The Best Free Chain Restaurant Bread, Ranked

You may question why restaurants still offer free bread in this economic climate. However, the practice is (hopefully) going nowhere — a basket of carbs is the perfect way to whet your appetite, no matter the cuisine. Plus, a little free bread goes a long way to impress and satisfy customers.

While no free appetizer is unwelcome, it's undeniable that some bread is better than others. The delicious staple comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, but there are a few metrics that really matter when judging bread. First, freshness is critical. There's perhaps no greater joy in life than biting into warm bread fresh from the oven. Taste and texture are also crucial to pull off correctly. No one wants to eat bread that tastes or feels like cardboard. We kept all of this in mind when putting together a list of chain restaurants that serve complimentary bread. Relying on customer reviews and our own experience where possible, we ranked the bread from worst to best. We dive into the details of our selection process at the end of the article.

Red Lobster has long been known for two things: its endless shrimp and its Cheddar Bay Biscuits. While the former may be the cause of the seafood chain's recent financial concerns, the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are here to stay. But while they've always been popular with customers, recent reviews claim the biscuits have gone downhill in quality.

On Yelp, one customer expressed their disappointment, saying, "They are less 'biscuit like', lacking that crumbly texture with the parsley butter topping that we all love. The new consistency is sort of a hybrid biscuit/bread roll." Other diners confirmed this change in texture, with one fan going so far as to beg Red Lobster to stick to the tried-and-true recipe. Other diners encountered issues related to quality control, such as burnt or overly salty biscuits. Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and has plans to better the overall customer experience. We're hoping this involves bringing back the OG Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's complimentary carbs take the form of Southern-style buttermilk biscuits. According to Cracker Barrel's blog, the biscuits are made from scratch using custom rolling pins and cutting tools designed by the company. This ensures fresh, homemade-tasting biscuits at any of the chain's 660+ locations. While this is fine and dandy, customers have a different story to tell.

"The bread basket came, biscuits not even warm enough to melt the butter," wrote one disappointed customer on Yelp. In terms of texture, some customers were served biscuits that were too hard to eat, while others were met with overly dry biscuits. Customers also had complaints about size — namely that the biscuits were too small for their liking. Though the biscuits come with the meal, they often fail to live up to customer expectations. While this inconsistency definitely achieves a "homemade" feel, diners generally expect a certain level of dependability when eating at nationwide chains such as Cracker Barrel.

With more than 500 locations nationwide, LongHorn Steakhouse offers a variety of seafood, chicken dishes, and salads in addition to its signature steaks. But before moving on to the main courses, customers are treated to a complimentary loaf of bread and butter. While there are some favorable reviews, the majority of customers have had negative experiences with the free bread.

Quality control problems seem to plague the steakhouse chain. Diners reported overcooked and even burnt loaves of bread. "The bread was so hard to cut. Must've been sitting under the warmer all day. Taste wasn't even there," said one customer on Yelp. Another diner explained that on their most recent visit, the bread was served cold but had been warm on their previous visit. But it's not all bad — other customers didn't run into any issues whatsoever and praised the bread as delicious and fresh tasting. Still, these wildly varying reviews show the chain struggles with consistency, at least when it comes to the bread.

California Pizza Kitchen offers a selection of creative pizzas, salads, and pastas, often inspired by cuisines from all over the world. The casual chain also serves its guests complimentary bread and olive oil. Unfortunately for lovers of carbs, the reviews on this free offering are quite mixed. Though many customers sing its praises, others have run into significant problems with the bread.

On Yelp, customers described the combination of bread and olive oil as delicious, especially thanks to the herbs giving extra flavor to the olive oil. Many reviewers found the bread itself to be warm and have the perfect consistency, but not everyone was as lucky. For instance, one reviewer wrote, "Asked the waiter for different bread since the first ones he sent to me was as hard as a brick." Others found their free bread to be even more inedible, like one customer who made the horrifying discovery of mold on their bread. It seems that when the bread is good, it's really good, but consistent quality isn't something you can count on here.

Born out of Chicago, Illinois, Maggiano's Little Italy today serves its classic Italian-American dishes all over the country. As you might expect, bread is brought to the table with every meal. But although it's free, the bread, olive oil, and balsamic (or butter) combo has received a mix of positive and negative reviews, with many falling somewhere in between.

For some customers, the free appetizer made all the difference. One diner even praised the bread and butter as some of the best they've ever eaten. Fans of the bread also called the portion sizes generous. Other customers, however, found the free bread to be nothing special. According to one customer on Yelp, the quality has gotten worse with time: "They used to have a variety of bread they served. Now it's a large roll that isn't Italian. The dipping oil was bland." While not terrible, this wide range of opinions means it's really a toss-up on whether this bread will satisfy your carb cravings.

More so than any restaurant on this list, Olive Garden has earned a reputation for its free bread. The chain's unlimited breadsticks have become so famous that they're now a fixture in popular culture. As we know from our own experience, the breadsticks alone are a good enough reason to make the journey to our nearest Olive Garden.

The breadsticks have many diehard fans, who compliment the bread for being warm, fresh, buttery, and — most importantly — unlimited. However, there's a reason they don't rank higher (or lower, in this case) on this list. Many customer reviews have pointed out issues with how the breadsticks were prepared. "The only item we were offered more of were hard as a brick breadsticks. Very disappointed," wrote one customer on Yelp. Others encountered breadsticks that didn't taste fresh, like one diner who found all six of theirs so stale they were difficult to eat. Olive Garden may offer unlimited breadsticks, but sometimes, quality matters more than quantity.

Logan's Roadhouse serves a variety of hearty foods, such as steaks, ribs, and burgers. The roadhouse is also well-known for its yeast rolls, a recipe that was developed by a team member back in the '90s. Based on Yelp reviews, these complimentary rolls generally hold up to their reputation, though their record is far from perfect.

"The bread had a pond of butter at the bottom," said one naysayer in a review. While we personally think that there's no such thing as too much butter, a "pond" may be a step too far, even for us. Another customer wrote that they found the bread to be burnt every time they ate at the chain. On the other hand, many diners ran into no issues with the rolls, and more than a few mentioned them as a highlight in their reviews. For instance, one reviewer praised the rolls' taste and soft texture, saying that they were a hit with their children. Customer feedback is a bit mixed, but luckily for Logan's fans, the rolls still mostly have positive reviews overall.

Romano's Macaroni Grill serves all the classic Italian-American dishes: Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Parmesan, and Tiramisu, to name a few. To begin the meal, customers are brought complimentary bread and dipping oil. On Yelp, reviewers have praised the bread's freshness and unique taste. "The rosemary peasant bread is supple, crispy on the outside/soft inside, with a delicious subtle rosemary aftertone," wrote one customer, who went on to say that they prefer it to Olive Garden's free breadsticks.

Though Macaroni Grill's bread is popular with customers everywhere, it has still collected some negative reviews. Freshness (or the lack thereof) seems to be a recurring issue at the chain, with customers reporting cold, hard loaves. Another customer lamented that their bread was too dry and the accompanying oil had an off-putting taste. Despite these reviews, the majority of customers had nothing but positive things to say about the bread, with some even calling it a high point of their experience at the chain.

The Cheesecake Factory is famous for several things: its extensively long menu of dishes, the cheesecake (of course), and the free brown bread. Though the chain also offers white sourdough bread to customers, the brown bread is the one that's really captured fans' hearts. We personally prefer the sourdough, but that's just us. The brown bread is so popular that it's now available for purchase in grocery stores nationwide. But do customer reviews back up this love for the bread? The answer is yes, for the most part.

One customer summed up the positive reviews for the brown bread on Yelp: "This warm, chewy loaf had a slightly sweet molasses flavor and was coated with nutty rolled oats on the outside." They explained that although they also enjoyed the sourdough, it just wasn't at the same level as the brown bread. Other customers echoed this sentiment, with some also giving a shout-out to the butter that comes with the bread. However, the bread has had its fair share of problems. Multiple reviewers mentioned receiving bread that was intolerably tough and cold, disappointing all those fans who came to the restaurant just for the free bread.

Outback Steakhouse may be famous for its surf and turf classics and its shareable Bloomin' Onion, but customers have also come to expect one other thing: the chain's signature complimentary bread. On Yelp, customers have mostly positive feedback about the bread, praising its freshness and flavor. According to one fan's review, "the bread is kinda dry and chewy and rough and airy at the same time but it's so PERFECT to eat with butter, as the butter smooths everything." They added that the bread only gets better the more you eat it.

Customers described the bread as being of the wheat variety, served with a knife stuck into the top. One reviewer pointed out that they preferred Outback Steakhouse's wheat bread to The Cheesecake Factory's, which is a huge compliment given the latter's popularity. There have been a few instances of customers receiving hard, stale, and cold loaves of bread, though these types of reviews seem to be few and far between.

Carrabba's Italian Grill offers a unique take on Italian-American cuisine, serving dishes such as the beloved Chicken Bryan, an original recipe featuring grilled chicken and goat cheese. Also a crowd favorite is the complimentary bread and olive oil offered at the start of every meal. Customers have spoken, and the results are in — Carrabba's bread scores very well in reviews on Yelp.

Customers can't seem to get enough of the stuff. "The bread was hot, super moist, and chewy- exactly what you want with Italian food," said one diner, who expressed regret that they didn't ask for more. Another customer described the bread and olive oil combo as pairing well with their drink, the chain's signature blackberry sangria margarita. Many reviewers particularly appreciated the dipping oil, seasoned with fresh herbs. Some customers were less enthusiastic about the oil, though the bread itself received almost unanimous praise. As any Carrabba's fans reading this may know, the bread is a highlight — and the reviews certainly back that up.

For the uninitiated, Fazoli's is a fast-casual chain that specializes in Italian-American cuisine. Though it's known for its delicious meatball subs, Fazoli's has also earned a reputation for having some of the tastiest breadsticks in the business. Simple but elegant, these complimentary breadsticks are flavored with garlic and butter. While similar in nature to Olive Garden's, Fazoli's breadsticks receive significantly more positive reviews on Yelp.

The majority of customers have nothing but praise for the breadsticks, with the strong garlic flavor being a focal point. As one reviewer put it, "The breadsticks are salty and garlicky just like they should [be]!" For other customers, the butter was the best part. Reviewers also said that the breadsticks were served fresh, warm, and with the perfect soft texture. Based on reviews at several different locations, Fazoli's manages to consistently please customers, at least when it comes to the breadsticks. So, the next time you're craving breadsticks, you might want to swing by your nearest Fazoli's drive-thru — you might just discover your new favorite treat.

Finally, we come to our winner, and it's none other than Texas Roadhouse. Founded in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana, the chain serves up Southern-inspired comfort classics,such as country fried chicken, steak, and fried catfish. Texas Roadhouse fans have also come to expect another delicious offering: the complimentary bread rolls.

Looking at customer reviews on Yelp, it's easy to see how Texas Roadhouse ended up on top. "Wow, the bread was so pillowy soft and addicting," wrote one customer, who said they easily ate multiple baskets of the bread. The rolls come with the chain's signature honey cinnamon butter, which has also proven extremely popular with reviewers. One diner praised the roll and butter combination, saying, "they're very light and they serve them with like a cinnamon butter it's like getting dessert before dinner." For some customers, Texas Roadhouse's bread beats that of any other chain restaurant, and we have to agree. According to the company website, the rolls are baked every five minutes, ensuring freshness with each order. Customer reviews back up this claim, with multiple diners describing perfectly hot and fluffy rolls. With such a track record, Texas Roadhouse has rightfully earned its spot in first place on this list.

While countless places serve complimentary bread, we decided to focus on chain restaurants based in the U.S. that currently offer it. To select our restaurants, we read customer reviews on Yelp, narrowing it down to chains with a significant number of reviews focusing on the bread in particular. We took into account what reviewers had to say about quality, freshness, and portion size, but we also used our own experiences wherever possible. The result is a list of chain restaurants that offer some of the best (and worst, in some cases) free bread. Of course, taste and preferences are subjective, so keep in mind that some customer reviews may not necessarily reflect your experiences at these chains.