The Ultimate Guide To Jack In The Box's Breakfast Menu

Sometimes it seems like there are so many fast food restaurants out there that it's impossible to keep track of them and their ever-changing menus. On top of that, many franchises have seasonal items, limited-edition meals, rotating specials, and more to keep up with. But one fast food chain that's stayed pretty consistent is Jack in the Box. At least when it comes to their breakfast menu, that is. The chain might not be quite as popular as McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, or Taco Bell, but Jack in the Box's menu is pretty iconic. And no, we're not just talking about their beloved tacos or the chain's hilarious (if a little creepy) mascot. Turns out, Jack in the Box's breakfast menu is something everyone should be more aware of. Why? Because it's pretty impressive. 

An early standout from other fast food competitors, Jack in the Box's breakfast menu is served all day, and it's been that way for years. No matter where you are, if there's a Jack in the Box that's open, chances are you can get your breakfast food fix. And since many Jack in the Box locations stay open 24 hours, that means there's pretty much always breakfast available. But what on their breakfast menu is worth trying? And just how healthy is it? Are there any hacks to know before ordering? Read on to explore our ultimate guide to Jack in the Box's breakfast menu.

Whether or not you have a local Jack in the Box that you frequent regularly, there's quite a lot of interesting information about the fast food joint you might not know. For instance, while the concept of an all-day breakfast might seem like a more modern trend among fast food giants, Jack in the Box has actually been serving breakfast all day for more than 20 years, according to Business Insider. The fast food joint has actually been serving breakfast since 1969, reports Franchise Chatter, which is quite a long time and definitely seems to be ahead of the fast food curve.

For decades, anyone craving a breakfast sandwich at 7:00 p.m. could simply head to their nearest Jack in the Box and order away. And while McDonald's soon followed in serving breakfast, offering donuts in the morning hours in 1970 and introducing their iconic Egg McMuffin in 1971 (per CNN), they weren't serving breakfast foods at all hours of the day. So while Jack in the Box might not be as popular nowadays — it's ranked number 18 among the top 50 fast food chains in America compared to McDonald's at number 1, according to QSR Magazine — it might just be responsible for making all-day breakfast popular.

The current Jack in the Box breakfast menu is quite expansive. However, there are some key points to remember before you head to your local drive-thru and start ordering. While you can get breakfast any time of day (or night) at Jack and the Box, there's a difference between their morning breakfast menu and the all-day breakfast menu.

This key distinction is that you can only order a combo from the regular breakfast menu in the morning. While you can certainly make your own combo of sorts by ordering a breakfast sandwich as well as a side of hash browns and whatever drink you choose at any time of the day, you will not get the convenience or the combo pricing outside of the morning breakfast hours (which vary by location). Still, when you're wanting a large breakfast at a normal breakfast hour, then Jack in the Box is the place to be. 

Perhaps one of the biggest draws of the Jack in the Box breakfast menu is the sheer magnitude of it, as well as all the different options for carbs. If you're a burrito fan, a croissant lover, always opt for sourdough, or just love typical sandwich bread, then Jack in the Box has something for you for breakfast. You can literally have a sandwich on just about any type of bread one could desire, including burger buns, sourdough slices, croissants, and more.

And if burritos are more your thing, then Jack in the Box has you covered there as well, with not one but two different burrito options — a Grande Sausage Breakfast Burrito, as well as a Meat Lovers Breakfast Burrito. If you aren't a breakfast sandwich or breakfast burrito fan, then their platters are also a delectable option to start your day (or finish it). Served with sausage or bacon (or both), hash browns, eggs, and carbs in the form of pancakes, these platters are Jack in the Box's take on the classic American breakfast — and they look pretty impressive, too. Clearly, Jack in the Box's breakfast menu was made for carb lovers, and who could be mad at that? 

When you think of fast food breakfasts, you probably think of the classic breakfast sandwich, perhaps a breakfast burrito, along with a side of hash browns. Crispy, greasy, and delicious, hash browns are the standard morning side option for just about every fast food restaurant out there. And while some offer lighter alternatives such as fruit or yogurt, Jack in the Box takes things to another level with their side options.

You can choose the standard hash browns as your side dish with any breakfast item or combo. But if you're feeling adventurous or like you'd prefer to satisfy your sweet tooth, then you can substitute mini pancakes as a side for your breakfast combo. These adorable, tasty, sweet little mini pancakes come in a pack of eight and are served with syrup. Now, if that doesn't sound completely delicious and like the perfect change of pace compared to most fast food breakfast options, then what does? Getting a savory, salty breakfast sandwich with soft, fluffy, sweet pancakes makes for the perfect breakfast.

It's not exactly shocking that most people don't associate fast food restaurants with healthy options. But at Jack in the Box, there are a few breakfast menu items that are healthier than others. As odd as it might sound, the tasty little mini pancakes are actually a pretty decent option just by themselves. While they're lower in calories — only 143 calories for the pancakes alone and an additional 117 with syrup — that's not all that makes them a healthier option. They only contain 1.5 grams of fat (with no trans or saturated fats), and only have 350 milligrams of sodium — the lowest amount of any item on the breakfast menu. 

Additionally, the Breakfast Jack is a somewhat healthier option that will fill you up a lot more, with 350 calories and 16 grams of protein. The Supreme Croissant is also quite tasty, with only 370 calories and 18 grams of protein. While most sandwiches on the menu do contain hefty amounts of fat and sodium, there are some options that are lower in calories, but packed with ample amounts of protein to keep you feeling full and energized. While all of the Jack in the Box breakfast menu is more about treating your taste buds, rest assured that you do have healthier options.

It's not shocking that the breakfast menu at Jack in the Box is full of fully-loaded, greasy, high-calorie items. But there are some menu offerings that are a lot heartier and, to be honest, worse for your health, than others. 

First, you'll probably want to steer clear of the Grande Sausage Burrito if you're watching what you eat, as it comes in at a whopping 1,070 calories, with 72 grams of fat, 70 grams of carbohydrates, and 2,210 milligrams of sodium — which is almost the entire daily amount recommended for adults by the FDA.The Meat Lovers Breakfast Burrito is a slightly lighter, containing 810 calories and 51 grams of fat. But it's still not exactly the healthiest way to start your day, as this burrito is loaded with high-sodium, processed meats including bacon, sausage, and ham. And it's worth noting that both of these sandwiches are loaded with nearly 400 grams of cholesterol. Then, there's the Extreme Sausage Sandwich, and with a name like that, what do you expect? The sandwich has 650 calories and 49 grams of fat, along with 1,140 milligrams of sodium. So if you're looking to truly treat yourself then you know just what to get at Jack in the Box.

Whether you're on your way to work, school, dropping your kids off, or any of the other commutes that make up our busy mornings, many of us need a boost of caffeine to help get through the day. Of course, many people turn to coffee staples like Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts. It's a logical choice, but you might not know that Jack in the Box itself actually offers quite a large variety of beverages, too, including many coffee and caffeine-forward beverages to pump up your energy in the morning.

Whether you choose to drink one with your breakfast combo or all on it's own, the drinks at Jack in the Box sound pretty tasty. And we don't just mean their standard selection of sodas. Starting with coffee, of course — whether you like your coffee hot or iced, plain or flavored, sweet or unsweet, Jack in the Box has you covered.You can go the classic route with their regular or decaf brewed black coffee. For the iced coffee lovers out there, there are plenty of options for you as well, including vanilla sweet cream iced coffee, mocha sweet cream iced coffee, and a caramel sweet cream iced coffee. If you'd like an extra pep in your step, the Red Bull-infused drinks at Jack in the Box seem to be quite popular, too. 

One way fast food restaurants work to make sure they stay relevant is by introducing new menu items, limited-time specials and deals, and even brand partnerships every so often. And Jack in the Box is no different, launching a new Brunchfast menu (essentially and all-day brunch) in September of 2016. The menu boasted quite a few delicious breakfast-like items, including a Bacon and Egg Chicken Sandwich; a Brunch Burger served on a croissant; the Southwest Scrambler plate loaded with eggs, homestyle potatoes, and roasted peppers and onions; Orange Cranberry Muffins; plus a Blood Orange Fruit Cooler to wash everything down.

If that doesn't sound pretty darn appetizing, then what does? Unfortunately, if you're interested in trying Jack in the Box's brunch menu, then you are sadly a few years too late, as the Brunchfast menu was short-lived. As of 2023, those menu items no longer exist, and there's not much mention of the Brunchfast menu online past 2017. It's not clear why Jack and the Box got rid of these offerings, but luckily it did not mean they dispensed of their regular breakfast combos or their all-day breakfast offerings. 

Whether or not you've tried the breakfast menu from Jack in the Box, you might want to know what the best things to order there are, at least according to other people online. According to Ranker, which polled internet users on their favorite breakfast items from Jack in the Box, the top three morning menu items are the Loaded Breakfast Sandwich, hash browns, and the Supreme Croissant. 

And many people on social media can attest to these fan favorites. "Jack in the Box's loaded breakfast sandwich is fire," one Twitter user wrote. "[The] Jack in the Box loaded breakfast sandwich is the best way to start my morning," another added. Clearly, this is a popular option. As for the hash browns, one fan on Twitter declared, "Jack in the Box hash browns >> McDonald's hash browns," daring anyone to "change my mind." "I am addicted to Jack in the Box hash browns," another user agreed. And as for the Supreme Croissant, "who needs to go to Paris when Supreme Croissants from Jack in the Box exist?" as one Twitter user put it.

Now, Jack in the Box might have an impressive breakfast menu, but that doesn't mean everything on the menu is a winner. In fact, far from it. While many breakfast options at the fast food restaurant have garnered some die-hard fans, there are also some fair criticisms of a few menu items. 

One of those items is the chain's iced coffee. "My first time having Jack in the Box breakfast. It wasn't bad but the iced coffee wasn't great though," one Twitter user complained. Furthermore, our editors found that the flavored iced coffee varieties are cloyingly sweet and artificial tasting.

Additionally, some say the burritos aren't that great, either. "Gross, taste[s] like my deceased grandmother made it in a hell where there is no seasoning, like a boy at school asking 'wheres my hug,'" one particularly impassioned Twitter user wrote. That may be partially because the eggs are definitely lacking in the seasoning department. "Btw y'all these Jack in the Box breakfast platter scrambled eggs are so so so gross oh my god. The texture is okay but the actual taste wtffff," as another Twitter user put it. We recommend eating them as part of a breakfast sandwich where they are complemented by cheese and salty meat. 

Though no fast food restaurant is known for having the freshest food, you might still be wondering about Jack in the Box's food preparation. And as you might have expected, the chain doesn't source their ingredients from local vendors or have any fresh ingredients, really. According to a Reddit thread from a Jack in the Box employee, "everything is frozen, so there really isn't anything that's 'fresh', unless you count the salads but the chicken that goes into it is frozen." So when you order your favorite breakfast sandwich from Jack in the Box, know that the meat was probably previously frozen. 

One silver lining is that nothing is really made ahead of time except for one particular menu item. "All of our items are made fresh except for the fries, but usually they're only about 10 minutes old if that," the employee explained. So, while most of the ingredients from Jack in the Box were previously frozen, your meal is typically made to order. Nothing is really made ahead of time and just sitting out for hours on end. 

If there's one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on these days, it's that the cost of groceries is getting ridiculous. With inflation, groceries that used to cost someone $10 are now costing closer to $15, and it's not easy on anyone's wallets. It might even lead some people to wonder if it's cheaper to just get fast food than it is to buy groceries to cook at home. And with the prices at Jack in the Box, that just might be true.

Specifically for their breakfast menu items, Jack in the Box's prices are pretty good. According to Fast Food Menu Prices, in the state of New York, a Jumbo Platter will only cost you $4.57, and a Loaded Breakfast Sandwich combo (complete with hash browns and a drink) is only $6.67. In other states those prices are even lower; in Texas, a Loaded Breakfast Sandwich combo comes in at just over $5. That's not all that expensive considering the rising cost of eggs across the United States — not to mention the average price of a cup of coffee from Starbucks. So really, getting breakfast at Jack in the Box might be more economical than getting groceries to make breakfast every day, especially if you want a filling morning meal and are short on time.