14 Chain Restaurants With The Absolute Best Loaded Baked Potatoes

Potatoes are one of America's favorite side dishes, and baked potatoes specifically are near the top of the list. While regular baked potatoes are great, loaded baked potatoes are even better. Made by lightly coating the skin with oil and salt, baking them to perfection, and piling on a generous portion of sour cream, chives, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon, these potatoes make the perfect side dish or a hearty meal all on their own.

Even though you can make delicious loaded baked potatoes with all the fixings from the comfort of your own kitchen, usually baked potatoes taste better in restaurants than at home. That being said, some restaurants do it better than others. There's almost nothing more satisfying than being served a steaming hot potato with a crispy, salty skin and a fluffy center, complete with all the works. On the flip side, few things are more disappointing than when your potato comes out dense, greasy, or with toppings MIA. But which restaurants deliver the perfect baked potato every time?

We compiled this list of chain restaurants with the absolute best loaded baked potatoes by testing some for ourselves, comparing online reviews, and factoring price and availability to cover a wider range. Plus, some restaurants also got extra points for creativity, variety, or the overall quality of ingredients used. So, let's dive into the world of loaded baked potatoes — prepare to walk away hungry!

Famous for its scratch-made rolls, hand-cut steaks, and great service, Texas Roadhouse is always a pretty safe bet. This laid-back restaurant offers a wide variety of meat entrees, but its affordable menu also features a long list of sides, including classic steak fries, green beans, buttered corn, and sautéed mushrooms — no wonder this chain is growing fast. 

As one of the most popular Texas Roadhouse menu items going, the loaded baked potato is one that will keep you coming back for more. This traditional baked potato is fantastic all on its own, and is even better when ordered loaded with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. Or, if you're feeling extra adventurous, you can order it with a generous topping of Texas red chili. Either way, you can expect a spud with a fluffy, flavorful filling combined with a crispy, salted skin that's baked to perfection.

On the other hand, if you're in the mood for something less savory and a little more sweet, Texas Roadhouse's loaded sweet potato comes topped with a generous drizzle of honey-caramel sauce and toasted marshmallows. If that doesn't satisfy your sweet tooth, we don't know what will.

Outback Steakhouse — a chain recognized for its casual atmosphere, steak dinners, and famous Bloomin' Onion — also features a plethora of sides, including, you guessed it, a baked potato loaded with goodies. Outback's take on what it calls a "dressed" baked potato comes with all the usual toppings. Smothered under a perfectly balanced pile of butter, bacon, chives, sour cream, and melty cheese, this spud is easily among the go-to side items you can order from the popular steakhouse.

Although some online reviewers say Outback's loaded baked potato could use a bit more cheese and bacon, others said they were impressed with the overall flavor and salted skin of the spud. Still, this potato's appeal is more than skin-deep. The evenly-portioned dollop of sour cream truly does wonders to marry the rest of the toppings with the potato itself, resulting in an enjoyable pairing for the restaurant's many meaty entrees.

There's just something about Cracker Barrel that takes you right back home to mama's cooking. The restaurant's generously proportioned Southern homestyle meals are full of flavor at a consistently reasonable price. Cracker Barrel does comfort food right — and its loaded baked potato offerings are no exception.

The chain's classic loaded baked potato comes complete with fixings like shredded Colby cheese, bits of bacon, whipped butter, sour cream, and chopped green onions. However, the real star of the show is Cracker Barrel's loaded baked sweet potato, which goes beyond what you'd normally expect, piled high with brown sugar cinnamon butter, butter pecan syrup, candied pecans, and one big toasted marshmallow. This sugary spud is a perfect accompaniment with Cracker Barrel's maple bacon chicken.

The affinity for this chain's baked potatoes is reflected in online reviews, with one diner praising both types when commenting on the Cracker Barrel blog: "My favorite is the stuffed baked white potato and the stuffed sweet potato that gives me a fall foliage feeling ... how cozy and yummy." 

It may come as a surprise that a fast-food establishment made this list, but considering that Wendy's baked potato offerings have a bit of a cult following — with the chain selling around a million of these spuds per week — it only seemed right. 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 a major draw as well. 

The Wendy's menu features five types of baked potatoes, four of which can be considered loaded, and all are customizable. The lineup includes a baked potato with cheese, one with bacon and cheese, a sour cream and chive option, and a chili and cheese baked potato featuring the chain's famous chili. Wendy's most unique baked potato can be found in Puerto Rico, and comes topped with ham and ranch dressing. Not only are these baked potatoes highly satisfying and crave-worthy, but they're inexpensive too, generally costing between $2.50 and $4.50 depending on your location and toppings of choice.

Ruth's Chris Steak House is a favorite chain for upscale dining ever since entrepreneur Ruth Fertel first opened its doors in New Orleans in the 1960s. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has experienced any of the restaurant's savory, broiled cuts of steak. However, even the best steak is not complete without a side, and the loaded baked potato offered at Ruth's Chris Steak House is an excellent choice.

This next-level spud is fully loaded with everything you would expect — plenty of butter, silky sour cream, melty grated cheese, chopped green onions, and hearty chunks of bacon. These potatoes are jam-packed with high-quality toppings that leave you completely stuffed and satisfied. Each loaded baked potato is a full pound of salty, fluffy, chunky heaven, making it well worth the price; trivial matters such as money won't be a bother when you awaken from the food coma you'll undoubtedly experience.

If you prefer to wash down your loaded baked potatoes with a pint of ice-cold craft beer, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse should be on your list of places to visit. The chain, which first opened in Southern California in the 1970s, started out by selling pizza. Over the years, BJ's expanded its menu to include burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and tacos, even inventing their signature Pizookie dessert. Among its expansive menu offerings is a baked potato that is absolutely loaded down with toppings.

Big, fluffy, and overall delicious, BJ's loaded baked potato comes covered in melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese with salty pieces of smoked bacon, while butter, sour cream, and fresh green onions are served on the side so you can decide exactly how loaded you want it. The chain may have been awarded over 200 times for its craft beer selection, but we'd argue this delicious spud deserves a shout-out, too.

When it comes to potatoes, size does matter. And McAlister's Deli isn't messing around. Aptly called "giant spuds," the baked potatoes served at this restaurant take advantage of the root vegetable's versatility. Five different loaded baked potatoes can be found on its menu, each with a unique and delicious blend of toppings. 

Starting with an Idaho russet potato, guests can choose between the Corned Beef Spud topped with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing; the Chipotle Chicken and Bacon Spud, which has grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar-jack cheese, chipotle ranch, and green onions; the Black Angus Roast Beef Spud covered in roast beef, red onion, cheddar-jack, and au jus; the Veggie Spud featuring spinach, broccoli, red onions, roasted peppers, and cheese dip; and last but not least, the Spud Max, which is loaded with ham, turkey, bacon, cheddar-jack, green onions, black olives, and a dollop of sour cream.

These potatoes are a meal on their own, and they're done right. Light, fluffy, and gloriously topped, customers come from far and wide specifically for these legendary spuds. "I like baked potatoes, and McAlister's always does the best job," one Tripadvisor reviewer said. "The potato is cooked almost to perfection. Very tasty."