When McDonald’s introduced the new “Southern Style” chicken sandwich, there were many eyebrows raised due to the obvious similarities with the classic sandwich from fast food competitor Chick-fil-A. Yours truly interviewed a CFA rep to get their take on the copy-cat situation, and you can read that exclusive interview here. Now, six weeks later, I’ve had a chance to eat the McDonald’s sandwich on many different occasions, and feel that I can accurately comment and compare it to the item from CFA.

Is McDonald’s sandwich as good as the Chick-fil-A? The short answer is No, but the differences are less than expected. I’ve touched on each main aspect below.

Seasoning and Taste - The McDonald’s chicken breast tastes very much like the CFA. There is no doubt they spent a lot of time and effort studying the competition. If you close your eyes and take a single bite of the McDonald’s sandwich, you might think you’ve just sampled a Chick-fil-A. It has a good flavor, and it’s a close match.

Size Matters - On average, I’ve found the slab of chicken in the McDonald’s sandwich to be consistently smaller and less meaty. The Chick-fil-A breast is bigger.

Moist and Juicy - MickeyD’s chicken has a tendency to be a little dry when compared to the moist and juicy bird on the Chick-fil-A. I’m assuming that’s because it’s a frozen pre-breaded filet, as opposed to fresh chicken hand-breaded by CFA daily. Aside from this dryness, I found the filets are quality cuts of chicken, tasty and satisfying.

Breading - The McDonald’s breading has a similar appearance, but it doesn’t have nearly as many bumps and ridges. The irregularities in the CFA coating produce a nice range of textures from a thin and tender skin-like quality, to slightly chewy in the thicker spots. McDonald’s breading is more even and uniformly applied, which leads to each bite tasting and feeling exactly like the last one. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I enjoy the variety in the CFA crust. It feels more natural to me.

Buns - The buns are also very similar, but Chick-fil-A does a better job of buttering them. Sometimes my McDonald’s sandwiches had barely a drop on the top bun. And they don’t seem to be toasting them at all. The bun is light and fluffy, but would really benefit from a little toasty goodness. I’m not sure why they skipped that step.

Pickles - There’s not much difference here. Chick-fil-A’s pickles have crinkled ridges compared to McDonald’s plain straight-cut pickles. They both taste fine, and neither will disappoint. Some people remove the pickles, making it even less an issue.

Chicken, Bread and Pickles. With only three main ingredients, there’s nothing to hide behind. No cheese, sauce or layers of vegetables. It’s a simple sandwich, but those three ingredients have to be Spot-On to really make it work. Chick-fil-A has made that combination a legend in the fast food industry. McDonald’s effort to reproduce the formula is a success for the most part, but falls short of the original.

The Southern Style Chicken Sandwich from McDonald’s is better than I expected, and the overall taste and quality is solid, especially considering the massive scale on which they’re prepared. It’s not as good as the Chick-Fil-A, but it’s a BIG improvement over the McChicken sandwich. This item is certainly not going to lure away any fans of CFA, but it’s good enough to make some new fans of McDonald’s.

Price: $2.79 / Website: McDonalds.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

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Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s Southern Style Chicken Sandwich.

Calories - 400
Calories from Fat - 150
Total Fat - 17 grams
Carbs - 39 grams
Saturated Fat - 3 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 45 milligrams
Sodium - 1030 milligrams
Protein - 24 grams

Dunkin’ Donuts continues to expand their oven-toasted menu, with the addition of the new Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich, which features grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, red and green peppers, onions, and a maple-chipotle sauce, pressed inside a warm toasty flatbread shell. DD’s oven-toasted menu launched earlier this year as the most significant change to their product lineup since the company launched espresso-based beverages back in 2003.

In order to introduce the new menu, Dunkin’ Donuts shops received an entirely new cooking platform. New cooking ovens, using patented technologies, deliver the “Oven-Toasted” result. In addition to the new Southwest Chicken, three other classic flavors are available: Turkey, Cheddar and Bacon - Ham and Swiss - Grilled Cheese.

Visit DunkinDonuts.com to find a location near you.

When you offer something called “Toaster Sandwiches” using extra thick sliced bread (aka: Texas Toast) it’s important you get the toasted part down. Otherwise you end up with big thick soggy bread, and it’s a turn-off. Over a period of 2 weeks, I’ve tried these breakfast sandwiches at four different Sonic locations, and all but one had the same disappointing result. Look folks, it’s not that good a sandwich to begin with, so when you can’t even toast the bread properly, it makes a big negative impact.

Anyway… moving on. The sausage patties are OK, about on average with many of the fast food breakfast competition. The egg is good, but it’s not asking much to get a decent egg for breakfast. Then again, I thought the same thing about toast. The slice of American cheese sits between the egg and sausage, melting between them and creating a nice cheesy flavor with each bite. It also bonds them together.

The inside of this sandwich would greatly benefit from a properly toasted outside. As it stands, the bread is too soft, and feels like something that I just took out of a plastic supermarket package. Of course I would never use such thick bread in the first place unless it was toasted, and I really don’t think Sonic intends to either. It seems that some employees are just not paying attention, or they don’t know any better.

Imagine biting into a crisp, golden brown toasty bread. Perhaps like this picture of the sandwiches on Sonic’s website. That would be great. That’s how it should be.

After all, this is not a case of exaggerated food photography where the burgers look bigger, vegetables look fresher, and so on. It’s just toast. Come on!

Apparently, they do place the bread over (or thru) some type of heat before serving, so technically speaking it’s toasted, but I would like to refer Sonic and their employees to this page at Wikipedia which explains what toast is, and includes pictures of un-toasted VS toasted bread. Hopefully between that page, and the picture on Sonic’s own website, they can figure it out. Big, thick, plain un-toasted white bread is NOT very appetizing, and it overwhelms the flavors of the other ingredients. My “toast” would have been better with a Bic lighter held underneath it for a few seconds.

The Breakfast Toaster Sandwich from Sonic is not bad, however it suffers from the bread issue, and it’s overall taste is nothing above average. Most fast food places have a version of sausage, egg and cheese. Some use biscuits. Some use buns. Others wrap it up in a tortilla. I was excited about a Texas Toast version, and felt it had a chance to stand out. Unfortunately there was only 1 sandwich delivered to me with the bread toasted beyond the slightest little bit. As expected, it was better that way, and I’m sure it’s the way Sonic intends for the sandwich to be served. I think somebody at corporate needs to create a “Toast 101″ class and get it started ASAP.

Price: $2.19 / Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C-

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Breakfast Toaster, Sausage, Egg and Cheese.

Calories - 630
Calories from Fat - 350
Total Fat - 39 grams
Carbs - 46 grams
Saturated Fat - 13 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 340 milligrams
Sodium - 1380 milligrams
Protein - 23 grams

I love BBQ chicken when it’s chopped and shredded up, mixed thick with sauce, then slapped between a couple pieces of bread. It’s one of my favorite all-time sandwiches. There aren’t many fast food versions, but KFC certainly has a fine offering.

Tender white and dark meat chicken (Hooray, dark meat) blended with tangy honey barbecue sauce. No cheese, lettuce or veggies, just BBQ chicken and bread. Simple and delicious. It’s the Sloppy Joe of chicken sandwiches, but less messy. The two biggest problems facing this sandwich are availability and price confusion. Availability because some KFC stores don’t have it, and those who do are limited in quantity and frequently run out. Price confusion because their are two sizes of Honey BBQ. The standard sandwich is $2.39 but the smaller Snacker version is only $0.99.

I can’t do anything about availability, but I can help determine which sandwich is a better value. This stems from a conversation I overheard standing in line at KFC where a lady instructed her kids to get 2 snackers instead of 1 normal sandwich. She told them it was a better deal, and said they would get more BBQ chicken that way.

Hearing that claim got me thinking (always dangerous), and I knew this called for some further investigation. After enjoying several examples of each type sandwich recently, from three different KFC locations, I can report the amount of filling was consistent, and the sandwiches I’m using today are accurate representations. The task for me now is simple and straight forward — Carefully remove the BBQ chicken mixture from 2 Snacker versions and 1 Regular version, and see which is greater.

Not quite as easy as it sounds, since the barbecue mixture has a way of sticking to the bread. Once the bulk had been removed, I used a spoon to gently scrape the buns clean of any remaining chicken and sauce. I was able to remove 99%.

The results are clear — 2 Honey BBQ Snackers for 99 cents each are more food for less money, compared to buying the full-size Honey BBQ Sandwich, and it’s the exact same BBQ chicken mixture. Never doubt a Mom with hungry kids to feed.

Now I have two big piles of BBQ chicken and a bunch of empty buns. You might think I’m going to re-assemble them. Not exactly. Instead I’ve piled as much as possible onto a single Snacker bun, and created my own personal SUPER Snacker.

The Honey BBQ Chicken from KFC is delicious, whatever size sandwich you choose. However, after seeing with my own eyes that 2 Snackers is a better bargain and more food then the full-size version, I will be adjusting my future orders. For about 40 cents less, you get more BBQ chicken. There’s also extra bread; two small buns instead of one large one, which makes it even more filling. And if that’s too much bread, just combine them into one sandwich. You can build a SUPER Snacker too!

Price: $.99 / $2.39 — Website: KFC.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

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Nutrition Facts - KFC, Honey BBQ Snacker.

Calories - 210
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 3 grams
Carbs - 32 grams
Saturated Fat - 0.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 40 milligrams
Sodium - 530 milligrams
Protein - 14 grams

Nutrition Facts - KFC, Honey BBQ Sandwich.

Calories - 280
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 3.5 grams
Carbs - 40 grams
Saturated Fat - 1.0 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 60 milligrams
Sodium - 780 milligrams
Protein - 22 grams

BIG and BAD — with the BALLS to back it up!

Sorry about that, it’s not often I post about a foot-long meatball sub, and I wanted a good introduction. However, despite the colorful description, it’s an accurate one. This is a big sandwich with some serious balls. There it goes again, but how can I avoid it? The focus of this sandwich are the big juicy meaty balls. SEE, there’s no way to write this review without sounding funny and suggestive, but I shall do my best.

The meatball sub has been a regular item at Subway as long as I can remember. It’s a good sandwich, and consistent. I must have eaten 100 of these over the past ten years, either 6-inch or foot-long. I recall very few incidents of disappointment.

What about the bread? Like with all Subway sandwiches, the bread is baked fresh in each store. An employee will grab a fresh loaf from the baking rack, an then split-it open right in front of you. They offer a nice variety of breads, from the common Italian White and Wheat, to the more interesting Honey Oat and Monterray Cheddar. The Italian White bread is usually my choice with the meatball sub, as it was this time. The bread at Subway is very good, though I wouldn’t call it best in class.

Subway’s meatballs are big by fast food sandwich standards, and the servers are generous when applying them to the bread. They have a nice mild beef flavor on their own, even without the sauce on them. A reader of FFC and former Subway employee described to me how he had enjoyed eating the meatballs plain, before they would add the sauce. He said it was a taste reminiscent of a meatloaf sandwich. I have to agree with him. Though for us, that opportunity is not readily available since they are only served after swimming in a big pool of marinara sauce for a while.

That’s not a bad thing, because the sauce is flavorful and tangy. It’s nice and thick, with decent sized chunks of tomatoes, onions and other spices. They are not stingy when applying it - they literally smother the meatballs. Be forewarned this can be a sloppy sandwich to eat, with sauce oozing out, plus the occasional meatball trying to escape. Make sure to request some napkins with your order.

Like most other meatloaf or meatballs, there are bread crumbs and soy fillers, plus a blend of spices included. I also discovered there is some Romano cheese in the mixture. But the beef is the star, and these balls have plenty of it.

Cheese to top the meatballs? Your choice of Monterey Cheddar, Natural cheddar, American, Provolone, Swiss and Pepperjack. I usually opt for the natural cheddar or provolone. In this case it was Provolone, and those thin slices melted quickly, joining the marinara sauce to coat the meatballs with zesty, cheesy flavors.

Where do the meatballs come from? They arrive frozen, and Subway employees use a microwave to heat them, and then mix together with the marinara sauce to cook until done. The meatball and sauce mixture is then stored in a big metal heating tray on the serving counter. At most locations, you can watch your meatballs get selected.

Where does the sauce come from? A big can, of course. Subway’s website says it’s “Our founder’s mom’s secret recipe”. Therefore I can only assume this is something canned exclusively for Subway, with their own custom list of ingredients.

You are given the option of having your sandwich “toasted” once it’s assembled with the meat and cheese. It’s put into a small toaster oven for a few seconds which gives the bread a slightly harder crusty shell, and melts the cheese quicker. I’m averaging about 50/50 when choosing toasted or un-toasted. The sandwich in the review photo is not toasted. Subway’s not really known for toasted subs, and they only began offering this service in recent years, presumably in response to companies like Quiznos who’ve made a point of offering their sandwiches toasty.

Biggest problem? In my experience, it’s the dry meatball I sometimes get. Whether this be from the microwaving or not, I don’t know. But it’s a turnoff to bite into a dry one. Luckily it’s not something that happens often, and it’s only one ball in the bunch when it does. Still, it’s happened enough for me to take notice, and mention.

Subway is known for healthy alternatives to typical fast food. Sandwiches with low calorie and fat counts. This is NOT one of them. In fact, the foot-long version of the meatball marinara is a monster on nutrition numbers, so please be advised of this and consult the nutrition facts listed below for complete details. Also please take note my sandwich in the photos is sliced in half, into 6-inch sections.

The Meatball Sub from Subway is a winner, be it the foot-long version or the normal 6-inch. They keys to a good meatball sub are the meatballs and sauce, and both are solid. The subs are tasty, consistent, and also a better value now that the foot-long version is only $5, and Subway has made the cheap promotion an everyday thing. You can customize with whatever veggies or toppings you desire, at no extra charge, so there’s flexibility for those who want more than just meat, sauce and cheese.

Price: $5 — Website: Subway.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Subway, Foot-Long Meatball Sub.

Calories - 1120
Calories from Fat - 440
Total Fat - 48 grams
Carbs - 126 grams
Saturated Fat - 22 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 90 milligrams
Sodium - 3180 milligrams

“Hold the Mayo” - or in this case - “Hold the Chipotle-Flavored Mayo.”

That’s the most important piece of advice I could give about purchasing this sandwich from Schlotzsky’s Deli. After having it both ways, I can tell you the dry path is the happy path. Unless of course you’re a fan of funky flavored mayonnaise, in which case you can leave it on. However, since you won’t be needing all that roast beef due to the creepy orange sauce drowning out it’s flavor, perhaps I can take some off your hands.

But first, let’s start with the great bun. Schlotzsky’s bakes the sourdough bread fresh in store, every day. This freshness is evident the moment you smell, see or touch it. This is the type bread you could eat plain, on it’s own. I would love to have a batch of these rolls at home to build my own custom sandwich creations. Granted, I like sourdough bread to begin with, so those who aren’t fans probably won’t be nearly as excited.

Stacked inside the tasty, chewy roll are generous layers of Angus Roast Beef. The meat is lean, shaved thin and so tender it almost melts in your mouth. There is a nice smokey flavor, and the smell will hit you before the taste, as soon as you remove the paper deli wrap. The aroma of freshly baked sourdough and smokey roast beef might seem surreal if you’re only accustomed to burgers and nuggets. This is still a ‘chain’ restaurant and mass meal production, make no mistake about it, but the quality and freshness of ingredients comes closer to a hometown deli than average fast food.

I was happy to get some charred blackened crusty edges from the giant roasted slab my slices had come from. It was a pleasant, edgy reminder this is real beef, and not some meat-product or loaf. On top of the thick stack of beef are several thin strips of bacon. Despite tasting good, they have never been ‘crispy’ as advertised. I have eaten the sandwich 4 times in total, at 3 different locations, so I’m not sure what’s going on. Heat and moisture of the warm beef, bun and cheese will soften bacon, but that hasn’t prevented many other types of sandwiches and burgers from maintaining some crispness. The bacon on this sandwich is rather limp and soggy, but it’s not enough to hurt the overall experience too much. Still, crispy bacon would be much better.

Chunks and crumbled bits of smoked cheddar cheese melting above-and-below the meat assure that no bite escapes without it’s fair share. The cheese was natural and had an excellent flavor. After so many weak ‘blends’ and shredded cheese-products lately, it’s worth the extra cost for something better. Good beef - good cheese.

Finally, the chipotle-flavored mayonnaise. Ech! Awful. It ruins the sandwich. I have no idea why somebody would take all the wonderful, natural flavors of fresh sourdough, roast beef, smokey cheddar, and then assault them with goops of flavored sauce. It’s a standard ingredient on the sandwich, and they put it on both sides of the bun, so you must request they “hold” it. Now you understand why the review started that way.

The Bacon Beefy Smokecheesy from Schlotzsky’s is very good, but comes with a few caveats. Avoid the orange mayo. The bacon is disappointing. And $6 is a bit pricey. But you get what you pay for — A large sandwich, with large portions of good quality ingredients. In a world where much of the fast-food we consume is over-processed and confusing, grabbing a simple sandwich with big hunks of meat and cheese helps to make sense of it all. A few issues keep this one from reaching ‘awesome’ status.

Fast Food Critic Score:4 out of 5 stars.

Nutrition Facts - Schlotzsky’s Deli, Bacon Beefy Smokecheesy Sandwich.

The company has not published the nutritional information for this product. This sandwich is from a line they call “featured” and “limited time”. Fast Food Critic makes a point to post the nutrition facts with every food review, and will update this once Schlotzsky’s Deli releases that information.

Carl’s Jr. is introducing a new Jalapeno Chicken Sandwich, and has produced several videos with the Sacramento Kings Cheerleaders doing a Chicken Dance to promote it. Here’s your chance to learn the chicken dance in this tutorial. And for making you watch it (lol) here’s a coupon for a Free Medium Coke with the purchase of the new sandwich. Valid until 6/30 at your favorite Carl’s Jr. location. Enjoy.

P.S. Here’s the cheerleaders performing the full routine, without the tutorial.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past couple weeks, you’ve probably seen and heard the advertisements for McDonald’s new “Southern Style” chicken sandwich and biscuit. You might have even tried it already. And if you’re a fan of Chick-Fil-A, you are probably thinking that Ronald McDonald found a way to infiltrate the CFA headquarters and sneak away with the secret recipe, because the new sandwich from McDonald’s is so similar it could be the long-lost brother of the legenday Chick-Fil-A sandwich. How did this happen? What does CFA think about it? That’s what I wanted to know, so during my recent conversation with CFA’s Corporate PR man, Mark Baldwin, I gathered up enough courage to ask him.

FFC: Let’s get right to it — McDonald’s copied Chick-Fil-A. I know it. You know it. McDonald’s knows it. Everybody knows it. — How does that make you feel?

CFA: We are flattered that McDonald’s is enamored enough with our products to be willing to clearly imitate our original Chick-fil-A Sandwich and Biscuit. Based on the reactions we’ve seen from customers thus far, they are making good choices and realize the superiority of Chick-fil-A’s products and people.

FFC: Have you tried their new sandwich? What did you think about it?

CFA: Yes, we all have tried the Southern Style chicken biscuit and sandwich and, to be honest, they did a good job copying our products. It will probably do well on Sundays (when Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed)!

FFC: It seems McDonald’s was very thorough when replicating the CFA sandwich.

CFA: There are, however, some key differences in the two products. Since Truett Cathy created the first chicken sandwich in the early 1960’s, Chick-fil-A has been preparing each sandwich fresh daily at the restaurant. We hand bread our chicken sandwich and breakfast filets in the store, while our competitors have frozen, pre-breaded chicken shipped to their restaurants. We even make our biscuits from scratch every morning.

FFC: They seem to have done a good job in duplicating the seasoning and flavor. Did they hire a team of food spies to steal the secret recipe? Maybe they tied up and kidnapped Truett Cathy (CEO) and forced him to spill the beans? (laughing)

CFA: No, they didn’t tie Truett up to get the recipe, but two of their Atlanta franchisees finally realized the impact Chick-fil-A was making, and convinced their corporate folks to try a chicken sandwich. You might be interested in this article that explains McDonald’s entry into the chicken sandwich market.

FFC: Very interesting stuff. Mark, I want to thank you and Chick-Fil-A for being gracious enough to visit with me today. I realize the circumstances are a bit unusual. In closing, is their anything new and exciting coming up for CFA?

CFA: We will be releasing some pretty significant news ourselves next week — basically, 180 degrees different from the Chicken Sandwich and Biscuit hype. You may want to fast over the weekend, because there will be plenty to try!

My thanks again to Mark for the candid converstaion.

I love Chick-Fil-A, and I’ve been eating at McDonald’s since I was a kid. It’s an odd feeling for me, to see one copy the other. They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. So considering that McDonald’s is the #1 fast-food chain in the world, and they are copying somebody else, this would seem to confirm my belief that Chick-Fil-A is, and has been for many years, the best chicken sandwich in fast-food.

How do I think the new offering from McDonald’s compares? I’ve tried it once, and it was a very good sandwich. I’m going to have it again soon, and bring some friends along with me. I will follow-up with my review, plus the opinions from my guests.

I remember trying KFC Snackers a couple years ago, and it seems like they have gotten bigger since then. I could be wrong about that, but either way — I was happy to see the size of the current version, that was delivered to me via the drive-thru.

They only cost 99 cents, and they’re called “Snackers”. Even the name is warning me it’s only a “snack” and not a full-size sandwich. I was expecting only 2 or 3 bites, but after two good size mouthfuls, the sandwich was barely half eaten. That made me happy. There’s nothing better than finding a real bargain, especially when it’s edible.

These little sandwiches are indeed are bargain, not just because they are larger than expected, but because they actually have a nice piece of chicken inside, and they taste good. The chicken strip was just as tender and flavorful as any other chicken item on their menu. It’s a natural hunk of meat too, with character, texture and the occasional flaw. Better than some pressed and formed glob made of chicken mush. It’s not a breast filet though, instead KFC calls it “all white meat”. That’s fine. There’s lots of good white meat on chicken besides the breast. For that matter, there’s a lot of good dark meat too, but most people are obsessed with breasts. (no joke intended)

I had two different flavors: Fiery Buffalo and Ultimate Cheese. The only difference in the two sandwiches is the sauce. They both use the same chicken, lettuce and bun. There’s not much lettuce but it’s crisp, fresh and torn into large pieces, as opposed to shredded. The bun is lightly toasted, rectangle shaped like a dinner roll, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. There’s really nothing special about the bun, but it tastes fine, it’s the perfect size and it’s better than I expected on such a cheap sandwich.

Fiery Buffalo - My lips had not fully closed from the first bite and my taste-buds were already popping from the flavor. They dip the chicken strip in Fiery Buffalo sauce and it’s completely coated. It was mildly hot for the first couple bites, and then my mouth adjusted and things finished smooth. It’s a lively sauce, and gives this little sandwich a nice size punch. If you like hot and spicy wings, you’re going to like this sandwich.

Ultimate Cheese - Instead of dipping the entire strip in Fiery Buffalo sauce they pour on a cheese sauce. They say it’s a blend of Cheddar and Swiss, and it was fairly cheesy tasting, but there wasn’t much of it. I’m not a big fan of cheese “sauce” or liquid-cheese in general, but this was OK. You get a lot more sauce (and flavor) on the other version. I’m bewildered and amused by the “Ultimate” tag. It’s a tiny bit of cheese on a small 99 cent sandwich. There’s nothing ‘ultimate’ about it — but it’s still good.

The KFC Snackers are tasty, cheap and filling. Those looking for a light meal or snack will be satisfied, and those with a bigger appetite can pick-up 2 or 3, because the low 99 cent price makes them affordable even for the most budget minded. With items like this from KFC, and the Double Decker Taco from Taco Bell, the parent company of both (Yum! Brands Inc.) should be feeling pretty confident with their dollar menu(s).

Fast Food Critic Score:4.5 stars out of 5.

Nutrition Facts - KFC, Snacker Sandwich, Fiery Buffalo.

Calories - 260
Calories from Fat - 80
Total Fat - 8 grams
Carbs - 31 grams
Saturated Fat - 1.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 25 milligrams
Sodium - 860 milligrams

Nutrition Facts - KFC, Snacker Sandwich, Ultimate Cheese.

Calories - 280
Calories from Fat - 100
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 30 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 25 milligrams
Sodium - 780 milligrams

Chicken — Bread — Pickle.

So simple. So basic. Yet so brilliantly executed in quality and taste, three ingredients combine to make what is arguably the best Chicken Sandwich in the Fast Food World. I’m talking about the classic chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A.

How can a sandwich that looks so plain, be so special? It’s all about the chicken my friends. I’m talking about chicken that’s so moist and tender, seasoned so perfectly, your mouth will water and you’ll slap your knee proclaiming… “Damn, that’s good chicken!” …I’m talking about chicken that’s so tasty and delicious, you won’t care that your team is losing the big game, as long as there’s another bite left to enjoy.

In case you can’t tell — I love this sandwich. Though, I suppose it would be more accurate to say I love this chicken, that happens to have a bun and pickles attached. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine bun. The perfect size and density to compliment the chicken, without swallowing it up. Lightly buttered, freshly baked and fluffy.

The dill pickle chips taste good, about like any other good pickle, but the surprise is the delightful contrast of flavor they provide to the chicken. I had never eaten pickles on chicken before Chick-Fil-A, and for a long time I would actually remove them. The truth is I’m not a big pickle fan. I don’t dislike them, but they are not something I desire on my burgers or sandwiches. But one day, after years of picking-off the pickles, I found myself so hungry that I ripped into my chick-fil-a sandwich without thinking, and then it hit me! They actually tasted good. The rest is history, and now I eat the pickles.

The main attraction is the wonderful chicken breast filet, a big meaty natural hunk of REAL chicken. Starting with choice cuts, each one is breaded by hand and seasoned using CFA’s secret recipe. They are pressure cooked in refined peanut oil, which not only makes them taste good, it makes them healthier. The bread and pickle serve as perfect compliments to highlight and showcase this great piece of meat. It’s been the same delicious high quality experience all these years, from way back when I was kid, to the sandwich I’ve just finished eating for this review. The Chick-Fil-A simply tastes better, and more natural than most other chicken sandwiches on the market.

The breading on Chick-Fil-A’s is not very crisp or crunchy, nor was it designed to be. It’s soft, light and seems to fuse itself to the breast meat and become-one with the chicken. It’s all part of what makes the Chick-Fil-A so tender and juicy. If you’re the type person who only likes crunchy coated chicken you might be disappointed to hear that, but don’t despair. I think most crunchy lovers will be pleasantly surprised.

The Classic Chicken Sandwich from Chick-Fil-A is simple, pure and scrumptious. This is a shining example of less-is-more. There’s no cheese and no bacon strips. No lettuce or tomato. It’s not very exciting to look at. It’s actually rather plain and dull. But this is not about being fancy, the number of ingredients, or a spicy new sauce. This is about high-quality simple food, prepared and served with care. It’s something that Chick-Fil-A does better than most, and they’ve been doing it for a long time.

Fast Food Critic Score:5 stars.
I’m pleased to present this product the FFC Editor’s Choice Award. This special award was created to recognize those products and services which have achieved the highest levels of quality, value, consistency and overall excellence within the fast food industry.

Nutrition Facts - Chick-Fil-A, Classic Chicken Sandwich.

Calories - 410
Calories from Fat - 150
Total Fat - 16 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 3.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 60 milligrams
Sodium - 1300 milligrams