Picture this: It’s early August. You’re lying on the beach, enjoying your summer vacation. Probably procrastinating your summer reading assignment. You’re in peak relaxation mode. Then, the news breaks: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has released its first-ever chicken sandwich.

Now, if you’re like me, your immediate thought was this: “Um… okay? Why is this a big deal?” and honestly, it wasn’t a big deal at first. However, soon after the sandwich’s initial release, a Twitter interaction occurred that would soon start an all-out war: Chick-fil-A vs. Popeyes.

Who am I to ignore a good Twitter feud? Therefore I present to you: my opinion on the Chicken Sandwich War of 2019.

The first thing you should know is that I LOVE Chick-fil-A. My whole family does, in fact. We even bought the “Free Chick-fil-A for a Year” package at the RMA Auction. I also love my teacher Mrs. Lehnes, whose husband owns the restaurant in Rocky Mount, so I’m sorry if I’m a bit partial. Secondly, the Popeyes chicken sandwich is sold-out in stores nationwide, so I never got my hands on a sandwich. However, my friend Katie Horan tried it, so I consulted her for this review.

We’ll start with arguably the least important parts of the sandwich: condiments and add-ons. The Chick-fil-A sandwich features one simple topping: pickles. Not very exciting, especially if you don’t like pickles like me, but I will give credit to Chick-fil-A for always getting my order right when I ask for no pickles. Popeyes, though, decided to add mayonnaise to the classic chicken-and-pickle combo. Unfortunately, the mayo is not a hit among customers, and Katie recommends asking for no mayo when you order. She does say that the pickles from Popeyes are thicker cut and much more flavorful than Chick-fil-A’s. Next up: the bun. Chick-fil-A sports a classic, buttery bun for their sandwich. It’s simple yet delicious and sweet. Similarly, the chicken sandwich from Popeyes is on a buttery brioche bun, but it is glazed in a sweet lime flavor. The final category to judge is the chicken itself, which can make or break a sandwich. This factor demonstrates the biggest difference between these two fast food chains’ sandwiches. On Chick-fil-A’s side, we have a patty that is unbelievably juicy and provides a soft and smooth chewing experience. On the other hand, Popeyes’ chicken is crispy, with the same level of juiciness. In my opinion, the winner of this war relies on the taster’s preference in chicken: soft or crunchy?

If I’m being honest, I do love a crunchy chicken sandwich, so Popeyes sounds delicious to me. I even prefer when my Chick-fil-A sandwich is cooked a bit on the crispy side. However, I live in Rocky Mount and the nearest Popeyes is in Roanoke Rapids, forty-five minutes away. That being said, for the sake of practicality, I will still be spending an ungodly amount of money at the Chick-fil-A of Cobb Corners and loving every minute of it.