One of the most classic comfort foods that come to mind is fried chicken. The juicy chicken legs coated in a layer of light, crunchy batter makes for a savory treat after a long exam season. However the fried chicken business is growing and customers now have many purchasing options. For example, during my pre-exam craving last week, I had to ponder long and hard about which vendor had the best fried chicken. Particularly, I compared a couple popular fried chicken chains and broke them down into a few criteria, including the taste, price, and the unique factors for each chain.
Popeyes:
Popeyes is a popular chain that originated in Louisiana, therefore (as you might have guessed) the flavors are uniquely representative of Southern United States with a strong hint of Cajun and spices. Besides fried chicken, there are also other specialty items from fried seafood to biscuits. Personally, as a committed fan of fried chicken, I usually only order purely chicken-based offerings including chicken tenders.
Taste: ★★★★☆
Popeyes offers the unique choices from mild to spicy versions of their fried chicken. Their fried chicken is also encased in a crunchy batter that has a bigger crunch than some of its competitors. I personally love the larger crunch factor contrasted with the tenderness of the chicken that makes a great combo. However, my last order of Popeyes did not have the best spiciness level despite having ordered the spicy option.
Price: ★★☆☆☆
When it comes to fried chicken, Popeyes is fairly more expensive than its competitors with a whopping $29.99 for a 8 piece with some sides.
KFC:
The iconic KFC with its smiling white bearded Colonel has become a sensation in the world. Particularly when it comes to comfort food, KFC has it all. Particularly, KFC boasts their unique combination of 11 herbs and spices (Entertainingly enough, their Instagram page follows all 5 spice girls and 6 random men named Herb). For many, the Tuesday Special holds a special place on the dinner table (called Tooney Tuesday before recent inflation). What’s unique about KFC is its offering of coleslaw and macaroni sides which make a great contrast to its chicken.
Taste: ★★★v☆
While the taste is highly debated topic. For some friends, KFC is greasy, soggy, and unappetizing while for others the chicken is juicy and tender. Personally, I was always a die-hard fan of the chicken and have had vastly different experiences depending on the individual franchise. While some vendors had more freshly fried chicken, others were indeed soggy and dry.
Price: ★★★★☆
Compared to competitors, KFC is oftentimes a better bang for your buck. For example their 8 piece meal comes in at $31.00 but offers large fries, gravy, and a choice of two medium sides whereas Popeyes’ choice of sides is much more limited with only 1 side and some biscuits. Moreover, KFC’s infamous Tuesday Special helps fried chicken lovers to enjoy chicken at a much lower cost.
