The year is 1932 and the world is about to change for good. According to an article from Ebony, Booker T’s Cafe is about to unveil the fried chicken sandwich, an event that will alter the course of history. The fried chicken sandwich, a piece of fried chicken between two pieces of bread usually served with pickles and sauces, was a hit. Fast forward 30 years to 1964, Chick-Fil-A served the first fast food chicken sandwich to immense success. They enjoyed their monopoly on the fast food chicken market for 50 years before everyone tries to get in on the action. In 2010, the fried chicken sandwich craze started. Every restaurant was trying their own, to try to dethrone the king. Now, in 2022, we have three main contenders: Chick-Fil-A, the king.  The up and comer, Popeye’s.  Lastly, the forgotten one McDonald’s. I will prove once and for all what fried chicken sandwich reigns supreme over the rest.  

Starting with the king of the chicken world, the first to do it, Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A has by far the most popular fried chicken sandwich. It has gotten to the point where the word chicken sandwich is synonymous with the restaurant. But will Chick-Fil-A be able to live up to the prestigious legacy it has set up for itself?

When I walked into the restaurant, I could tell that Chick-Fil-A had their formula down to a T. The restaurant was clean, and the workers were friendly. The sandwich set me back $4.69, so it was more on the expensive side. There was a short wait, and then I got my sandwich. As I ate, I realized why Chick-Fil-A rules the chicken sandwich game. The chicken was delightful to eat. The buns were the perfect consistency, not too hard or soft. The Chick-Fil-Sandwich lived up to the hype, and it will be hard for the other two to top it.

Next on the list we have McDonald’s. McDonald’s is not as popular in the chicken sandwich game as the other two. According to Restaurant Business Online, it is the most popular restaurant in America. But its’ popularity is anchored in burgers and fries, not chicken. Mcdonald’s chicken sandwich is known as the McChicken. According to Business Insider, the McChicken had a rocky start. It was introduced in the ’80’s, and it flopped. It was taken off the menu before being added back on eight years later. So can I find a hidden gem in the McChicken?

The McChicken cost me $1.99, by far the cheapest sandwich out of three. McDonalds also knows how to put the “fast” in  fast food. My food was ready almost 30 seconds after I ordered. The sandwich had soft buns, which made it easy to eat. The chicken was tender and had unique flavors. Overall, the McChicken was a good, bang for a buck sandwich.

Lastly we have Popeyes, the young up and comer. Popeyes has by far the youngest chicken sandwich out of three, with it only being around for three years. It had the quickest rise to fame, however. The Popeyes chicken sandwich craze was off the charts. According to an article by Complex, In August of 2019, Popeyes launched their chicken sandwich. They sold out by August 27 and people were doing anything to get their hands on one. So was all the hype worth it?

I was skeptical of the Popeyes chicken sandwich. I had heard many mixed reviews, but it did not disappoint. I spent $4.60 on the sandwich, so it was about the same as Chick-Fil-A. The highlight of the sandwich was the chicken. This was the best chicken I have ever tasted from a fast food restaurant in my life. It was crispy and crunchy and tasted phenomenal. The bread was good as well. This sandwich was incredible, and I understand why people went crazy for it when it first came out.

Now it is time to figure out, which sandwich rose above the rest. In last place, we have McDonald’s. While not bad, and a good budget sandwich, it does not stack up to the other two. Now ranking the other two was hard. They both had their pros and cons, but in the end only one can be the best. I have decided that Chick-Fil-A was the second best. Now I know that people may say that they are the iconic chicken sandwich, but that has nothing to do with taste. So, my number one is Popeyes. Popeyes just blew me away, and it was definitely the best chicken sandwich I ate.

To recap, Popeyes has the best fast food chicken sandwich — overtaking greats like McDonald’s and Chick-Fil-A. Hopefully a new chicken sandwich can overtake Popeyes in the future, but until then it is the king.