4 Ordering Tips To Get The Best McDonald's Egg McMuffin

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Debuting in the early 70s, the Egg McMuffin was the first breakfast item offered at McDonald's. Conceived by California franchisee Herb Peterson, the sandwich was originally intended to mimic eggs benedict. When Peterson couldn't get the pre-packaged hollandaise sauce right, the Egg McMuffin evolved into the configuration we know and crave today: toasted English muffin, egg round, Canadian bacon, and American cheese. Far be it from us to argue with a fast food authority like the Golden Arches, but we have a few tips and tricks that will make this iconic breakfast sandwich even tastier. 

Ingredient swaps, sauces, and additional toppings can enhance the flavor and heartiness of your meal. Some of these upgrades (grape jelly paired with savory food?) might seem a little left field, but you may be pleasantly surprised by the appetizing outcome. There's something to remember about ordering hacks and secret menu items: not every fast-food restaurant is able or willing to honor special requests. It's worth trying your luck, as many McDonald's franchises gladly customize orders.  However, don't take it too hard if your request is denied.

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Do you know the real difference between round and folded eggs at McDonald's? The chain's round eggs (like those on the Egg McMuffin) are cracked directly onto the grill into a ring-shaped contraption to make them perfectly circular, while folded eggs come in pre-cooked and are kept frozen until a customer orders one. There's also scrambled eggs (which are part of the restaurant's Big Breakfast) that are cooked fresh (both folded and scrambled varieties are made with a liquid egg product). Different breakfast items at the chain come with different eggs, and it's possible to swap the round one for scrambled or folded.

This swap is good for when you desire a more filling breakfast sandwich, especially with the scrambled. When a poster on Reddit asked if they could sub the egg round with folded, a commenter advised, "If you like the folded egg, try the scrambled...most of the time there's enough eggs for two sandwiches [with a side order of scrambled eggs]." And if you prefer your eggs made fresh (and not pre-cooked and frozen), scrambled is also a good option.

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Anything can be a sandwich topping if you're brave enough. Take McDonald's hash brown patties, which are the ideal size and shape for plopping onto your Egg McMuffin. To take this hack even further, squeeze a little grape jelly atop the hash brown before adding it to your sandwich and thank us later. The inspiration for this upgrade actually came from the Golden Arches itself, as it was one of the chain's official Egg McMuffin ordering hacks back in 2021 (when it was jokingly referred to as the HB&J).

This ordering tip works in two vital ways: it adds some crunch to your McMuffin and creates a more interesting flavor profile. If you primarily associate grape jelly with peanut butter sandwiches, get ready to have your mind blown. The condiment also pairs quite well with savory dishes thanks to its tanginess and acidity. Just consider the party-pleasing flavor of grape jelly meatballs and it should become clear why this hack works so well with foods like the McMuffin. 

The salty, hammy goodness of Egg McMuffins notwithstanding, this breakfast sandwich can be a touch dry for our liking. Fortunately, McDonald's offers lots of sauce options to give your McMuffin a little more oomph. While we can't guarantee that all locations carry the same sauces, the website lists quite a few options. In addition to creamy chili, ranch, spicy Buffalo, barbecue, and honey mustard, the restaurant has Big Mac packets available (albeit for a limited time). If you like your condiments basic, there's also ketchup, mustard, and mayo. 

Which sauce will go best with the Egg McMuffin? It depends on your preferred flavor profile. When it comes to the mild, subtly sweet flavor of Canadian bacon, the smokiness of barbecue sauce or the tangy sweetness of honey mustard could make for a nice pairing. As for the egg, spicy Buffalo and ketchup are great matches. You can also create your own custom heat level by adding a spicy sauce to some mayonnaise or ranch.

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In addition to egg swaps, McDonald's customers can request a different type of meat in their Egg McMuffins. Along with the Canadian bacon, the restaurant also offers sausage patties (which transforms the sandwich into a Sausage McMuffin with Egg), regular bacon, and steak (which normally accompanies the Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel). Like egg substitutions, swapping out meats can make for a more fulfilling, heartier meal. You can also choose to double up the meat (keep the Canadian bacon and add a sausage patty or bacon slices). 

Out of these selections, McDonald's steak appears to be the heartiest meat option of all. Former corporate chef Mike Haracz named the brand of steak used in a TikTok video, which he claimed was something called Steak-EZE BreakAway Sirloin Beef Steak. Although we can't corroborate Haracz's statement, the product (which is manufactured by Tyson Foodservice) does look similar to the steak you get at McDonald's. In case you're wondering what a Steak and Egg McMuffin might taste like, a commenter on Reddit had this to say, "I had a steak egg and cheese McMuffin last weekend for the first time ever and I can't stop thinking about how I need another one." If that's enough to have you consider ordering one, you're not alone. Us too.