Las Vegans weigh in on Popeyes’ chicken sandwich

Las Vegans are choosing sides and beefing over chicken, thanks to Popeyes’ release of its crispy chicken sandwich and the social media debate that has followed.

With just one addition to a fast-food menu, the hierarchy of chicken sandwiches in America was rattled, and the supremacy of Chick-fil-A and others was threatened.

Popeyes announced its new sandwich on Twitter last week with, “Chicken. Brioche. Pickles. New. Sandwich. Popeyes. Nationwide. So. Good. Forgot. How. Speak. In. Complete. Sandwiches. I mean, sentences.”

Carl Jackson headed to the Popeyes in central Las Vegas on Thursday after seeing all the buzz on social media.

He said he eats at both Chick-fil-A and Popeyes “a lot,” but Popeyes may have the better chicken sandwich.

“Wow, really a great sandwich,” he said. “The chicken is crunchy on the outside and tender and juicy. But the bread is what does it. It’s buttery and soft.”

He still loves the Chick-fil-A seasoning, he said. “But Popeyes takes it with the crunch and the bun and the pickles.”

Angie Richard wasn’t sold, though.

She went to Popeyes after hearing how motivated her co-worker was to try it.

“She went to three different places yesterday to get the sandwich,” Richard said, adding that her co-worker came back empty-handed because they were all sold out.

After Richard waited an hour and a half for her spicy chicken sandwich at the location on the corner of Bonanza Road and Rancho Drive, she said, “It wasn’t bad,” but the sandwich wasn’t worth the long wait.

“I think there needs to be some red onions or something,” she said, adding the spiciness and pickle just didn’t do the trick, but she did like the crispiness.

Overall, she said she prefers to get her chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-A. But had she not had to wait so long in line, she said, maybe she’d feel differently.

“I just don’t think they (Popeyes) thought it would go over like that,” she said, referencing the full parking lot, drive-thru, and crowded waiting area.

Chifon Rhodes also found the sandwich not worth her hourlong wait.

“The chicken was too big for the bread, it was full of grease, and it was messy,” she said. “Hands down, Chick-fil-A is the winner in the chicken sandwich battle.”

Janine Blake loved her Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich, though.

She said her wait didn’t feel too long, and her food came out before she finished paying.

“I can’t stop biting it. It’s got a lot of flavor,” she said. “I’m not a fan of white meat, but it’s juicy.”

Blake said she’s never been to Chick-fil-A, but she will be returning to Popeyes.

Contact Nicole Raz at nraz@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512. Follow@Nicole0Raz on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.