I compared Popeyes and Chick-fil-A and saw how critical speed will be to winning the chicken sandwich wars

This location is at 111 Fulton Street. Restaurants in the Financial District get really busy at lunchtime since there are a lot of offices in the neighborhood. I figured it would be a good way to see how Popeyes and Chick-fil-A handle their busiest hours. 

There were also a couple of people who had already placed their orders waiting off to the side of the counter. A shelving system to the right stored take out orders. 

The restaurant was pretty full. I spotted at least ten people sitting at tables. 

There were a few people ahead of me in line still waiting for their orders, so I wondered if mine was faster because it was a chicken sandwich. Perhaps they had some classic sandwiches ready to go, whereas customized orders took longer. 

The chicken sandwich was $5.99 and the mango lemonade was $2.79. With tax, my order total came to $9.56. It’s hard to find lunch for under $10 in the Financial District. 

It was still pretty warm as I unwrapped it. 

Though, I would have liked to see a little more mayo on the sandwich. 

The pickles slid to the back of my sandwich so some of my bites were missing pickles.

The sandwich was a good portion that fulfilled my appetite, but didn’t leave me feeling overly full or sluggish. 

This location was just down the street from Popeyes at 144 Fulton Street. It’s a popular lunch destination so there is usually a crowd around the entrance. 

There were too many people in front of me to count. 

I thought Popeyes had been busy the previous day, but that was nothing compared to the flood of customers in Chick-fil-A at lunchtime. 

The restaurant certainly has their rush-hour process down. There was an employee at the entrance welcoming everyone in and directing them into line. There were a couple employees with tablets taking orders while customers waited in line. Then there were several cashiers ringing up orders and handing out food. 

I received my food at the counter as the employee processed my payment. I was surprised I didn’t have to wait longer after paying, since that’s usually how it goes. But I guess the chain has front loaded customers’ wait time so there’s instant gratification once you reach the counter. 

I didn’t ask for a meal but the employee must have assumed I wanted one since I ordered a drink. He then asked if I wanted fries or a fruit salad, so I chose the fruit salad as a healthier alternative. But had I known it was optional, I would have done without it. 

The meal cost $12.29, plus $1.60 for the fruit cup, and an extra charge of 36 cents for the lemonade iced tea. With tax, the total came to $15.52. 

The chicken had less breading.

There were two tiny pickles hiding under the chicken. I laughed at how small they were — I could get one, maybe two bites out of them. 

I know a major selling point for some is that Chick-fil-A has a bunch of different sauces for your chicken. But I wanted to try the sandwich on its own first to get a full taste of the flavors. 

The chicken was tender and juicy, but the breading lacked flavor and crunch. The bread felt sad compared to Popeyes brioche bun. 

I don’t usually eat a big breakfast, but that morning the office catered bagels so I wasn’t very hungry by the time lunch came around. 

That said, the lack of flavor and crispy texture in Chick-fil-A’s sandwich didn’t really make me want to eat more of it. 

While Chick-fil-A’s sandwich is fine — it satisfies on a road trip or a quick lunch break — it’s also pretty forgettable. There’s a reason I couldn’t remember if I liked the last one I had a couple years ago.

Popeyes is noteworthy good, the kind of sandwich you bring up in conversation with drool forming in your mouth.

I later contacted Popeyes to ask if this kitchen was new but a company representative said they could not confirm if this location’s kitchen was new or not.