# Best (large) fried chicken chain **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433 "2010-12-08T17:29:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/1 "2010-12-08T17:29:58Z")
What is the best fried chicken you’ve gotten from a chain? Limiting this to large chains meaning 100 locations or more (sorry **Harold’s Chicken Shack** and **Roscoe’s** , although I did include a couple with a bit less than 100) and only chains serving whole fried chicken parts, not “fingers” or “strips” (sorry **Raising Cane’s** and **Zaxby’s** ), not wings (sorry **Wingstop** ), not “rotisserie” (sorry **Boston Market** and **St-Hubert** ), not “grilled” (sorry **El Pollo Loco** ) or “charcoal chicken” (sorry **Oporto** ). No “other” here; sorry but you’ll have to choose from what’s listed. Apologies if your favorite joint didn’t make the cut. Poll coming. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/2 "2010-12-08T17:35:48Z")
Personally I haven’t been to the majority of those but I will always stop at Pollo Campero over KFC or Popeye’s. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/3 "2010-12-08T17:39:04Z")
All must bow before [El Pollo Loco](http://www.elpolloloco.com/company/history.html)! If you haven’t heard of them before, you will. Best fast-food chicken ever. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/4 "2010-12-08T17:43:02Z")
I only have experience with KFC or Popeye’s. I chose Popeye’s, although I really don’t like fried chicken. I chose Popeye’s for the fries (and crawfish). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/5 "2010-12-08T17:43:16Z")
Popeye’s got my vote. Love that chicken from Popeye’s! Always get a side of red beans & rice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/6 "2010-12-08T17:51:28Z")
Popeyes’ food is good but I have to downgrade them for shitty service. Maybe this is different in other places but in every Popeye’s I’ve ever been to around my way or even in other cities the service is universally terrible. There’s always half a dozen people behind the counter and they’re not doing shit and yet it’s always a 5-10 minute wait to get my food for no apparent reason. Even just a simple 3-piece chicken dinner with red beans and rice and a drink takes 10 minutes when the stuff is all sitting _right there_ behind the counter. So I only get Popeye’s when someone else goes to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/7 "2010-12-08T17:52:00Z")
Popeye’s and Church’s. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/8 "2010-12-08T17:54:50Z")
I love popeye’s. Everything there is tasty stuff! **DCnDC** you have a crappy popeye’s. My service is always fast - well fast enough for me. But their food is so awesome I’m willing to wait! I have been having quite the hankering lately - might have to pick some up on the way home. I’m sure the hubby won’t be disappointed! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/9 "2010-12-08T17:56:53Z")
I really missing having access to Lee’s Famous Fried. It beat the crap out of KFC and Popeye’s, and I certainly didn’t object to either of those. We ate a lot of it back when I was living in the dorms. We had corrupted the name to the point where it was usually just called “Faymafry” and we always got our chicken with squigies (potato wedges). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/10 "2010-12-08T18:19:15Z")
I always get Popeye’s and Bojangles confused. They have similar menus and similar marketing. Both make excellent fried chicken, and (unlike KFC) serve up nice big meaty chicken breasts. No undersized rejects here. And the spicy chicken is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/11 "2010-12-08T19:18:13Z")
Church’s first, Popeye’s second. Harold’s is an honorable mention just for their use of beef tallow, but I would rate them above Popeye’s if I could. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/12 "2010-12-08T19:43:12Z")
I had to vote for Bojangle’s, partly out of local pride, but also because I haven’t had Popeye’s in over 30 years. I do see that the closest one is just south of the border in Rock Hill, though, so I might rectify that soon. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/13 "2010-12-08T19:46:51Z")
I’ve only been to Popeye’s and KFC, and like the spicier Popeye’s recipe. But I also like KFC. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/14 "2010-12-08T19:59:52Z")
Even vegetarianslikeme love Popeye’s beans and rice, cole sla, french fries and biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/15 "2010-12-08T20:39:16Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > All must bow before [El Pollo Loco](http://www.elpolloloco.com/company/history.html)! > > If you haven’t heard of them before, you will. Best fast-food chicken ever. I like El pollo Loco but they don’t sell fried chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Carnacki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/16 "2010-12-08T21:19:15Z")
I voted Popeyes, didn’t expect them to be the favorite. :eek: I should have read the OP first, however. The title says best fried chicken chain, and I voted Popeyes because I love their red beans & rice. The OP says best fried chicken – I don’t really have a favorite as far as fried chicken goes. Judging based solely on the fried chicken itself, they’re all the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/17 "2010-12-08T21:22:22Z")
Why was Chick-Fil-A disqualified? I would have thought they were the second-biggest. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/18 "2010-12-08T21:24:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why was Chick-Fil-A disqualified? I would have thought they were the second-biggest. I can’t speak for the OP, but Chick-Fil-A doesn’t really sell _fried chicken_. They sell sandwiches with fried chicken breast fillets (hence the name). ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/19 "2010-12-08T21:24:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why was Chick-Fil-A disqualified? I would have thought they were the second-biggest. This was about whole fried chicken pieces only. No strips/wings/fingers/other cooking method. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433/20 "2010-12-08T21:28:21Z")
It does seem like I should be giving Popeye’s another try. I mean, generally I think KFC is about par with them but I don’t like the the seasons in Popeye’s as well. Although, I used to go to a Popeye’s that had a buffet, and their baked chicken with mashed potatoes and gibblet gravy was dreamy. But otherwise, am I just not ordering the right stuff from Popeye’s? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-large-fried-chicken-chain/563433.md?page=2)