Bretton Cole
Editor-in-chief
Fried chicken in the United States is almost as popular as apple pie. It’s a staple to American culture and a hot topic when competition breaks out. Popeye’s released a delicious chicken sandwich in mid-August, but let’s breakdown how it squares with America’s most popular chicken eatery – Chick-Fil-A.
It would be unfair to not give a little background to the story. When Popeye’s came out with their new chicken sandwich on Aug. 12, paired with superb social media advertising, it was quickly a favorite. In fact, it took only two weeks before the sandwich was sold out entirely.
At the beginning of November, the sandwich made its highly anticipated triumphal return, on a Sunday, the only day of the week its rival Chick-Fil-A is closed. It was a savvy move, and one that pitted its sandwich against Chick-Fil-A’s in an even more real way.
The sandwich itself, however, is very good. I made a trip to try the sandwich after its initial release, but I was too late. The sandwich was sold out, and the store didn’t know when or if they would be getting more. After it returned in November, I made sure to make the trip and taste the sandwich.
It did not disappoint. There is nothing atypical about it, the bun has a piece of fried chicken, pickles and mayonnaise. However, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen does the southern specialty well. The chicken is crispy and thoroughly breaded, and the blend of pickles and mayonnaise completes the taste.
I did expect the sandwich to be a little warmer, particularly given its popularity. The line I waited in was the longest one I remember seeing at Popeye’s. I expected them to be making the sandwiches as quickly as they could. Nearly everyone else in the restaurant (and I presume the same to be true with the drive-thru) was eating the new sandwich.
As it compares to Chick-Fil-A, though, it’s a tough comparison. The visitor experience at Chick-Fil-A is certainly superior, but the taste of sandwich is not far apart. Chick-Fil-A’s sandwich doesn’t come with mayonnaise, but that’s not an essential ingredient to me.
Photo credits | Popeye’s Company
Price is always a factor, and Chick-Fil-A wins fairly easily in that regard. Both the sandwich and the meal are about fifty cents cheaper. However, with the Popeye’s sandwich promotional opportunity, they’re not losing any profit by charging a little more for a sandwich seemingly everyone is dying to try.
What it boils down to is someone’s preference. If chicken is what people are after, either one is a safe buy. I can’t objectively rank one above the other because they are both high quality and better than any other fast food chicken sandwich I’ve tried. I would definitely recommend the Popeye’s chicken sandwich as a top-notch choice for any fast food experience.
Leave a Reply