Fast food chains all have their own staple items, but having a classic fried chicken sandwich is just as important. For restaurants that specialize in chicken, like Chick-Fil-A and KFC, the chicken sandwich IS the staple item. It’s a menu item that unites loyalists and severs weak bonds, so when Popeyes dropped their new chicken sandwich, it’s no wonder the devoted chicken sandwich fans felt threatened.
The Louisiana based fast food chain came out of nowhere to spice up the competition, literally. The Popeyes new chicken sandwich is also available as a spicy chicken sandwich, and honestly? It’s a game changer. But why is one food chain’s chicken sandwich sparking so much debate?
Why There Is A Chicken Conflict:
Established chicken empires such as Chick–Fil–A, KFC, and even Wendy’s have had sandwiches on their menu for quite some time. But now, after 47 years, Popeyes has entered the competition with their first dip into sandwich territory. The conflict begins with the question of who makes the best spicy chicken sandwich. This is a debate that takes everything into consideration: the crunch, the spice, and even the politics.
It’s no secret that Chick-Fil-A is under some scrutiny for their political alliances. There have been people who have given up the delightful chicken sandwich Chick-Fil-A supplies due to the politics between the buns. In that absence, consumers are looking for something to fill their chicken sandwich void. While Wendy’s did bring their spicy chicken nuggets back after popular demand (seriously, celebrities even weighed in their opinions!), it wasn’t quite enough.
On August 12, Popeyes made their spicy chicken sandwich debut and shook the world, or well, the internet to its core. Chicken sandwich enthusiasts have taken to Twitter to express their “hot takes” on the competition.
We were supposed to have flying cars in 2019, but instead we have a war over a chicken sandwich
— Laieke Abebe (@StrikaNation24_) August 22, 2019
Me eating Chick-fil-A again after trying Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich
— AP (@Rondo_RogerThat) August 12, 2019
https://t.co/riYhQxflxv
Even the social media platforms for the fast food chains have joined in on the Chicken Sandwich War, and we are totally here for it. There’s something about these businesses poking fun at each other on social media for everyone’s enjoyment that just makes this competition that much better.
… y’all good? https://t.co/lPaTFXfnyP
— Popeyes (@Popeyes) August 19, 2019
lol, guess that means the food’s as dry as the jokes https://t.co/aX3XnRunNW
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) August 20, 2019
Despite the friendly (or maybe not so friendly) banter between the major fast food chains, it all comes down to this:
The Review
Oola Team
Before truthfully giving my review on the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich, I must admit that up until this point, I had never had Popeyes chicken. Shame me all you want, I don’t care. I wasn’t sure what to really expect, but once I unwrapped that chicken sandwich, my mouth started watering. To be fair, I love chicken so much that it’d do that anyway. First bite was phenomenal. In fact, every bite was.
If I had to rank this sandwich on a 5 point scale, it’d land a solid 4. It is spicy, my mouth was on fire, but it was delicious and I couldn’t stop eating it. Also, the sandwich travels surprisingly well. You know how you get something delivered and by the time it actually gets to you, it’s squished and smothered in a pool of grease? Yeah, not with the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich. The crispiness was fresh and the combination of pickles with the sauce and buttermilk bun was amazing. I already want another.
