These restaurant chains serve mac and cheese customers keep coming back for.
It is one of the most popular and sometimes the main side dishes on any menu mac and cheese. A simple but delicious dish loved by kids and adults alike, it’s one of the least controversial things you can order because of its two main ingredients that most people like: cheese and noodles. However, some mac and cheese options are tastier than others. Here are 7 restaurant chains that customers say have the best mac and cheese.
Noodles & Company
Noodle & Company has an entire section of its menu dedicated to mac and cheese dishes. You can order Cheddar Mac & Cheese, elbow noodles in a cream and cheddar sauce topped with shredded cheese, or special versions including Mac & Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese, Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese and Garlic Bacon Crunch Mac & Cheese. “Mostly my favorite,” one person said he says. “Surely delicious,” another adds. “Excellent. Seriously very good,” the third agrees.
The Cheesecake Factory
“Fried Balls and Cheese”, aka Baked macaroni and cheeseis a popular item at the Cheesecake Factory. Crumbled pasta and cheese balls served over a creamy marinara sauce. “HESSSSS my mouth is watering just thinking about them,” said one Redditor agrees. “My beloved,” another confirms.
Red robin
Red Robin’s mac and cheese is a kitchen favorite. “RR M&C is my kids’ favorite food and we can’t always get to one RR. There are a million copycat recipes out there, but honestly they say the main thing they love is the texture of the pasta, which I can’t find anything like. It’s like super thick and almost chewy, yet super soft,” writes one. Redditor.
Chick-fil-A
With golden brown cheese, Chick-fil-A’s mac and cheese is a favorite among fast-food restaurants. A kitchen he says “Mac and cheese tastes like crack,” in a Reddit post. “Chic fil a is the best hands” adds other
Capital Grille
One of the most delicious mac and cheese dishes ever? The Capital Grille Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese. The steamed side features al dente pasta tossed with our own blend of cream cheese, mascarpone, Parmesan and Havarti, which is then topped with white cheddar and grana padano. “Capital Grille has a lobster mac and cheese with a special kind of brown and cracker-like texture that’s absolutely delicious. The only way to describe it is as a buttery, crunchy kind of breadcrumbs,” – one Redditor he says.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Restaurants are obsessed with the mac and cheese side of Popeyes, which many say is the best fast-food chain around. “Popeyes is the best” he says a redditor. “I love Chickfila, but Popeyes is a better fit and equally delicious. They both have grilled cheese on top, which is my favorite part…I was so happy when Popeyes changed their location to this!” writes a redditor.
Panera Bread
My son has been a huge fan of Panera Bread’s mac and cheese since he was little. “Panera Mac is so good” writes a redditor. “Panera is not enough mac and cheese,” writes a Redditor. “The consistency of the cheese is not too thick and its white cheddar. They also put the perfect amount of cheese that covers everything. The pasta shells were a bigger elbow and cooked to perfection.”
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is an accomplished shopping editor and columnist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! Bringing readers the best finds, trends and new deals every week. Read more about Leah
