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

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).

Price: $.99 / Website: KFC.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

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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

This just in from the KFC press room — “KFC fans who pay close attention to the latest in-store KFC Snacker posters may see more than what first meets the eye. The Colonel’s secret recipe for KFC’s Original Recipe remains locked away but a new “secret” image is hidden in KFC stores nationwide. Continuing its dedication to marketing firsts, KFC has hidden a secret image in its in-store point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) advertising for its line-up of 99 cent Snacker sandwiches. After pioneering the first-ever documented hidden message in a national TV ad in 2006, KFC has pushed the marketing envelope even further by hiding something special in the latest Snacker advertising, both in-store P.O.P and again in broadcast television commercials, giving thousands of Americans a chance to win.” — Read the full press release and contest details here.