The smackdown continues with Chick-fil-A’s fried chicken sandwich—the third in the lineup to go before Restaurant Business editors and our colleagues at Technomic and FoodService Director.
Dozens of newcomers are heating up the so-called chicken sandwich wars, but Chick-fil-A boasts the longest-running Southern-style fried chicken sandwich; it was introduced in 1964. The QSR is testing a new iteration to join the original. It’s drizzled with honey and topped with pimento cheese and pickled jalapenos, but the basic build is the one that is being widely imitated right now.
Our tasting panel agreed it was worthy of imitation.
The chicken itself is thick and juicy, the coating spiced right and the buttered, toasted bun complements the fillings. Chick-fil-A is a little stingy with its pickles—only two slices per sandwich—and consumers have to request a separate packet of sauce. But that means the customer can opt for the sauce flavor of their choice from several varieties.
At a base price of about $3.75, Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Sandwich offers good value for its size and quality.
To hear how the sandwich compares to the newbies, listen to our esteemed panel dish on the details.
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