If you've been on social media lately, you've probably seen one of the most interesting debates in awhile. No, we're not talking about the upcoming presidential election, we're talking about the Popeyes vs. Chick-fil-A sandwich debate. Just about every publication with a food reporter — the New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider — have tried and wrote about these sandwiches. Now it seems like everybody and their mama is chiming in about which one is their favorite.
So what's the big deal?
Chick-fil-A has been the leader in the chicken sandwich game for a long time. Nobody was really checking for Wendy's or McDonald's chicken sandwich, so when people starting talking about a real contender for Chick-fil-A, people started taking notice.
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The sandwich became so popular that locations around the country ran out. There were delays at Popeyes drive-throughs and long lines in its restaurants. People even began muting the term “chicken sandwich” from their social media so they wouldn't have to see it in their feed.
Popeyes marketing approach's success has already been shown in the case of Popeyes, with an estimated $23.25 million in equivalent ad value in media mentions for "Popeyes Chicken Sandwich" across digital, print, social, TV, and radio in just 11 days. At least, that's the word from Apex Marketing Group.
The thing about the Popeyes sandwich is that it's packaged very similar to how Chick-fil-A packages theirs: a stand-alone bag to keep the moistness and freshness of the sandwich intact. Both Popeyes and Chick-fil-A offer a simple fried chicken sandwich with pickles and soft brioche-style bun. The Popeyes sandwich has plain or spicy mayonnaise, as opposed to the number of different sauces Chick-fil-A has.
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Let's look at which one is healthier:
Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich:
440 Calories
60g Cholesterol
1350mg Sodium
40g carbs
Popeye's Chicken Sandwich:
556 Calories
75mg Cholesterol
1690mg Sodium
56g Carbs
Some people rave about Popeye's sandwich, while other people like Slate.com says the sandwich is just okay.
"It was...fine," writes Justin Peters on Slate.com. "The second bite was just fine, too, as was the third, and the fourth. The whole sandwich: Fine! The Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich is a perfectly fine sandwich. The chicken itself is thick and juicy, with the same crispy, flaky batter that you’ll find on a standard piece of Popeyes fried chicken. Though it tastes good, Popeyes’ chicken batter has always sort of reminded me of whorled bark on a sickly tree, simultaneously hypnotic and unappealing. When combined with a bun, the batter is honestly a bit excessive.... A generous smear of spicy sauce adds some heat and lubrication, while a single pickle beneath the chicken offers a tart crunch."
Full Disclosure: So we tried the Popeye's chicken sandwich and this is what we thought: It was good. Was it mindblowing? Was it life-changing? Ehhh, it was just good. I mean it's a chicken sandwich, not a full meal. The sauce was good, but not if you're not a sauce person then the chicken sandwich was battered very well. More crispy than Chik-fil-A and well-seasoned.
But don't take our word for it, what do you think?
