5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (2024)

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Side dishes are often the real star of mealtime. Take Thanksgiving, for example. Many people prefer side dishes such as mashed potatoes and stuffing over the main event, turkey. That sometimes rings true when dining out, as well. While some people flock to their favorite steakhouse for the beef, others can't get enough of the mac and cheese or creamed spinach that accompany the main course.

When it comes to sides, potato dishes rank supreme. And given the multitude of potato presentations—from baked to fried to mashed—it's no wonder that the masses find appeal in the humble spuds. The starchy crop has been around for centuries, so it's a bit surprising that baked potatoes weren't served in the United States until the early 20th century. Indeed, it wasn't until the head of the Northern Pacific Railway began serving baked potatoes to travelers in 1908 that the dish really took off. Luckily, we get to reap the benefits.

Baked potatoes give you that much-needed dose of carbs, and they present endless possibilities. Once your tater is smothered in warm butter and sprinkled with a little salt, the sky's the limit. While loaded potatoes often seem to outshine their simpler brethren, baked potatoes serve as the perfect canvas for your favorite flavors.

Whether you prefer to keep it plain or top your potato with a handful of chives or cheddar, this dish can go as healthy or as gluttonous as you desire. So, where to go when that comfort craving hits?

From national steakhouses to fast-food kingpins, here are five of the most iconic chain restaurant baked potatoes your money can buy.

Wendy's

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (1)

Per Serving (1 order): 270 calories, 0 g fat, 40 mg sodium, 61 g carbs (7 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 7g protein

Wendy's is known as one of the only fast food chains that dishes out baked potatoes. This side has been a staple on its menu since the 1980s when it was first introduced as a healthier alternative to french fries. Nowadays, Wendy's sells approximately one million baked potatoes every week, so it must be doing something right.

Wendy's told Thrillist in 2017 that it bakes its potatoes the old-fashioned way—by wrapping its spuds in tinfoil and cooking them in the oven.

Diners can order up a plain baked potato, or add extras such as butter, sea salt, chives, and sour cream at no additional charge. Besides plain, options include sour cream and chive baked potatoes, cheese baked potatoes, chili and cheese baked potatoes, and bacon cheese baked potatoes.

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Applebee's

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (2)

Per Serving (1 Order): 530 Calories, 31 g fat (17 g saturated fat), 1120 mg sodium, 59 g carbs (4 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 9 g protein

When the restaurant that became the first Applebee's launched in Atlanta in 1980, who would've thought it would grow to have almost 2,000 U.S. and worldwide locations? As Applebee's is known for its classic American fare, it's no surprise that it offers an American staple: a side of baked potato topped with butter and sour cream. For those who want a traditional, creamy potato, this is your move. However, if you want to take things up a notch, the chain also offers a loaded baked potato that comes with melty cheese and crispy bacon.

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BJ's Restaurant

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (3)

Per Serving (1 Order): 590 calories, 28 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 207 mg sodium, 70 g carbs (5 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 9 g protein

Touted as "a brewhouse born from the best hand-crafted pizza joint around," BJ's Restaurant serves up more than just its famous deep-dish pizzas. Here, you can pair your glass of ice-cold beer with a healthy helping of baked potato, served with a side of butter, sour cream, and green onions. It doesn't get more classic than that. To sweeten the deal, you can end your meal with BJ's acclaimed Pizookie—the restaurant's fresh take on a skillet cookie that comes in tons of flavors.

8 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Potato Skins

Red Lobster

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (4)

Per Serving (1 Order): 270 calories, 3.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 1730 mg sodium, 55 g carbs (6 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 7 g protein

This one-time family-owned restaurant now boasts more than 700 locations around the world. While the star of the show is undoubtedly the lobster, no entrée is complete without sides. After being in business for more than 50 years, Red Lobster is no stranger to keeping its customers happy with sides everyone loves. For example, there's the restaurant's baked potato, which comes with a heap of butter and sour cream. Plus, there is a creamy lobster baked potato option that comes with both Maine lobster and langostino meat, as well as a creamy lobster beurre blanc sauce atop it.

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Texas Roadhouse

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (5)

Per Serving (1 Order): 380 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 1950 mg sodium, 60 g carbs (6 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 7 g protein

Southwestern cuisine reigns supreme at Texas Roadhouse, one of America's fastest-growing restaurant chains. Since the '90s, Texas Roadhouse has enticed customers with its hand-cut steaks, country dinners, and slabs of ribs—plus, of course, its hunger-busting side dishes. The Texas Roadhouse baked potato—which you can order plain or loaded up with butter and sour cream, as well as additional toppings such as bacon bits, Texas red chili, and cheddar cheese—is a fan favorite. In fact, one fan on Reddit wrote that the chain's baked potato is "a culinary masterpiece that perfectly balances simplicity and indulgence." How's that for an endorsement?

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5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Baked Potatoes? ›

One reason why Wendy's is the only fast food chain with baked potatoes is to provide a healthier option on its menu, with the plain potato being baked on-site in a convection oven without oil or salt, allowing customers to decide from the varied topping options ... which, although less healthy than a plain potato, are ...

What fast food chains serve baked potatoes? ›

One reason why Wendy's is the only fast food chain with baked potatoes is to provide a healthier option on its menu, with the plain potato being baked on-site in a convection oven without oil or salt, allowing customers to decide from the varied topping options ... which, although less healthy than a plain potato, are ...

Why do baked potatoes taste better at restaurants? ›

But one of the reasons why restaurant baked potatoes taste so good is because kitchens know that using wire racks or oven grates allows all sides of the spuds to be exposed to hot air. Using a sheet pan or even foil only increases the likelihood that your potatoes will not be cooked evenly.

Does Ruth Chris serve baked potatoes? ›

BAKED POTATO | Menu | Ruth's Chris Steak House.

What is the best baked potato to eat? ›

The ideal potato for baking is low in moisture with a high starch content. These qualities allow a potato to bake up with a delightfully fluffy center and crispy skin. Because it has all of these features, Russet potatoes are the ideal potato for baking and the most commonly used choice.

Does Texas Roadhouse have baked potato? ›

Baked Potato Toppings

Build your meal! * May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary.

What happened to Wendy's baked potato? ›

Does Wendy's still serve baked potatoes? Yes, Wendy's still serves baked potatoes! They currently have five different types of potatoes on their menu with varying prices—but more on that in a little bit.

Should I poke holes in my baked potato before I bake it? ›

The holes are there to allow steam to escape during cooking. Failing to poke holes may result in the potatoes splitting unattractively in the oven or bursting if you stick a fork in them when they are still hot.

Why do restaurants put salt on the outside of baked potatoes? ›

Q: Why is it common to salt the exterior of a baked potato? A: Chefs started doing this years ago to allow the salt to absorb or draw out the moisture of the potato while baking, which results in a dry, fluffy potato.

Does Cracker Barrel have baked potato? ›

Baked Potato topped with shredded Colby Cheese, bacon pieces, whipped butter, Sour Cream and chopped green onions.

Do restaurants pre cook baked potatoes? ›

According to Restaurant Ninjas, restaurants that serve baked potatoes bake their potatoes in advance and keep them in warming equipment.

Does Subway have baked potato? ›

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Find out how your wellness data and product content can elevate the customer experience and convert more shoppers!

Why is it advisable not to wrap potatoes in foil while baking? ›

Trapping that spud in aluminum foil where the moisture cannot escape results in a wet potato. Over baking the potato in foil cannot be seen (or easy to smell that it is overcooked) so you can end up with dark brown skin on the bottom, tough to eat and giving off a slightly burnt taste.

Is it better to bake a potato at 350 or 400? ›

We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more.

Who has the best potato in the world? ›

The potatoes of Kato Nevrokopi are rich in carbohydrates, starch and proteins thanks to the excellent climatic conditions of the area and the sandy soils. They are grown in the summer, to be harvested in September when the temperature is lower and rainfall is higher.”

Does Arby's make baked potatoes? ›

Arby's | Baked Potato Deluxe.

Does Burger King have baked potatoes? ›

Burger King bakes potatoes throughout the day and keeps them hot in a holding drawer. When you order one, the attentive worker behind the counter pinches it open and sprinkles on the chives. It's fun to watch the potato steaming inside the plastic container.

Do Chick Fil A sell baked potatoes? ›

The new baked potato side is is rubbed in kosher salt and served with butter, cheddar cheese, bacon and chives.

Does Subway sell baked potatoes? ›

Available in 130g or 100g portions these potatoes are nicely V-shaped, crispy and baked right in our stores. As a single portion on in the whole menu.

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