The world of breakfast food is vast, filled with varieties of different forms, flavors, and textures. You can go savory with eggs and meats, or venture into the sweeter side of things with doughnuts, pastries, fruits, and really all sweet things built with batter. With such an array of options, you would think there would be no wrong answer. Well, you’d be wrong. Because some breakfast treats are just better than others. Headlining the battle of the batter breakfast treats is waffles vs. pancakes and there is a right answer. Waffles beat pancakes every day of the year (especially on National Waffle Day on August 24), any time of the day (breakfast, brunch, and brinner), in every category, absolutely no contest.
Visual Appeal
They say don’t judge a book (or breakfast food) by its cover, but come on. We all do. And when you put waffles next to pancakes, there is a clear winner. Pancakes are so ordinary-looking it hurts. They’re just flat, beige, circles — pancakes are the sad beige edition of breakfast food. They could not have less going for them.
Waffles, meanwhile, have pizzazz that pancakes can only dream of. Just look at a Belgian waffle. They’re downright regal. Those golden edges create a visually interesting, delightfully geometric treat. Your eyes can join your taste buds in their feast, as they should. Little (and delicious) walls that build shapes — waffles are a breakfast food version of honeycombs (pretty and tasty). Plus, their shape provides a template for easy cutting and even has storage for toppings (and more on that later). Pancakes fall totally flat in comparison.
Mouthfeel
All style, no substance isn’t a problem for waffles. Because waffles and pancakes have very similar tastes, they have to find other places in the mouth department to thrive. Pancakes don’t do that because they’re just circles. Too soft (and sometimes mushy) to make any kind of statement. They’re tasty, sure, but there’s nothing special. They’re a boring, uninteresting option. And that’s fine I guess. But why would you go for the vanilla option when you can have waffles?
Waffles thrive on standing out through texture — they understand the definition of mouthfeel. The shape of waffles creates a playful texture for your mouth that really makes them an experience to eat. You can pop one waffle cube in your mouth at a time to savor or shove multiple in for all kinds of textural goodness. Plus, waffles offer variety in crunch. If you want a crisper waffle that really brings out those edges, you can do that. Or if you want a more mellow experience with the walls, you can have them softer. Either way, you get to have fun with them and their geometric ways.
Vehicle For Toppings
Of course, you don’t eat these breakfast cakes plain. You need toppings. Butter and syrup are a classic combo, with fruit as a popular alternative. But you can get pretty creative with toppings. Yogurt, peanut butter, ice cream, bacon bits, fried chicken (a popular combo starring, you guessed it, waffles! Pancakes would wilt under the pressure of carrying a topping as great as fried chicken). Whatever your topping preference might be, you need a breakfast that will carry those scrumptious garnishes, and to be frank, only waffles are up to that task.
Pancakes are a stage that can’t contain its performers. When you pour syrup on pancakes, the maple goodness slides right off, resulting in a puddle that drowns the pancakes and causes them to become soggy, soppy, and overly syrupy. Berries roll right off due to pancakes’ shape or lack thereof (and because they’re trying to get to their natural homes in the embrace of waffles). Pancakes just aren’t built to hold toppings.
Thankfully, waffles don’t share the inability to hold toppings. Because waffles have pockets! They are literally built for toppings — truly a perfect vehicle to carry your toppings. There will be no runaway berries with waffles. Your toppings are safe and snug in the pockets of the waffle. Syrup can be evenly distributed around the waffle instead of becoming a breakfast waterfall. Each cube is a delightful morsel, a mini experience for your mouth. But unlike an appetizer or a Michelin star main course that’s the size of a single waffle cubby, you get a bunch of cubbies. A bunch of little adventures for your tastebuds to take.
Waffles: 3 Pancakes: 0
Pancakes just can’t provide you like waffles can. Waffles are for your every need — they entertain the eyes, delight the tongue in both taste and texture, and provide storage for all your toppings. Waffles are a party, while pancakes are just plain Jane Does. The most special thing about them is that they have a couple of names but that’s reaching. Flapjacks? More like flopjacks. They’re barely even a competitor in the matchup because waffles have it all and they know it. Join the right side and worship the waffle. Your mouth will thank you.