KFC is nostalgia chicken for me. It's not that good, but it is unique. It takes me back. When I was growing up it was my grandmother's once-a-week splurge. Just me and her and some greasy fried original with mashed potatoes, cole slaw and some biscuits. There's not one around here, but if there were I'd probably hit it maybe once a month.
Church's is broke-ass-down-to-my-last-penny chicken. When I was first out on my own, drank a lot and didn't spend the little bit of money I had very wisely, I could dig through couch cushions and scrape up enough change for a Church's leg and thigh meal. Was about $2 if I remember right. And Church's was within walking distance. I avoid it now because it makes me think of that time.
Popeye's is hit or miss. And the statements about the service are 100% accurate. It's mostly bad. When you can get waited on you have to speak a different language. You've got about a 35% chance of getting what you ordered even then. It is the only place around here I can get called "sweet baby" while my order is being butchered, though. The sandwich? Eh. It's okay. Not great, not life altering, not something I'd make a special trip for.
I'd put the Popeye's sandwich in the same ballpark as Arby's, Hardees or Wendy's. Of those three, Hardees is probably better. Well, it used to be. They've changed the chicken patty and it's not quite up to the level it was back in the 90s when a chicken and cheese from there was a damn fine meal. Popeye's is maybe a notch above those, but the fact is that once the new wears off they'll start screwing that up the same way they screw up the chicken half the time (old grease, stale breading, etc.) and nobody will ever remember it.
Chick-Fil-A? Gold standard. I've never gotten a bad order, never had bad service. Food is always fresh. Food always cooked perfectly. Staff is unwaveringly friendly. Well, there is one exception to that. There's this one young guy at the place where I always get breakfast who resolutely refuses to provide the iconic "my pleasure" CFA response. He was usually the one standing outside taking the order on the pad. He'll say "mmm hmmm" or "okay then" or "you can pull on up" or nothing. But never, ever, ever, ever "my pleasure." It's noticeable enough that I've tried to prod him to get him to do it by thanking him for multiple actions during the order. And he flat out won't do it. I even asked him once "no, my pleasure?" and he just laughed and said "we good." Still, I could do CFA a couple of times a week even though the menu is extremely limited.
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