, take a look at our list of Chick-fil-A copycat recipes for some inspiration to make your own at home.
Bottom Line: Chick-fil-A describes its cheese sauce as a blend of Parmesan, cheddar and Romano. Those flavors certainly came through in the crispy topping and gooey base of this incredible mac and cheese. At $3.59, the price was fair for the quality of the food and the size of the portion.
Originally Published: February 06, 2024
