# Which national fast-food chain has the best basic Fried Chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927 "2012-01-18T20:14:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/81 "2012-01-25T16:04:12Z")
Sorry, totally missed this (I’ve been on travel a lot lately): [QUOTE=asterion] Since when did Albuquerque have a Popeyes? I remember KFC and Church’s, as well as Grandy’s, which was my favorite of the three. And if Roy Rogers counts for this poll, Grandy’s should as well. It’s in just as many states and has more locations. [/QUOTE] It’s actually in Rio Rancho near the mall (Cottonwood). I think it’s on old Coors, but basically it’s on the restaurant row right next to the mall if you are ever in the area. I haven’t seen a Roy Rogers since I was in my 20’s. I thought they had all gone out of business years ago or been taken over by (IIRC) Hardy’s. Like I said, I really used to love their roast beef sandwiches…MUCH better, IMHO, than Arby’s (especially the BBQ sauce). -XT ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/82 "2012-01-25T18:08:57Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Who are all these people voting for KFC? And have they even _tried_ Popeye’s? > > Inspired by this thread I picked up some Popeye’s last night. Magnificent! Honestly, no. I grew up on KFC and I’m utterly addicted to their mashed potatoes and gravy. Mashed and gravy is simply one of the finest food stuffs known to man and while KFCs version is admittedly artificial tasting and perhaps only contains 15% potato, it’s a primal need. KFCs cole slaw is truly wonderful and when their mac and cheese is freshly made it’s pretty much the ideal mac and cheese. Toss is a fresh biscuit with a honey packet and I’m a happy, happy boy. KFCs chicken is fine, I like it, but it’s perhaps only the 3rd or 4th reason I’d go there and if I got all sides and no chicken I’d be perfectly content. I’ve never eaten Popeyes that I can recall. It’s likely that someone picked some up at some point in my life but I have no recollection of it. There’s 2 reasons that I’m unlikely to ever make a habit of visiting them over KFC, they don’t have KFCs sides, specifically the mashed and gravy, and their stores here in Chicago are so horribly ghetto and bordering on dangerous. It’s very possible that their chicken blows away KFC, but really that’s not a big selling point for this guy. I too would have voted for Browns at the top of the list if it had been listed. Their fried chicken was amazing and was about the only kind we ate growing up. My dad drove past one on the way home from work and it was a pretty regular treat for us when no one was up for cooking. Their website only lists 32 locations as of now, all in the Chicago area, and they were really hurt by the gruesome murder at one of their locations back in the 90s and a recent legal battle over ownership has put them in more jeopardy. Maybe one day I’ll make a trip to one of their remaining locations to see if they are still as good as I recall. Chances are they aren’t. I also don’t get the Chicago love for Harolds. I understand that there are a bunch of franchises and their relative qualities vary substantially so perhaps my sojourns to their loop locations are a poor measure but all in all, they are a colossal disappointment. > [@rachelellogram](#): > > KFC and Popeyes are the only two I’ve had from that list, and Popeyes wins by a looong shot. Popeyes has a lot more delicious cajuny goodness, and their potatoes and gravy are much more flavorful with a thicker texture–KFC’s taters are pretty much half milk, and the gravy sucks. Plus Popeyes dips their biscuits in frying oil or a pot of butter or something. yummmm Hmm, thicker mashed potatoes sounds ok. [QUOTE=Saint Cad] Mashed Potatoes & Gravy 10 points KFC loses 1/2 point for the potatoes a little too creamy and another 1/2 point for not enough gravy. Popeye’s - WTF! Cajun sauce? I should not have to chew my gravy. The only reason Popeye’s gets any points is because the taste was good but it is not mashed & GRAVY KFC - 9 Popeye’s - 4 [/QUOTE] Chewy gravy?!?! Hells no. > [@Teufelblitz](#): > > I can’t figure out why people like Chik-Fil-A so much. Every single item on their menu is bland. It’s pretty bad when I think the best thing on a menu is the fruit cup. > > My wife and the rest of the mid-south seem to be against me on that, though. > [@pulykamell](#): > > I had it for the first time just before New Year’s, and I thought Chik-Fil-A was pretty darned good: just a simple deep fried chicken sandwich with pickles. It’s got nothing on a pork tenderloin sandwich (similar minimalist idea, but with pork), but it’s solid and tasty. If you want your chicken sandwiches with a whole bunch more toppings on them, or much more aggressively spiced, it’s probably not for you. But when you’re just looking for straightforward chicken, I think it’s great. That said, I also liked McDonald’s Chik-Fil-A ripoff sandwich, although its texture was just a bit too soft and “over-brined” to me. I was curious about Chick-Fil-A and when one opened up here in Chicago I was eager to try it out and see if the hype was justified. I disagree that their stuff is bland, but I’ve never noticed fried chicken on their menu and I haven’t a clue why they are on this poll. They have crispy chicken breasts for sandwiches but so does Wendy’s and McDonalds. That’s not fried chicken. Off-topic, I always get the grilled chicken sandwiches at Chick-Fil-A and I like them quite a bit when I’m looking for a marginally healthier fast food option. Their grilled chicken sandwiches are better than McDonalds version and their side salad is actually pretty edible for fast food. All in all I’m a fan of Chick-Fil-A as an option, but they have no place in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/83 "2012-01-25T20:28:36Z")
I voted for Popeye’s, but like some of the other posters I remember KFC as being much better “back in the day” than it is now. I would still give Popeye’s the edge even over old KFC, but the coating on old KFC was much tastier and lighter than it is now. The few times I’ve gone back in the past couple of years, it’s seemed much heavier and greasier than it used to be (I only get Original Recipe). However, of the sides I eat, I prefer KFC’s potato wedges and Little Bucket Chocolate Parfaits to Popeyes’ sides (I usually get either corn, which tastes…like corn. It’s pretty hard to ruin corn on the cob) or macaroni and cheese, which is bland but good. Now if I could have a Popeye’s mild breast with KFC potato wedges and a Little Bucket…mmm, mmm, finger-lickin’ good! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/84 "2012-01-25T21:47:27Z")
I voted Popeyes, but only because there’s not a [Pollos Hermanos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDEBRf_H6A4) in my area. I don’t know what their secret ingredient is, but I cannot get enough of their Blue Fry Special. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/85 "2012-01-25T22:08:14Z")
Chick-fil-a doesn’t have what I would call fried chicken as represented by the other choices. Fried chicken should have bones in it. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/86 "2012-01-25T22:53:50Z")
Not only is Popeye’s my favorite fried chicken, it’s my favorite food PERIOD. KFC, yikes, every time I go I have to say to myself, “this is disappointing, this has got to be my LAST time here.” Soggy crust, bland, salty chicken. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/87 "2012-01-25T23:04:04Z")
[QUOTE=Shawn1767] Soggy crust, bland, salty chicken. [/QUOTE] That’s my issue with it in a nut shell. Every time I’ve gotten it in the last few years, even the ‘extra crispy’ has been a soggy, greasy mess. It tastes like crap, the breading just oozes off of it and it gives me serious indigestion. That could be just the local KFC, but I’ve had such bad experiences with it that I’ll never go back. I agree with others who say that the old days KFC fried chicken was the best, hands down. But sadly those days are gone, and in my area the only fried chicken worth buying from a fast food place is Popeyes. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/88 "2012-01-26T00:03:25Z")
Well, you guys did it, you inspired me to hit Popeye’s on the way home today. I must say that you folks are right, Popeye’s chicken is pretty excellent. I ordered a 2 piece meal with 2 sides. In an unlooked for bit of good fortune they accidentally gave me a original leg and a spicy thigh so I got to taste both. They were both solid, the original leg was pretty much perfect. I also grabbed a red beans and rice and a mashed potato and gravy side. The red beans and rice were quite good, but probably not something I’d crave enough to draw me back. The mashed potatoes were very good too, thick and fluffy and potatoey. The gravy was weird, it has a nice spicy cajun kick to it and tasted good but it wasn’t gravy in the usual sense. If I were craving chicken I’d be happy to have this as a side. If I were craving gravy I’m going to KFC. If only I could get KFC gravy on Popeye’s taters! A man can dream. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/89 "2012-01-26T00:10:34Z")
Church’s is similar to Popeye’s, but Popeye’s has waaaay better sides so they beat Church’s in my book. Never had the mashed potatoes there, though - the red beans and rice are too good. I’ve occasionally gone to Popeye’s when I was not hungry enough for a meal and just wanted a little snack: red beans + a biscuit or two. (Yes - a vegetarian order. Though I’m sure there’s lard in the beans to make 'em taste so damn good.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/90 "2012-01-26T00:20:05Z")
You forgot… Pioneer Chicken, if they still exist. I’ll put Popeye’s in second place, or first if Pioneer is gone. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/91 "2012-01-26T00:23:54Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I was going to say. I’m not one for sides, but red & beans and rice at Popeye’s is a must-try. Their rb&r is food-crack. Popeye’s ftw. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/92 "2012-01-26T01:24:26Z")
As a matter of curiosity: There are two Popeyes in town, one near my work and across town, and both have good food (for fast food fried chicken) and utterly incompetent service. Is this true of the service every place or just the ones here? (Much of the problem is they can’t handle anything at all like a rush- if there’s more than two or three people in line your order is going to be messed up 5 different ways and they’ll forget to give you utensils, napkins, or a straw.) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/93 "2012-01-26T16:34:21Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > As a matter of curiosity: There are two Popeyes in town, one near my work and across town, and both have good food (for fast food fried chicken) and utterly incompetent service. Is this true of the service every place or just the ones here? (Much of the problem is they can’t handle anything at all like a rush- if there’s more than two or three people in line your order is going to be messed up 5 different ways and they’ll forget to give you utensils, napkins, or a straw.) My local Popeye’s doesn’t have incompetent service, but they do have one incredibly annoying trait that doesn’t seem to be Popeye’s-wide: they only take cash. I don’t know what’s up with the owner–I complain about this on about every fifth visit, asking if they’ve caught up with the 21st century yet and plan to take credit/debit cards any time soon; the people who work there tell me I’m by far not the only complainer, but still the guy refuses to listen to reason. So every time we go there we either have to remember to bring cash (which we rarely carry) or use their in-house ATM and pay the fee. All of which is annoying enough, but the worst is when the ATM goes down. There’s nowhere else nearby to get cash. This is when I complain the most. Damn it, I want chicken! And I don’t want to have to make a 10 minute trip to the market to get cash. So I have to settle for McDonald’s, who _has_ caught up with the 21st century. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Michael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@David\_Michael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Michael)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/94 "2013-04-28T18:12:23Z")
I discovered Popeye’s Fried Chicken in Amman, Jordan on a teaching assignment there for two years. Although my wife and I enjoy the healthier Middle Eastern cuisine, we loved Popeye’s. Even today, while I am a 90% vegan, I go off the reservation a bit and have a piece of Fried Chicken from Popeyes. Damn, it’s good! Fortunately, out here in Oregon they are very few so I don’t get tempted. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/95 "2013-04-28T19:02:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You forgot… Pioneer Chicken, if they still exist. I’ll put Popeye’s in second place, or first if Pioneer is gone. There is still a Pioneer Chicken on Soto St in downtown LA. Tastes just like you recall. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/96 "2013-04-28T23:09:42Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Somebody help me out as my memory isn’t the best. > > When I was a kiddie in the 70s I lived in the US. I remember KFC as being not only delicious, but pretty crispy and dry, and the batter was light in color. > > I didn’t eat any KFC for maybe 20 years. The next time I ordered it it was soggy, dark in color, and excessively greasy. I put that down to the individual franchise, but I have subsequently ordered it in several different countries, including the US, and found the same thing. > > However I went to Popeye’s recently and was delighted to find that it matched up with my memory of what I thought KFC was. Delicious, crispy and really tasty. > > Am I misremembering? Was I actually eating Popeye’s when I was a nipper, or has the KFC recipe changed? > > (In other words I voted Popeye’s.) On the off hand chance you’re still coming back to this zombie chicken thread, sounds like in the old days you were eating extra crispy and when you tried it decades later you were eating original recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/97 "2013-04-28T23:37:37Z")
Kroger’s Deli Chicken is better cooked & has more meat on it than all of the above. Cheap, too! ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/98 "2013-04-28T23:52:24Z")
KFC sides are all school cafeteria quality. Potatoes are like those instant things from boxes. Chicken dry. All sides from Popeyes includ ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/99 "2013-04-29T00:00:40Z")
fast food section of Stater Brothers Market for Chicken tenders. Fast food section of Albertsons for breast and thighs. Yumm ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927/100 "2013-04-29T16:36:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not one for sides, but red & beans and rice at Popeye’s is a must-try. > [@ExTank](#): > > Their rb&r is food-crack. Just don’t let it get cold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-fried-chicken/609927.md?page=6)