15 Chicken Chains Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Reddit

With the relative popularity of chicken, it's no surprise that so many different restaurants focus solely on serving it. The food item is so well-loved that over a dozen fried chicken chains are expanding in 2025. With such a large variety of eateries focusing on poultry, naturally, customer opinions on each eatery's food quality, menu, and prices differ.

Diners swear by and recommend some eateries, happily sinking their teeth and money into them. On the other hand, when it comes to certain chicken restaurants, reviewers think they fall flat and are simply not worth it. To get to the bottom of it, we decided to rank 15 chicken chains in the U.S. from worst to best based on customer opinions. That way, you can hatch a plan of where to go the next time you are peckish for poultry. To learn more about our research and determination process, visit the methodology slide at the end of this story. 

One chicken chain that a majority of reviewers seem to agree does not offer good value for their money is KFC. Despite serving chicken since 1930 and being known as the granddaddy of chicken joints, there have been signs recently that KFC is struggling.

Customers in one Reddit thread complained about KFC price gouging and charging high amounts for small portions. One Redditor even claimed that the restaurant's share price had risen 500% since 2000, showing where the profit was going. In another thread, someone questioned why KFC was so bad, and commenters stated that the food quality hadn't been good since the '90s. 

Meanwhile, one reviewer claimed that Yum! Brands, KFC's owner, has been selling lower-quality chicken and focusing on Taco Bell. In a different discussion, commenters highlighted some items as better than others, but agreed the chicken had become dry, stale, and tasteless. A former employee said a manager told them that KFC no longer puts as much salt in the batter and the chicken is now soaked in plain water. Other Redditors concurred that procedures for preparing and cooking the chicken had changed, leading to the bad taste.

Pollo Campero started in Guatemala in 1971 and claims on its website that its food is "full of life and seasoned with a little zest." However, reviewers on Reddit do not seem to agree with the restaurant's assertion. Diners in one Reddit thread dubbed the restaurant's chicken overrated and stated that it was too expensive, low in quality, and not worth it.

In a different discussion comparing Pollo Campero and Bojangles, commenters weren't so keen on the former, describing it as mediocre. Other Redditors called it overpriced and avoided repeat visits. One person even called it nasty and noted that the rice lacked flavor and the chicken was hard. One lone diner took to Reddit, complimenting the chicken sandwich from Pollo Campero as being comparable to Chick-fil-A's. Commenters responded by telling them to calm down, calling it clickbait, and even joking that they were part of Pollo Campero PR.

Church's Texas Chicken opened in San Antonio in 1952 and now serves its chicken internationally. After reading customer opinions on the chicken eatery, we are sure some people are wondering how it continues to operate.

One Redditor complained about noticing an unpleasant change in the taste of Church's chicken tenders. Commenters in another Reddit thread said that no one in Texas even likes Church's — not good to hear from its birth state residents. Other reviewers said that after the restaurant rebranded, the quality of the chicken changed and was now worse than KFC's. 

Another Reddit thread pointed out how the quality of the food declined while the prices increased simultaneously. Other discussions on Reddit commented that Church's food portions had been shrinking as well. There were still some people who complimented the restaurant, but they were vastly outweighed by those who criticized it and preferred other chains.

Culver's is known for its ButterBurger, but the restaurant also has a selection of chicken items. It's probably best not to get too excited about the chicken options just yet, as The Takeout ranked Culver's chicken sandwich as the worst-tasting out of 11 chains.

Culver's recently released a new chicken sandwich lineup, but some customers saw it as a step down in quality, describing the chicken as very tough and dense. There were also complaints about the grilled chicken being of lower quality and the marinade smelling strange. Diners in another Reddit thread described the grilled chicken as rubbery and overseasoned. 

Unsurprisingly, one Culver's employee said they had seen an increase in customer complaints about the chicken since the new menu items were launched. There were also complaints throughout multiple Reddit discussions about the new non-spicy crispy chicken sandwich being spicy. Customers in a separate Reddit thread agreed, adding that it was too salty and chewy. To top it off, Redditors also complained about the price of the basket meal going up.

Zaxbys is a chicken chain that started in Georgia, originally solely focusing on chicken fingers. Now, the menu has expanded to include other types of chicken items such as wings, sandwiches, and salads. While the chicken at Zaxbys gets some praise, most reviewers seem to dislike it. It's probably a good thing, considering Zaxbys serves the unhealthiest fast food chicken sandwich.

In one Reddit thread, customers complained about the chicken and food in general becoming more expensive, while the portions simultaneously shrank. A former general manager explained that Zaxbys doesn't compete with most quick service restaurants aside from Raising Cane's. Additionally, they noted that the chicken being sourced is smaller and no longer hand-breaded. 

Customers in two Reddit discussions complained about the quality and portion sizes at Zaxbys, with some calling it the most disappointing meal they've ever had. A Zaxbys employee recommended that people make complaints to corporate, as this could possibly lead to specific stores being monitored.

Wingstop is a Texas-based chicken chain with more than 2,000 restaurants around the world. Customer reviews of Wingstop are pretty middling; some people dislike it, and others think it's okay, but no one is blown away. Commenters describe the chicken as good for what it is, but nothing to write home about. One person called it terrible, though others claimed the quality of the chicken depended on the location.

Multiple Reddit threads complained about the cost, with most people reminiscing about how cheap it used to be. One thread was even specifically dedicated to complaining about the price of extra dips and sauces. Another customer called the restaurant extremely mediocre, criticizing the sauces as being basic, the chicken as not being crispy or cooked properly, and the fries as being floppy and overseasoned. The assertion about the sauce being basic seemed to be somewhat accurate, because when The Takeout taste tested Wingstop's sauces, the Hawaiian sauce came in last place for tasting like children's cough syrup. 

Buffalo Wild Wings is a chicken chain that gives its customers a fairly wide range of options, with 26 different sauces and dry rubs. However, the variety didn't seem to sway customer opinions, which were very split regarding the restaurant's quality and overall experience. Diners on Reddit complained that Buffalo Wild Wings has steadily gotten worse over the years, noting that the restaurant's service has always been bad. 

An employee highlighted the burgers as the best food served at the eatery, which isn't what you want to hear about a chicken wing restaurant. One poster on Reddit was baffled that Buffalo Wild Wings still exists, stating they have the "worst wings in the history of time." Some reviewers agreed, claiming that Applebee's had better wings. One diner gave Buffalo Wild Wings a chance after over a decade and was not impressed with the quality of the food, even stating it gave them stomach problems. 

Some commenters pointed out that food quality is very dependent on the location. In fact, one customer said they know they have a fifty-fifty chance of the food being great or disappointing when they visit. Finally, diners also noted the restaurant's main let down was its price. 

Bojangles has been serving customers for more than 45 years. The chain is known for its chicken, biscuits, and tea, and brags about serving up flavorful food on its website. The restaurant's assertion regarding its food seems to be an accurate experience for some customers, but others were left unsatisfied.

A significant number of people were unhappy when Bojangles was acquired by an NYC-based hedge fund in 2023 and stopped serving bone-in chicken at a majority of its locations. However, a saving grace on the menu seems to be the Bo-berry biscuits, as multiple Redditors were very complimentary about them. On the flip side, they described the chicken as good but nothing life-changing. The chicken was also given a fairly middling rating of five out of 10 by one person, who said that Popeyes and Golden Chick were better. Other commenters in a different thread highlighted the chain's downward trend since being bought, stating that the quality was a hit or miss depending on the location, and the food was overpriced. 

Still, some customers complimented the chain, calling it enjoyable and listing their favorite items. Others agreed and stated that Bojangles was better than Popeyes.

Slim Chicken is another chain that initially focused mainly on chicken tenders. It claims on its website that the tenders are hand-breaded and made from the best chicken meat. Today, the restaurant has expanded to serve tender bites, wings, sandwiches, salads, wraps, tender mac bowls, and chicken and waffles. However, the chain's food might not always hit the spot, as customer reviews have been mixed.

A diner on Reddit complimented Slim Chickens as being a reliable corporate fast food chain. The opinion was shared by other commenters who especially liked the tenders, sandwiches, and cayenne ranch. However, there were complaints about the wings and sauces being the restaurant's weak spot. Mixed opinions of the wings and food in general seemed to be consistent, as in another discussion, some diners enjoyed their meal and thought it was a great value, but others were left disappointed. 

In addition, Slim Chickens received very middling responses from Redditors in a different thread, who stated that it was good for what it was, but they weren't blown away. Other diners were fairly critical of the chain, calling it trash, criticizing the quality, and recommending that people go elsewhere. 

Popeyes is a Louisiana-style chicken chain from New Orleans that was actually originally named Chicken on the Run. The restaurant's food seems to please most customers, but some were discontent with the quality as well as the price. 

There's some truth to it, as a former employee said they witnessed the prices rise significantly from 2020 to now. For example, the sandwich combo went from $8 to $12, and the eight-piece family meal from $23 to $33. A writer for The Takeout agreed the restaurant was pricey, comparing the three-piece combo meal from KFC and Popeyes and determining the former was the better value. 

Regarding food, customers in a Reddit discussion called Popeyes' chicken tenders, nuggets, and boneless wings superior to other eateries. Some customers concurred that Popeyes had surpassed KFC but wasn't quite on the same tier as Chick-fil-A. A diner from the U.K. seemed to think that Popeyes was one of America's best-kept secrets, and commenters agreed, recommending a variety of items to order. Still, others felt that the restaurant's food, specifically the bone-in chicken, was overrated.

Raising Cane's is another restaurant with chicken tenders as its primary menu offering. However, most customers on Reddit recognized the chain for the Cane's sauce and Texas toast, not necessarily the best sign for a chicken restaurant. 

While Raising Cane's chicken received praise from diners, it was also criticized by diners for its portion size, flavor, and price. Customers on Reddit complained about the restaurant's increasing prices. In addition, people in another Reddit thread described the chicken as middling, not as good as Chick-fil-A's, and more of a delivery system for the sauce. One Redditor even called Raising Cane's a sauce restaurant, not a chicken one.

However, plenty of customers liked how fresh the chicken always is, and recommended simple ways to improve it, such as adding two packets of salt and asking for the chicken and fries to be cooked extra crispy. An employee in the discussion noted that Cane's guarantees food is fresh by throwing away surplus every six minutes. 

Jollibee is a Filipino fast food chain that serves primarily chicken. It has over 100 restaurants in North America and more than 1,700 around the world. The restaurant's food seems to impress most customers, but it has received a couple of complaints, too.

One customer generously dubbed Jollibee's fried chicken the best next to Mary Brown's, with the only downside for them being the price. Diners recommended using the app to get discounts and complimented the food's high quality. However, there were still conflicting opinions of Jollibee on Reddit, with some reviewers enjoying the food thoroughly, a couple even calling it their go-to, and others thinking it was just alright and that other chains were better. 

USA Today named Jollibee the best fast food fried chicken in 2024, an assessment supported by many Redditors. One customer even noted they were glad they didn't live near the chain, as they would gain weight from constantly eating there. 

Bonchon is a chicken chain that originated in Busan, South Korea, in 2002 and came to New York City in 2006. The founder, Jinduk Seo, dreamed of sharing his favorite flavors with the world, and claims to have perfected the restaurant's signature sauces and fried chicken. Seo's work seems to have paid off, as Bonchon's food is mostly loved by customers and has received very few complaints. 

Reviewers on Reddit even dubbed the wings from Bonchon the best; the only complaints were regarding the small side portions and the oversized wings — although that doesn't necessarily sound like a bad thing. Diners also described the chicken as unlike anything else, and said that Bonchon is the best chicken recipe to come out of Korea, high praise. Other Redditors were just as complimentary about the food's flavor, though some had grievances with the price and inconsistent quality depending on the location. A Redditor attributed the varying quality to those restaurants transitioning from a sit-down format to fast casual.

Chick-fil-A sells only chicken and is known for being closed on Sundays to let employees have a day to worship if desired. Overall, customers seemed very pleased with the food they received from the chicken chain. Many of them were also quite loyal to the chain and were not shy to express their feelings. In fact, one reviewer on Reddit tried to say that Chick-fil-A had taken a drastic downturn, and was met with heavy disagreement from people stating that the restaurant is still as good as it's always been and that maybe it was just their location. 

Diners across Reddit discussions highlighted the good service the chicken chain provides, and mentioned the consistency of Chick-fil-A's food quality and cleanliness. One Redditor even questioned how Chick-fil-A had mastered the world of fast food chicken while other chains hadn't. The only complaints from customers seemed to be about the price. 

Golden Chick was originally founded as Golden Fried Chicken in Texas in 1967 by a World War II Navy veteran, Howard Walker, and his wife. The restaurant didn't become Golden Chick until 1993. Customers did nothing but rave about the chicken chain's food, which is why it earned the top spot on our list.

One diner on Reddit was so impressed by Golden Chick that they called it the best fried chicken they had ever had. Other customers highlighted the baked chicken, dirty rice, french fries, and rolls — basically the entire menu. The worst comment was a Redditor saying the chain was as good as Raising Cane's, which based on our list means it's not that bad at all. Other reviewers on Reddit described the chicken as tasty, juicy, and delicious, and highly recommended the roasted chicken. One Redditor received a huge batch of food at a low price, and commenters celebrated with them, emphasizing the deliciousness of the food.

Determining which chicken restaurants are better than others can be hard — especially since there are so many throughout the United States. In order to create this ranking, we visited discussion forums on Reddit and reviewed customer opinions of each eatery's chicken and other menu items. We also looked for comments on the food quality and price. After analyzing and compiling reviews, we put the chicken chains in order based on the customer consensus.