I tried the same chicken sandwich at McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A, and I preferred the cheaper sandwich
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich and Chick-fil-A’s classic sandwich were very similar, but the McDonald’s version was a better value.
Chicken tenders may be the fast-food menu item to watch, but for some customers, it doesn’t get much better than a crunchy, juicy chicken sandwich.
So which chain has the best chicken sandwich at the best value?
In 2021, McDonald’s replaced its buttermilk crispy chicken sandwich with a new lineup of sandwiches: the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, the Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich, and the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich.
Immediately, fans and industry experts noted how similar the items were to Chick-fil-A’s and Popeyes’ iconic chicken sandwiches. A leaked menu at the time revealed McDonald’s plans to release a new chicken sandwich, saying the chain was planning to “take a page out of Chick-fil-A’s playbook,” while former McDonald’s chef Mike Haracz told B-17 it was “very apparent” that McDonald’s was following Chick-fil-A’s lead with its sandwich.
In 2024, the chicken sandwich wars are still underway, and not just at fast-food chains. Bloomberg noted that chicken sandwiches now appear on 47% of restaurant menus, citing data from research firm Technomic. The publication reported that not only do chefs want to showcase their take on chicken, but it’s cheaper and considered healthier than beef, and Gen Z loves it.
In honor of National Chicken Sandwich Day on November 9, I tried the chicken sandwiches from McDonald’s and Chil-fil-A to see which had the best version. Here’s how they compared.
The sandwiches were similar in size, though Chick-fil-A’s bun and chicken fillet looked ever-so-slightly bigger.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich and Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich.
At McDonald’s, the crispy chicken sandwich has since been renamed the McCrispy. It is described as a “southern-style fried chicken sandwich” with crinkle-cut pickles and a toasted, buttered potato roll. Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich also comes on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips.
Both sandwiches came in foil bags. They also both stayed warm despite half an hour passing between the time I picked them up and when I finally got them home.
I noticed that each sandwich had a very different bun. McDonald’s bun, pictured on the right, was harder and slightly denser, while Chick-fil-A’s was softer and slightly bigger than the fillet inside.
I’ve had the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich countless times, but I tried to go into this taste test with a fresh perspective.
Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich.
The chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A cost me $8.65 at my local Chick-fil-A in New York City, making it slightly more expensive than the McDonald’s sandwich.
Chick-fil-A has consistently ranked as one of America’s biggest fast-food chains, and customer loyalty is high.
“Chick-fil-A has very strong brand loyalists,” former McDonald’s chef Mike Haracz told B-17. “I’ve sat in panels when I was doing chicken work. They will try the food, but when you tell them it’s not from Chick-fil-A they’ll say, ‘Well, I think it’s great but I’m not going to buy it because I am a Chick-fil-A consumer.'”
However, Haracz said that “there are some people who might go to Chick-fil-A strictly for the flavor” alone, and if McDonald’s can match that, they may be swayed.
Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich, which comes served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips, is a favorite among customers.
Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich.
Chicken sandwiches have been mainstays on most fast-food menus since 2020, but Chick-fil-A is often considered the original.
The chain also consistently outperforms its competitors. A recent ranking by Technomic ranks Chick-fil-A as the biggest chicken-focused fast-food chain in the country and the third-biggest fast-food chain overall. McDonald’s still ranks as the No. 1 biggest fast-food chain in the country.
However, at the franchisee level, Chick-fil-A might be coming out on top. CNBC recently reported that the average franchised Chick-fil-A restaurant (not including ones in malls) brings in about $8.7 million in sales each year, compared to the average franchised McDonald’s restaurant, which makes about $3.7 million in annual sales.
This is especially impressive considering that unlike McDonald’s, which is often open 24/7, Chick-fil-A is only open six days a week.
The bun was light and fluffy and the chicken breast was the perfect thickness.
Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich.
Chick-fil-A’s chicken breast was flakier rather than juicy. Looking at both of the sandwiches, the fillet itself also looked slightly bigger. The breading was thinner and clung to the chicken breast well, which gave it a great texture.
However, I was slightly disappointed by Chick-fil-A’s pickles — they didn’t have the strong briny flavor or crunchiness I usually look for.
Next up was the McDonald’s McCrispy chicken sandwich.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich.
The McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich — renamed the McCrispy after its initial release — cost $7.49 at my local chain in Brooklyn, New York.
The chicken fillet was thick. It looked similar to sandwiches I’ve had from other chains.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich.
I’ve been a fan of McDonald’s chicken sandwiches for years, but I could already tell that I was going to like this new sandwich a lot more.
The sandwich came with a few whole pickle chips on top of the chicken fillet.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich.
The bun held the contents of the sandwich together perfectly, and in terms of size, I thought McDonald’s did a great job at nailing the bun-to-chicken ratio.
Biting in, I was immediately impressed.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich.
The sandwich’s breading had a slight sweetness. However, the tart, crunchy pickles, which had a strong briny flavor, perfectly balanced it out. The chicken was thick, juicy, and flavorful.
The only aspect of the sandwich I wasn’t in love with was the bun — though it was a good size, I thought it was slightly too thick. I’m of the opinion that a sandwich bun’s sole purpose is to hold everything together, without overpowering the other ingredients. I think this thicker potato bun slightly missed the mark on that.
It was hard to say which one I liked more. However, McDonald’s has a great chicken sandwich at a great value.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich and Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich.
So, how similar were the two sandwiches? Pretty similar, in my opinion. If I was to do a blind taste test, I might not even know which was which, unless one was slathered in Chick-fil-A sauce. However, this is not to say that McDonald’s is actively trying to copy or imitate Chick-fil-A’s most iconic offering.
There is a trend in what consumers are looking for in a chicken sandwich, whether they’re ordering from Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Popeyes, or any other chain.
Judging by the success of the chicken-war competitors, consumers want a Southern-inspired flavor with juicy, flavorful chicken and tart and crunchy pickles. McDonald’s definitely delivered on all counts.
As far as this food reporter is concerned, the McDonald’s chicken sandwich stacks up well against fan favorites — and you save a little bit of money by ordering from the bigger chain.
