The fast-food chicken sandwich has become a full-blown cultural obsession. What began as a straightforward fried-chicken-on-a-bun menu item exploded into a nationwide phenomenon thanks to viral “chicken sandwich wars,” regional chains entering heated competition, and customers eager to declare their favorite. Today, nearly every major fast-food brand has its own version of this popular sandwich.
But beyond the hype, the chicken sandwich’s rise reveals that consumers are seeking comfort food with a twist. Features like spicy flavors, artisanal buns, brined fillets, and signature sauces are made to stand out in an oversaturated market. Whether you’re loyal to a classic or curious about the newest offering, the fast-food chicken sandwich has become a beloved sandwich.
The Wilson brothers, who call themselves “the Mashed Brothers,” embarked on a mission to find out who has the best fast-food chicken sandwich and compiled their results in a list titled “21 Chicken Sandwiches, Ranked: The Ultimate Tier List” found on the food website Mashed. The Mashed Brothers tasted chicken sandwiches from 21 chains in the course of one 24-hour period, grading them on “taste, fixings, outer crispiness, inner moistness, and meat fibers. They shared these results with 24/7 Tempo. Whether you like yours dripping in special sauce, with a sour pickle, or topped with coleslaw, we’ve got you covered.
21. McDonald’s
- Headquartered: Chicago, Illinois
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 67.9 billion
- TikTok hashtag: #mcdonalds
- Rating: Burger Time Award
20. White Castle
- Headquartered: Columbus, Ohio
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 263.1 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #whitecastle
- Rating: F
19. Burger King
- Headquartered: Miami, Florida
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 9.4 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #burgerking
- Rating: F
18. Portillo’s
- Headquartered: Oak Brook, Illinois
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 156.3 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #portillos
- Rating: D
17. Rally’s Drive-In
- Headquartered: Tampa, Florida
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 107.2 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #rallys
- Rating: D
16. Dairy Queen
- Headquartered: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 5.0 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #dairyqueen
- Rating: D
15. Sonic Drive-In
- Headquartered: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 22.7 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #sonic
- Rating: D
14. Arby’s
- Headquartered: Sandy Springs, Georgia
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 1.4 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #arbys
- Rating: C
13. Hardee’s
- Headquartered: Franklin, Tennessee
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 363.9 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #hardees
- Rating: C
12. Popeyes
- Headquartered: Miami, Florida
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 3.2 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #popeyes
- Rating: C
11. Zaxby’s
- Headquartered: Athens, Georgia
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 240.1 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #zaxbys
- Rating: C
10. Shake Shack
- Headquartered: New York, New York
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 370.6 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #shakeshack
- Rating: B
9. Jack in the Box
- Headquartered: San Diego, California
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 29.9 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #jackinabox
- Rating: B
8. KFC
- Headquartered: Louisville, Kentucky
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 19.1 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #kfc
- Rating: B
7. Chick-fil-A
- Headquartered: Atlanta, Georgia
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 8.6 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #chickfila
- Rating: B
6. Wendy’s
- Headquartered: Dublin, Ohio
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 3.9 Billion
- TikTok hashtag: #wendys
- Rating: B
5. Jaggers
- Headquartered: Louisville, Kentucky
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 1.1 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #jaggers
- Rating: A
4. Culver’s
- Headquartered: Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 409.7 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #culvers
- Rating: A
3. CityBird
- Headquartered: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 759.5 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #citybird
- Rating: S
2. Church’s Texas Chicken
- Headquartered: Atlanta, Georgia
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 54.4 Million
- TikTok hashtag: #churchschicken
- Rating: S
1. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
- Headquartered: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Total chain TikTok views to Nov. 9, 2023: 1.9 billion
- TikTok hashtag: #raisingcames
- Rating: Mashelin Star
The image featured at the top of this post is ©bhofack2 / iStock via Getty Images.