Cane’s or Chick-fil-A? I asked that question to 333 students and staff; 162 said Chick-fil-A, and 171 responded Cane’s, meaning that Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is the preferred choice by a slim margin of 9 votes. People gave me all kinds of reasons why they chose what they chose. Some said the chicken or sauces or Texas toast, and others stated the amount of choices offered at one and not the other. Some people could make the decision immediately, and others needed to be rushed a little by me to make the choice. One person only voted for Cane’s because Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays.
Chick-fil-A was founded all the way back in 1946 in Georgia by Truett Cathy, a devout Southern Baptist (that explains why it’s closed on Sundays). The company has been involved in some controversy with its conservative opinions on same-sex marriage, LGBT rights, and certainly more. For the betterment of my safety and well-being, we will be steering clear of those topics (I am scared to talk about serious issues). All jokes aside, I’m here to talk about food and only food.
Raising Cane’s was founded in 1996 in Louisiana and named after owner Todd Graves’ dog. The interesting thing about Cane’s is that there’s really only one thing on the menu: chicken strips. It comes with fries and toast, and the infamous Cane’s sauce, but really that’s all they serve. They also serve a chicken “sandwich” which is really just three chicken strips between buns (I think that’s hilarious).
To make it simple and fair, I went to both places and ordered their most popular items: the Box Combo at Cane’s, and at Chick-fil-A, the number one chicken sandwich and the Chick-fil-A nuggets.
The Box Combo at Cane’s is a four-piece chicken meal, complete with their crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, and Cane’s sauce. Cane’s can be described in one word: efficient. They don’t mess around with a bunch of nonsense and they give it to you straight; it’s either chicken strips or nothing. And they can do that because the chicken is great. Beautifully scrumptious. It’s crispy but soft at the same time;, it’s juicy and tender. The toast and sauce are both deservedly famous; the bread is fluffy and the sauce is unlike any other known to humans (except UA sauce at the sub shop). I will say it right now: Cane’s sauce is better than Chick-fil-A’s. I don’t even want to go into detail about the ingredients because that would be like a magician telling you how he did his trick. The interior design of Cane’s is also cool.
However, I have some negative things to say as well. The fries are weak. Not very crispy, just soft and boring. And I’m just gonna say it: the coleslaw is nasty. More importantly, you can almost feel the unhealthiness coming out of a Cane’s box. After I finish a Cane’s meal, I don’t even want to look at food ever again. It’s greasy and oily, and makes you feel bloated beyond belief.
Chick-fil-A claims that it invented the chicken sandwich, and regardless if that’s true, it’s a great one. It’s soft and savory, and it’s almost moist with juiciness. When you bite into that number one chicken sandwich for the first time, you have an epiphany: Where was this my whole life? Then you take a bite of the fresh waffle fries, and you’re blown away. The waffle fries blow Cane’s fries out of the water. The chicken nuggets too are just more of the same great chicken that was in the sandwich, but just little fun bite sized ones.
And maybe the most important thing: I didn’t have that feeling of bloatedness when I finished my Chick-fil-A meal. I felt full, certainly, but a healthier full. Also, the amount of options on a Chick-fil-A menu opens it up to a wider group of customers. If you want a salad, you can get one. If you wanted a salad at Cane’s, you’ve got to eat that nasty coleslaw. Chick-fil-A employees too tend to be nicer than Canes’. The only things that Cane’s wins at are the sauce and the interior design.
So. I think you’ve guessed it. (or you’re just one of those people who skip reading and look at the bottom—AKA “TLDR”). You still have time to look away. I am team Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A has won and beaten Cane’s. Despite the fact that the majority of people said Cane’s, I can’t help but pick the “underdog”.
To those of you who said Cane’s, don’t be mad, but be happy and spread joy. That being said, if you picked Cane’s you’ve made the wrong life choices. Kidding. Yes, Cane’s sauce is better than Chick-fil-A’s, but almost everything else is in Chick-fil-A’s favor. I do sincerely apologize if I yucked your yum today, but Chick-fil-A is the winner.
