Few things spark more excitement than a platter piled high with shareable bites. The best combo starters set the stage for a meal you won’t soon forget, blending crispy, cheesy, and savory flavors in every corner of the tray.
These 11 top-rated picks have earned loyal fans across the country. For an extra dose of delicious discovery, five secret standouts prove that sometimes the sleeper hits are the real stars.
1. Dave & Buster’s Grub Platter
Holy mother of appetizers! This colossal platter arrives at your table like a carnival of fried delights while you’re still plotting your arcade strategy. Loaded with crispy chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, and pretzel dogs, it’s basically what would happen if the state fair set up shop on your table.
The secret weapon? That signature bourbon BBQ sauce – tangy, sweet, and just boozy enough to remind you you’re definitely not at Chuck E. Cheese anymore. Perfect for sharing with friends or hoarding while they’re distracted by Skee-Ball.
2. Dave & Buster’s Take It Cheesy Platter
Cheese addicts, prepare for your next fix! This dairy-loaded dream team features a mountain of nachos smothered in queso, crispy fried mozzarella sticks that stretch for days, and gooey mac & cheese bites that’ll make you forget your name.
What makes this platter legendary isn’t just the sheer volume of cheese (though that’s impressive) – it’s the textural symphony of crunchy, stretchy, and creamy all hitting your palate at once. The marinara dipping sauce cuts through all that richness perfectly.
3. Applebee’s Classic Combo
Commitment issues? Applebee’s feels you. Their Classic Combo is the appetizer equivalent of dating around – a little of this, a taste of that, no need to settle down with just one flavor profile. Mozzarella sticks with that perfect pull, boneless wings slathered in your choice of sauce, spinach artichoke dip that somehow makes vegetables seem sinful.
The real MVP here is the quesadilla – crispy tortilla stuffed with gooey cheese and tender chicken that makes you question why you’d ever order anything else. Yet somehow, you keep going back to those wings…
4. TGI Fridays Classic Fridays Combo
Remember when TGI Fridays was THE spot for birthday celebrations? This nostalgic platter explains why. The Classic Combo hits all your pleasure centers with Buffalo wings that strike the perfect heat balance – enough kick to know they’re Buffalo, not enough to have you begging for milk.
Potato skins arrive like little boats of comfort – crispy on the outside, fluffy potato inside, topped with a ridiculous amount of cheese, bacon, and green onion. The mozzarella sticks? Legendary. Not those wimpy frozen things from your college dorm – these are beer-battered behemoths.
5. Chili’s Triple Dipper
Control freaks, rejoice! Chili’s Triple Dipper is the customizable appetizer platter of your dreams. Pick any three from their starter lineup – Southwestern Eggrolls (basically a fiesta wrapped in a crispy shell), Big Mouth Bites (mini burgers that disappear suspiciously fast), or their legendary Boneless Wings.
The genius lies in the presentation – three separate compartments keep your choices from mingling until you decide they should. Plus, each section gets its own perfectly paired sauce. No more fighting over the last drop of ranch!
6. BJ’s Appetizer Combo
Brewpub food gets a glow-up with BJ’s monster-sized sampler that arrives with enough food to count as a meal (though we won’t tell if you still order that Pizookie for dessert). The mozzarella sticks here aren’t just cheese tubes – they’re hand-breaded treasures with a satisfying crunch that gives way to molten dairy goodness.
Avocado egg rolls might sound like California gone too far, but one bite of that creamy-crunchy contrast will convert even the most dedicated avocado skeptic. The spinach artichoke dip? So rich it should come with its own tax bracket.
7. Chili’s Chips & Salsa + Queso Combo
Sometimes simplicity wins, and Chili’s nails it with this deceptively basic combo that’s actually a masterclass in texture and temperature. Those house-made tortilla chips arrive warm and impossibly light – the Goldilocks of crispness (not too thick, not too thin, juuuust right).
The salsa brings fresh tomato brightness with a kick that builds rather than assaults. But the queso? That’s the liquid gold everyone’s really after. Velvety smooth with just enough spice, studded with bits of green chile and topped with that signature drizzle of sour cream.
8. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Not technically a combo platter, but these legendary biscuits deserve their spot on this list because they’ve achieved cult status for good reason. Warm, garlicky clouds of buttery goodness that somehow manage to be both fluffy and dense at the same time – it’s culinary witchcraft.
The cheddar isn’t just an afterthought; it’s woven through each bite, creating pockets of sharp, melty contrast to the herbaceous garlic butter that’s brushed on top. The slight crust on the outside gives way to that tender interior that practically melts on your tongue.
9. Carrabba’s Fried Calamari Starter
Forget rubbery seafood rings – Carrabba’s elevates the humble squid to something worth fighting over. These golden-brown pieces of perfection are tender inside with a whisper-thin coating that shatters satisfyingly between your teeth.
The real genius is the duo of dipping sauces. Their marinara brings bright tomato acidity that cuts through the fried goodness, while the lemon aioli adds a creamy, citrusy punch that makes you forget you’re essentially eating fancy bait. Scattered throughout are flash-fried hot peppers that provide surprise bursts of heat.
10. Olive Garden Mozzarella Sticks Platter
Forget subtlety – these aren’t your average cheese sticks. Olive Garden supersizes the classic with thick-cut mozzarella enrobed in Italian-herb-infused breading that audibly crunches with each bite. The contrast between that crispy exterior and the molten cheese center creates a textural masterpiece.
Served alongside is their house marinara – slightly sweet, deeply tomatoey, and spiked with just enough basil to remind you you’re at an “Italian” restaurant. The portion size is notably generous, making this perfect for groups who don’t mind fighting over the last stick.
11. Buffalo Wild Wings Ultimate Nachos Platter
Mountains should be jealous of these nachos’ impressive height. BWW’s colossal creation arrives on a platter that barely contains its contents – layer upon layer of crispy tortilla chips somehow maintaining structural integrity despite being loaded with molten cheese sauce, seasoned ground beef, and pico de gallo.
Strategically placed dollops of sour cream and guacamole create cool respites from the jalapeño heat, while black beans add earthy depth. The genius move? Those chips on the perimeter remain gloriously crisp, perfect for scooping up fallen toppings from inevitable nacho avalanches.
12. Buffalo Wild Wings Appetizer Combo
Sports bar royalty! This combo platter is the MVP of indecision, featuring mini corn dogs that taste like carnival nostalgia, mozzarella sticks with that perfect cheese pull, and their signature boneless wings – crispy little nuggets of chicken ready for sauce immersion.
Speaking of sauce – that’s where BWW flexes its muscles. The onion rings deserve special mention – thick-cut, beer-battered rings that maintain their crunch even after sitting through three quarters of basketball.
13. Hard Rock Café Whiskey Bacon Jam Sliders
Rock stars know excess, and these sliders are pure hedonism on a plate. Imagine mini burgers so juicy they should come with warning labels, topped with a whiskey-infused bacon jam that hits you with sweet, smoky, and boozy notes all at once.
The American cheese melts into every crevice, while crispy onion rings add crunch and height that makes these sliders almost too tall to bite (almost, but you’ll find a way). The potato buns somehow remain intact despite the flavor onslaught – a structural engineering marvel.
14. Olive Garden Breadsticks & Dipping Sauces
Carb lovers unite! These iconic breadsticks have launched a thousand memes and justified countless restaurant visits. Warm, soft, and dusted with that signature garlic salt topping, they somehow maintain the perfect balance of chew and tenderness.
The elevated version comes with a trio of dipping options that transform these humble sticks into something special. The classic alfredo brings rich, creamy indulgence, while the five-cheese marinara adds tangy depth. For the adventurous, the spicy arrabbiata kicks things up several delicious notches.
15. TGI Fridays Loaded Potato Skins
Potato perfection! These aren’t just any potato skins – they’re the OG version that launched a thousand copycats. Each hollowed-out potato boat maintains that crucial structural integrity: crispy exterior, fluffy potato layer, and a valley of melted cheddar topped with bacon bits and green onions.
The contrast between the crunchy skin and the creamy interior creates textural magic in every bite. A dollop of sour cream on top adds cool tanginess that cuts through all that richness. The portion size – typically six substantial skins – makes this perfect for sharing, though you might not want to.
16. Red Robin Saucy Bone-In Wings
Primal satisfaction! These wings aren’t trying to be fancy – they’re gloriously messy, perfectly crispy, and coated in sauces that’ll have you licking your fingers despite the mountain of napkins provided. The bone-in approach keeps the meat juicy while allowing for that essential crispy-skin exterior.
Sauce options range from the classic Buzzard (their take on buffalo) to the sticky-sweet Whiskey River BBQ that somehow manages to caramelize slightly on the edges. Each order comes with crisp celery sticks and your choice of blue cheese or ranch – the eternal wing companion debate.