America's Absolute Favorite Chain Fried Chicken Sandwich Isn't From Popeyes, According To Yelp

When you think about America's obsession with fried chicken sandwiches, you immediately think of the chain that started it all, right? That restaurant would be Popeyes, the one that ignited the fried chicken sandwich craze in 2019. You'd think it'd stand squarely on top of everyone's fast food chicken sandwich list. But according to Yelp's newest report, customer sentiment now declares Popeyes is not the chicken sandwich of choice any longer. In fact, it's fallen pretty far.

The top chain that people go to, according to Yelp's data, is now Chick-fil-A. That's probably not a surprise to you, considering that fried chicken sandwiches are the restaurant's specialty. Customers love Chick-fil-A for the combination of its food, customer service, and consistency, which translates into brand loyalty and repeat visits. In second place is Dave's Hot Chicken, whose Nashville hot-style chicken tenders have taken on the world by storm, and third is Raising Cane's. While Raising Cane's is more known for its tenders than its sandwiches, apparently when they're tucked into a bun with its secret sauce, that's enough to keep people coming back for more. Rounding out the fourth place spot is Shake Shack. Popeyes finally makes its appearance on the list in fifth. The throne now belongs to a whole different chicken slinger.

McDonald's only placed ninth overall in terms of national fried chicken sandwich popularity. Interestingly, the population in all four regions (North, East, South, and West) all ranked it highly. In each separate region, the Golden Arches independently landed in first or second place, which means that even if McDonald's isn't everyone's national go-to for fried chicken sandwiches the way Chick-fil-A is, it's still a preferred chain for many. Should the Snack Wrap do well starting later this month, who knows, maybe McDonald's will shoot up the national list — but only time will tell. This won't take long, however, since the Snack Wrap drops on July 10 – just a couple days from now.

As time passes, preferences are bound to change. Popeyes might not be in the number one spot for fried chicken sandwiches any longer, but it still holds an iconic spot for crushing the category for so many years, and for being the catalyst for this massive chicken sandwich wave. Who knew an ordinary meal could cause such ripples in both the food world and pop culture at large? For now, Chick-fil-A sits on top. Who knows, Dave's Hot Chicken might take that number one spot next year.