Best and Worst Chicken Chains

The Takeout compiled a Reddit-powered ranking of the best chicken chains in the U.S., moving from top quality to the weakest performer.

1. Chick-fil-A – Consistently ranked highest thanks to customer service, flavor, and reliable quality across locations.
2. Popeyes – Widely praised for its spicy chicken, flaky breading, and strong menu options like the chicken sandwich.
3. Raising Cane’s – Known for simple menus centered on chicken fingers and its signature Cane’s Sauce.
4. Jollibee – Celebrated for juicy fried chicken, sweet-style spaghetti, and unique Filipino menu options.
5. El Pollo Loco – Praised for its citrus-marinated flame-grilled chicken and healthier menu choices.
6. WingStreet – Tied to Pizza Hut in many locations, but noted for solid chicken wing offerings.
7. Slim Chickens – Called an up-and-comer, with positive marks for freshness, variety, and dipping sauces.
8. Bojangles – Known for bold seasoning and flavorful biscuits, landing in the mid-range.
9. Buffalo Wild Wings – Offers a wide variety of sauces but is criticized for its inconsistency.
10. Wingstop – Mixed reviews, with decent wings but hit-or-miss execution depending on location.
11. Zaxby’s – Once more popular, now called out for shrinking portion sizes and higher prices.
12. Culver’s – Criticized for tough grilled chicken and sandwiches that were too salty or dense.
13. Church’s Texas Chicken – Said to have declined in taste and quality since its rebrand.
14. Pollo Campero – Viewed as overrated, with hard chicken and bland sides.
15. KFC – Ranked last. Once the standard-bearer, but now slammed for small portions, rising prices, and chicken that many Redditors described as dry, stale, or flavorless.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The once-dominant KFC has slipped to the bottom, while chains like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Raising Cane’s have become the top destinations for chicken fans.

Doug O’Brien