This Chain Has the Best Chicken, According a National Survey

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

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We recently covered a national survey ranking U.S. restaurant brands that found that the best burger joint, in terms of quality was Five Guys! Well, that survey, which was compiled by the market research and data analysis firm YouGov, also contained a ton of different details about various restaurant categories, including fast chicken spots. So, which chain had the best chicken?

The winner is… Chick-fil-A

That’s right, Chick-fil-A ended up the winner, with 25.3 percent of surveyed customers saying it it had the best tasting chicken. And there was a wide margin between the chain and it’s closest runners up, with KFC only getting 17.9 percent and Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken landing at 16.2 percent.

But it wasn’t just about taste, as Chick-fil-A ended up winning several other categories. It was rated the highest-ranking “fast food brand based on quality and value” according to 37.3 percent of surveyed customers. (The runner up was Jersey Mike’s at 24.3 percent.)

And it came second in the category of “top fast food brands by consideration” (which just means “which brand would you most consider purchasing from when you next order fast food”). The brand that beat it? McDonald’s at 39.6 percent.

Why is Chick-fil-A so popular?

Well, obviously people just like their chicken sandwiches. But the survey also had a more in-depth analysis of why the chain was so popular, with responses showing that the majority of positive responses focused on “food taste and quality,” and “customer service and hospitality.” However, it seems like their company’s identity as a Christian-focused company also had an effect on their feelings towards it, with one surveyed customer replying, “‘It’s impressive when at the risk of losing business and people’s respect people still don’t hide their faith. I am a follower of Jesus also
and it helps me to be less afraid.’ (Female, 50+)”

Likewise, a section dedicated to negative responses to the company mainly focused on the company’s religious and political stances, with most of the comments addressing Chick-fil-A’s stances on “LGBTQ rights advocacy,” “Religious business integration,” and “Political and ethical alignment.” Or as one of the surveyed customers put it, ““The food is good but again I don’t agree with the political and
religious views of the owners and how they allow them to infect their
business practices.’ (Female, 35-49)”