Area 51. “Ok Boomer.” Lori Loughlin. All were trending topics of 2019; however, one topic reigned supreme. A topic that truly divided Americans and exploded the Twitter-verse. No, I’m not referencing political polarization; I’m talking about culinary polarization. This year, two massive fast-food chains, both hailing from the south, had a major clash regarding who had the best chicken sandwich.
During mid-August, Popeyes announced on Twitter that they were about to release a new chicken sandwich to their menu. Chick-fil-A also tweeted: “Bun + Chicken + Pickles = all the (heart emoji) for the original.” Popeyes retweeted their tweet and wrote “…y’all good.” All hell quickly broke loose in the Twitter-verse after Popeye’s snarky retweet. Twitter was plastered with tweets from die-hard fans. Sipping on LaCroix and munching on squid chips, I spent an entire afternoon reading the plethora of brutal insults and expletives. I quickly realized that these Twitter users were not your average jokesters; they were semi-professional comedians. After wasting an afternoon, my appetite for social media had been satiated and I had a bloated stomach due to overconsumption of LaCroix.
Over winter break, I decided that I needed to have tried both sandwiches before the new decade ensued. Unlike many of my fellow classmates who were wanting the latest iPhones or the best smelling Victoria’s secret fragrance, I wanted sandwiches and I wanted them now. Additionally, my parents were quite concerned when they saw me writing “Sandwiches” in all caps on my Christmas wishlist.
Chick-fil-A’s sandwich was of familiar territory and had always been my go-to fast-food chicken sandwich. Prior to frying, the chicken breast is submerged in a batter containing a medley of seasonings. The pivotal step results in a crispy texture and offers tremendous flavor. Hugging the chicken are two soft, flattened buns. Furthermore, the sandwich features a couple of thinly, crinkle-sliced pickles on the bottom bun. Aesthetically, it’s not the prettiest due to the depressing looking buns; however, I tend not to discriminate against sandwiches based on looks but rather follow taste-based discrimination. Biting into the sandwich or as I like to call it the good ol’ reliable, I was instantly reminded of why I gave this sandwich such a nickname. The chicken was moderately juicy as it wasn’t gushing out with juices nor was it super dry. The bread was squishy and soft which added another dimension to the sandwich. The sandwich isn’t very spicy as the only component providing any heat would be from the seasonings. However, the seasonings pack a powerful punch that sent my tastebuds to flavor town. I wished the pickles were larger as I wanted more of an acidic component which would further complexify the sandwich. Overall, the sandwich earns my respects and not much needs to be improved.
Popeye’s sandwich was completely foreign and I was excited to find out what delicious surprises the sandwich entailed. As soon as I removed the wrappers, I gasped. She was breathtakingly gorgeous and, yes, I’m still talking about the sandwich. Standing tall, the sandwich had an aura of confidence surrounding it. It knew it was beautiful and better than the rest. I wish I had such a sense of confidence at school. Let’s not digress with my concerns regarding low self-esteem and continue with tasting this hell of a concoction that Popeyes has created. As I took my first bite, my mouth had this euphoric feeling and my tastebuds were tingling with excitement. This sandwich had met and exceeded all expectations. The chicken breast was oh so juicy and extremely crispy. The batter was slightly thicker resulting in a more pleasurable crunch both audibly and orally. The bun was picture perfect and stood tall like all buns should be. I was enthralled by their sauce which was similar to a spicy mayo. It definitely had a kick to it. Furthermore, the pickles at Popeyes were phenomenal as they were much thicker and juicier. These pickles served various purposes including diversifying the texture of the sandwich as well as providing the acidity to counter the fattiness of the breast and the richness coming from their sauce.
Overall, the clear winner for me was Popeye’s. There is no doubt in my mind as Popeye’s won in each category. Props to Popeye’s for coming out with such a revolutionary sandwich and seriously challenging Chick-fil-A’s dominance in the chicken sandwich market. After this review, I’m off for a run as my cholesterol levels have increased by 150% and my heart is about to stop.
Works Cited
Wrabetz, Elise. Chicken sandwiches from Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A. Digital Image. NBC News. August 20, 2019. January 1, 2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/popeyes-started-chicken-sandwich-war-chick-fil-why-they-ll-ncna1044406.
