Ever since the groundbreaking announcement on July 17 that Chick-Fil-A was coming to Appleton on Aug. 29, right after Popeyes came on Aug. 20, the fans of each restaurant have debated:  Who has best chicken sandwich? 

After eating at both restaurants on numerous occasions, mostly having the chicken sandwich, I know which one is better. But since it is such a fun, friendly, but yet interesting debate, I decided to see what some other source’s thoughts were on this matter. Before the debate starts, let us clear up what comes on a chicken sandwich: a chicken breast, a soft, buttered bun, a touch of mayo and a few pickles. 

NHS senior Josh Brazee, who has also been to both Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A on several occasions, feels that although it is close, Chick-Fil-A has the better chicken sandwich. “The sandwich at Chick-Fil-A has the perfect amount of spice, where the taste is strong, but not too overwhelming,” Brazee said.

The followers of USA Today, one of the most prominent news outlets in America, agree with Josh and I, too. USA Today held a bracket poll on its Twitter account, and 54 percent of 5,062 voters felt that Chick-Fil-A had the superior chicken sandwich. Some users left a comment, or a retweet, for their reasons why. The main reasons varied, with some suggesting that Popeyes’ sandwich is sometimes not cooked enough and feels rubberish, while others say it is overcooked at times. Bottom line is, they feel Popeyes’ sandwich taste is not always consistent. 

Syracuse.com had 10 professional chefs from Syracuse taste one of each sandwich. While the majority feels Popeyes had the edge solely due to it being a greater quantity, the judges felt that the bun specifically on the Chick-Fil-A sandwich was “excellent” and buttered and toasted just the right amount. 

The Vox did an interview-like survey back in August, as well. They picked people out of the lines at each restaurant and asked for their thoughts on the matter. Many people think that Chick-Fil-A probably has a better chicken sandwich, but Popeyes was receiving more hype due to recency bias, with the sandwich recently coming back. 

Based on several opinions, I think it is safe to say that if you like chicken sandwiches, both Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A will meet your needs. But, if I had to pick one to eat, I would give the edge to Chick-Fil-A, by the slimmest of margins, because of the overall consistency. So, if you are in the mood for a good ole chicken sandwich and cannot decide where to take your business, Chick-Fil-A is the move.