I’ll admit it: I’m a chicken sandwich person.
Crispy, juicy, fried chicken stacked with pickles and maybe a spicy sauce? Sign me up.
And I’m not alone – according to one report, Americans devour millions of them each year.
So we eat a lot of chicken sandwiches – but which ones do we love most?
Well, it turns out we have information on this…
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The folks at YouGov track how Americans feel about restaurants — not just whether they’ve heard of them, but how much they actually like them, and from that we can make some pretty good guesses at how Americans feel about their chicken sandwiches.
Take Popeye’s, for example. If it was America’s favorite restaurant (it’s not)… wouldn’t it make sense that their chicken sandwiches are a big reason why?
Same goes for Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and KFC…
So I dug through the numbers, focused on chains that are known for chicken sandwiches or burgers, and added some honest, unfiltered opinions along the way.
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That means I left off places like, say, Chili’s—sure, they have a chicken sandwich on the menu, but is anyone really going there just for that?
And yes, I had to make some judgment calls. Argue with me in the comments if you must.
Alright, on to the rankings!
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 96%
Percent of Americans who like it: 57%
My take: Sonic’s chicken sandwich has potential, but the amount of chicken is seriously underwhelming — you get more lettuce than chicken. Add the groovy sauce and it’s definitely better, but even then, it’s nowhere near the top contenders…
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 97%
Percent of Americans who like it: 59%
My take: The McCrispy is… fine, so I’m not shocked McDonald’s landed all the way down at #9. It’s crispy enough, but it can be dry, and I’m not wild about how the spicy version is just regular chicken with a spicy sauce slapped on. Honestly, the McChicken is still their best chicken sandwich — nothing groundbreaking, but reliably satisfying, with just the right amount of mayo, mustard (yep), and pepper.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 98%
Percent of Americans who like it: 59%
My take: Burger King is hit or miss. Personally, it’s a bit too salty, and the chicken’s nothing to write home about. With the Original Chicken Sandwich, it feels like you’re mostly eating bread and mayo. Maybe it’s nostalgic for some, but let’s be real — there are way better sandwiches out there now.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 98%
Percent of Americans who like it: 60%
My take: Subway’s been one of America’s go-to sandwich spots for decades, so of course it had to make the list. I’ll admit — I haven’t had Subway in years, but I still get the occasional craving. Some of the meats are… questionable, but the chicken holds up — especially with ranch, chipotle southwest, or honey mustard. So good.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 90%
Percent of Americans who like it: 63%
My take: I agree with A&W landing in sixth place. The chicken’s pretty good, but it’s just a basic chicken burger — nothing groundbreaking. That said, I’d still take a Chubby Chicken Burger over McDonald’s, KFC, or Wendy’s any day.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 98%
Percent of Americans who like it: 65%
My take: No surprise here – KFC makes really good chicken. They’re a little heavy-handed with the mayo for my taste, but maybe that’s to balance out the massive piece of chicken you get. It’s thick, juicy, and perfectly breaded — basically everything you want in a chicken sandwich.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 96%
Percent of Americans who like it: 65%
My take: We can’t talk about chicken sandwiches without mentioning Chick-fil-A. The combo of a crispy filet, soft bun, and those iconic pickles is simple, but it works. Even if it’s not my personal #1, I totally get the obsession.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 97%
Percent of Americans who like it: 65%
My take: I never really got the hype with Wendy’s. If I had to pick, I’d go for the spicy chicken over the classic — but even that ends up turning to mush halfway through. It used to be solid, but the quality feels like it’s slipped in recent years. It’s just not the GOAT anymore.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 96%
Percent of Americans who like it: 66%
My take: I honestly thought this would be #1. This is my personal favorite — no contest. Popeyes dropped their sandwich in 2019 and it went viral. People lined up, they sold out, it was chaos. And I totally get it. It’s flavorful, super crispy, with a soft bun, pickles, and spicy mayo… perfection.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 96%
Percent of Americans who like it: 73%
My take: Didn’t see this coming? Neither did I. But their chicken sandwich is surprisingly good — crispy, simple, and satisfying, and I personally like the tomato in it. That said, it could really use a good sauce or a bit of spice. It’s definitely on the basic side… but maybe that’s why people love it?
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So there you have it – America’s ten favorite chicken sandwiches according to my analysis of data from YouGov.
And with each – you can see why!
But of course, two big questions remain:
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I want to know:
#1: Which chicken sandwich is your number 1?
#2: Who got left out? And who doesn’t belong at all? Let me know in the comments!
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