For years, in my extensive journey exploring the culinary world, I’ve enthusiastically declared many dishes as “perfect.” From gyros to samosas and even macarons, the list is varied and, dare I say, distinguished. Today, I’m adding another contender to this esteemed group: the breakfast burrito. While I appreciate a good non-breakfast burrito any time, there’s something truly special about the breakfast iteration. It’s the ultimate harmony of flavor, satisfying texture, and incredibly convenient design, especially when you’re searching for “Breakfast Fast Food Near Me”.
Restaurants have clearly caught on to the magic of the breakfast burrito. It’s more than just the sum of its individual ingredients, which is probably why they can charge a bit extra and people willingly pay for the sheer joy of it. This bundle of morning happiness isn’t just delicious; it’s incredibly easy to eat on the go. However, making a truly great breakfast burrito, as I’ve discovered through countless (and often unsuccessful) attempts over what feels like 8,000 years, is an art form. Cracking the code is harder than it looks.
The tortilla is crucial – it has to be flour. But the store-bought tortillas often fall short. They can be too dense, too soft, bland, or packed with preservatives. Even when I try making my own tortillas, or using the kind that needs frying, while they might be delicious on their own, they aren’t always ideal for burritos.
If my favorite local taco truck were open earlier, perhaps they’d offer the perfect breakfast burrito, mirroring their fantastic carne asada and carnitas burritos. But even the taquerias that open early don’t always nail the breakfast burrito with the same finesse as they do the breakfast taco.
Breakfast taco eggs can be slightly wet, lending a delightful creaminess. But that level of moisture would quickly turn a burrito soggy. A taco allows for a simple stacking of ingredients, while a burrito demands a more thoughtful construction to ensure every bite is perfect, maintaining texture integrity throughout.
My personal gold standard for a breakfast burrito used to be the Big Truck Burrito with flank steak from Big Truck Tacos. However, living and working far from Big Truck Tacos means this indulgence isn’t as frequent as I’d like. This is where the appeal of “breakfast fast food near me” truly shines.
Fast food restaurants readily offer breakfast burritos through their drive-thrus, a convenient option on busy mornings. But the quality can vary wildly. There’s little worse than a disappointing breakfast burrito. Nothing can derail a morning (or stain a shirt) faster than a poorly made one. And that’s precisely why – drumroll, please – I embarked on a mission to test them for you.
Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing my experiences with various fast food breakfast burritos available, starting with a deep dive into Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store.
Braum’s: A Fast Food Breakfast Burrito Revelation
My initial experiences with Braum’s breakfast burritos were, to put it mildly, underwhelming. So much so that I avoided them for nearly a decade. But as necessity often dictates culinary choices, finding myself near a Braum’s drive-thru one morning, I decided to give them another shot, hoping against hope that things had improved.
And improved they had. Significantly.
Braum’s boasts five distinct breakfast burrito variations, each with its own unique appeal. While all are worth trying, two stand out as my frequent choices when I’m looking for “breakfast fast food near me”.
Grande Breakfast Burrito: The Champion of Crunch and Heat
The standard Braum’s Breakfast Burrito is perfectly acceptable. It features a flour tortilla, scrambled eggs, crumbled sausage, pepper jack cheese, onions, and tomatoes. Nothing is inherently wrong with it, but it doesn’t exactly pack a flavor punch. The Grande version, however, elevates the experience by adding two crucial components: jalapeños and hash browns.
Cross-section of Braum's Grande Breakfast Burrito, a hearty fast food breakfast option near you, showing layers of eggs, sausage, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and hash browns.
Braum’s Grande Breakfast Burrito (cross section)
The jalapeños introduce a welcome heat, while the hash browns provide a satisfying crunch and richness. This combination of textures and flavors propels the Grande Breakfast Burrito into the upper echelon of fast food breakfast burritos. It’s a truly satisfying option when you’re searching for “breakfast fast food near me” that delivers on both taste and substance.
3-Meat Breakfast Burrito: A Carnivore’s Delight (Perhaps Too Much?)
The 3-Meat Breakfast Burrito is, frankly, a meat lover’s dream, almost to the point of parody. It builds upon the standard breakfast burrito, adding crispy bacon and ham to the sausage, along with jalapeños for a bit of spice. The bacon is particularly crispy, and Braum’s is generous with the meat portions. Even as a dedicated carnivore, I sometimes wonder if it’s too much meat. While I enjoy it, it’s not my usual go-to due to its sheer meatiness. If you’re looking for a protein-packed start to your day and searching “breakfast fast food near me”, this might be your ultimate choice.
California Chipotle Breakfast Burrito: Guacamole Takes Center Stage
The “California” in the name likely refers to the generous slathering of guacamole inside. Essentially, it’s the basic burrito – egg, sausage, tomato, onion, cheese – but with guacamole and a “chipotle sauce.” In my experience, the chipotle sauce tends to get overshadowed by the dominant guacamole flavor. If you’re a guacamole enthusiast, this burrito might be perfect for you when you are looking for “breakfast fast food near me”. If you dislike avocados, steer clear, as the avocado flavor is definitely front and center.
Spanish Breakfast Burrito: My Personal Favorite
DING DING DING! For those times when the Grande doesn’t quite call to me, the Spanish Breakfast Burrito is my absolute favorite at Braum’s. It features the familiar base ingredients, but with a slightly lighter touch of guacamole and the addition of jalapeños. Why do I prefer regular jalapeños over the smoked chipotle? The fresh, green flavor of the jalapeños isn’t as smoky as chipotle, allowing the other ingredients to shine through more distinctly. The heat is also more pronounced in the Spanish version.
Braum’s Spanish Breakfast Burrito (cross section)
While it’s probably not a health food, the Spanish Breakfast Burrito does contain some veggies, which is enough to momentarily convince myself that I’m starting the day on a somewhat virtuous note. And here’s another significant selling point: the price. Braum’s Breakfast Burritos are as large, if not larger, than most fast food breakfast burritos, yet they remain remarkably affordable, typically around the $3 range. Cheaper and better? That’s a standard Oklahoma (and hopefully more broadly available “breakfast fast food near me”) standard we can all get behind.
When you’re on the hunt for “breakfast fast food near me”, don’t overlook Braum’s. You might just discover your new favorite breakfast burrito.
