This August, Popeyes released their chicken sandwich and the world changed forever. The sandwich went viral and suddenly Twitter was flooded with thousands of tweets claiming the Popeyes chicken sandwich was the best thing they’ve ever eaten–better than Chick-fil-A. 

As the sandwich’s popularity quickly grew, supplies diminished, after two weeks, the sandwich sold out. On Nov. 3 the sandwich came back, and it was time to put it to the test. 

In a side-by-side comparison of each restaurant’s classic chicken sandwich, I set out to discover the superior sandwich. In an attempt to reduce error or bias, both sandwiches were ordered with the same three elements: bun, pickles, and filet. 

Right out of the bag, the Popeyes sandwich looks glorious–it has a fluffy bun and a golden brown filet. In comparison, the Chick-fil-A sandwich looks flat and, honestly, a little sad.

  Every aspect of the Popeyes sandwich is bigger, and much more filling. After eating my Popeyes sandwich, I was completely full; whereas, after eating a Chick-fil-A sandwich, I always have room for fries. 

The brioche bun on the Popeyes sandwich is delicious–it’s chewy, buttery, and fluffy– and Chick-fil-A’s basic bun just can’t compete. 

My favorite part of the sandwich from Popeyes was the pickles. 

These pickles were fresh, making them more flavorful and crunchy, adding an unexpected depth to the sandwich. 

The pickles in the Chick-fil-A sandwich are fine, they just don’t stand out.

The star of the show is the filet. Both filets are delicious; Popeyes’ breading is salty, crispy and flaky, while Chick-fil-A’s is sweeter and more dense. On the other hand, Popeyes chicken has a better overall flavor. 

While it’s easy to tell that the Popeyes sandwich is the best, it can be difficult to actually get ahold of one. 

In preparation for the re-release of the chicken sandwich, Popeyes hired additional employees. Instead of hiring more inexperienced employees, the company should’ve spent their time and money improving their existing employees’ efficiency and customer service. 

A lack of employee efficiency, compounded with lines snaking to the back of the restaurant, results in long waits. On the other hand, Chick-fil-A has phenomenal customer service and the place is a ghost town; therefore, you can get your chicken sandwich lightning fast.

Emotions are not only running high on Twitter, but in real life too. Multiple fights have broken out between customers and employees. 

Violent videos depict employees fighting each other for the last sandwich at the end of their shift, a customer hurling a tray across the counter at an employee, and patrons getting out of their cars in the drive thru to fight each other. Most horrifically, a man in Maryland was killed after he cut in front of another man in a line specifically meant for the chicken sandwich.

Please note that although the sandwich is absolutely amazing, violence in never appropriate.

Go the extra mile for a Popeyes sandwich. Literally. The two San Tan restaurants are exactly one mile apart.