Who doesn’t love a good chicken sandwich every once in a while? After three long periods at school with nothing but state capitol cookies from the commons as snacks, one is usually dying of hunger by lunch. A chicken sandwich is the perfect lunch to fill you up before last period. With the fairly recent opening of Urban Space Union Square, we were wondering which chicken sandwich near Friends is the best option. Is a fast-food sandwich from McDonalds or Popeyes more tasty than smaller chains like Bobwhite Counter or Sticky’s? We went to find out.

McDonald’s: 39 Union Square W

McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast food chain. It is cheap, accessible, but not the healthiest. Upon entry, the McDonald’s atmosphere was chaotic and didn’t seem very sanitary. However, our order only took three minutes, and was relatively cheap, coming out to $6.59. The sandwich came out hot, but its appearance wasn’t appetizing as it was extremely flat. The chicken was quite crispy on the outside, and it was well-seasoned, but a little dry. The bun, on the other hand, was buttered and toasted and was moist and a little dense. Additionally, there were pickles which added a nice extra flavor. Overall, we would say McDonald’s exceeded our expectations, but we knew we could find a better sandwich. 

Popeyes: 34 E 14th St

Popeyes, our second stop, was a less popular venue compared to McDonald’s. Nonetheless, the November 2019 Popeyes Chicken Sandwich craze made us especially excited to try this one. The first thing we noticed when we entered was that the environment was surprisingly calm, clean, and there was nice music playing. Although we were a little thrown off by the teal and orange color split down the middle of the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by a kind and welcoming staff. Less than three minutes after our order, our piping hot $4.98 chicken sandwich came out of the kitchen. The sandwich looked extremely appetizing, and was very large. It contained many more pickles and much more mayo than the McDonald’s one. Looks can be deceiving, however, because the chicken was not very flavorful, and had a gummy texture. The crust was more of a batter, and though it looked good, it was falling off with every bite. The sandwich felt too crunchy and crumbly. 

Bobwhite Counter: 124 E 14th St

Bobwhite is one of the most popular locations in the food court Urban Space, and is very popular amongst the Friends community. Going there was a fun and energetic experience, with great music playing to lift up our spirits. We went on a weekend at a bit of an off hour, so the food only took five minutes. On a weekday, however, there is usually a long line, and it takes much longer. Our chicken sandwich was nine dollars. Upon first glance, the chicken sandwich we ordered was quite small, though it looked crispy and appetizing. When tasting the sandwich we first noticed that the chicken had a nice crunch on the outside. While it could’ve been a little crunchier closer to the center, the chicken was seasoned incredibly well. The brioche roll was much less soggy, and the pickles and mayo were a great touch. The whole sandwich was delicious and felt much less artificial and more wholesome than the fast food alternatives. Overall, the Bobwhite Counter chicken sandwich takes longer to make than at traditional fast food spots, and is a little too small for the price, but it’s freshly fried and homemade taste was amazing.

Sticky’s: 107 E 14th St 

Our final stop in this chicken sandwich crawl was Sticky’s on 14th street. In ninth grade, Sticky’s was the place to be, and it was our go-to lunch spot. The vibes inside seemed lively but it felt pretty enclosed. The chicken sandwich surprisingly took only one minute to arrive after we ordered it and cost nine dollars. The bun was quite soft, and the entire sandwich was pretty big. When I opened it up, I found coleslaw inside a chicken sandwich for the first time, and I did not think it was a good addition. The coleslaw made the bun very soggy when we tried to eat the sandwich, and it lacked taste. If you don’t like gloppy food, this isn’t the sandwich for you. The sandwich tasted smokey in general, and the chicken had a rubbery texture. The taste let us down and made us wonder why Sticky’s was such a big deal in our freshman year. 

After trying these various chicken sandwiches, we came to the conclusion that Bobwhite Counter makes a far superior tasting product to mass-produced, fast food alternatives. However, these sandwiches are much more expensive, and take longer to get. Though the line can be long, it is quite expensive, and the sandwich is pretty small, we found that the crispiest, most flavorful and tender sandwich was found at Bobwhite Counter. The pickles and mayo perfectly complemented the sandwich, and the bun was not dry or dense. Tied with Bobwhite is McDonald’s. Though the quality didn’t come close to beating Bobwhite, if you’re looking for a fast, cheap, filling sandwich, go for McDonald’s. Popeyes was not very good, but did come out quickly, was big, and cost the least. The chicken had an odd texture, and the sandwich exterior was just too crunchy and crumbly. Sticky’s was last for us. The quality of the sandwich wasn’t good, and it was among the most expensive. There are plenty of great chicken sandwich options around Friends, but if you have the time, and are okay with a small sandwich that costs a lot, Bobwhite Counter is delicious.