Popeyes got its start in a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1972 as a generic Southern-style fried chicken spot called Chicken on the Run. After a concerning lack of business, founder Alvin C. Copeland changed the direction of his business slightly, giving it a more local flavor with chicken that features traditional New Orleans-style seasoning. By the beginning of the ’90s, Popeyes had already expanded internationally and was competing with other major U.S.-based fried chicken chains.
Over 20 years later and further north in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Raising Cane’s opened its doors. While this much younger chain also took inspiration from bold Southern Louisiana flavors, it decided to keep a much more streamlined approach and focused just on chicken tenders, which it still does today. Both businesses rank among the best fried chicken chain restaurants, and even though Popeyes is famous for its bone-in bird, it includes tenders on its menu that compete with Cane’s on flavor. But how do both chains compare when it comes to price?
To answer this question, we analyzed both menus to find out which of these two businesses offers the most affordable chicken tenders, and the answer is Raising Cane’s by 50 cents per tender on average. We arrived at this figure by averaging the price of each tender in each of Popeyes’ multi-pack bundles, which include anywhere from three to 16 pieces, without any sides or drinks. We then found the average of those individual tenders and compared it to the cost of a single tender at Cane’s. But while the younger chain is cheaper, Popeyes has some features that might make it the better overall value.
Popeyes has lots of variety and options for single diners and larger groups
Popeye’s may be slightly more expensive than its competitor in the battle for the cheapest chicken tenders, but you may just get what you pay for when it comes to these strips, especially if you want some variety. For starters, you have the option of three types of seasoning — classic, spicy, or blackened — when placing your order, along with up to 12 different dipping sauces to choose from (not including gravy). You also get your choice of four different side dishes when ordering a meal; you can opt for a large and get two side dishes with your order, which include the chain’s famous Louisiana-style red beans and rice, Cajun fries, mashed potatoes with gravy, slaw, or mac and cheese. Raising Cane’s, by comparison, only has one type of seasoning, one dipping sauce, and two sides that come standard with every combo meal.
Popeye’s really shines when it comes to feeding a crowd, though, as it has eight-, 12-, and 16-piece family meals that include biscuits and sides. Raising Cane’s doesn’t feature such options and only offers larger catering orders that don’t include any extras besides its signature dipping sauces. Aside from that, you have more options for other types of chicken entrees at Popeyes, meaning that if you’re dining with a group, not everyone has to order the same thing. That’s certainly not the case at the competitor.
Raising Cane’s is a great option for fans of its seasoning and sides
The limited scope of Raising Cane’s menu means that you’re not going to have nearly as many choices for your meal as you would at Popeyes. Nevertheless, there are a few advantages that this Baton Rouge-based chain may have over its competitors. Perhaps the biggest one is that after its three-piece combo, called the three-finger combo, the larger ones feature one more piece of chicken than its competitor, further adding to the value. Nevertheless, you do not have the option for larger or more sides with your order: You can only really get its crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast with a three-piece meal and the addition of a small cup of coleslaw with large combos.
However, not everyone may be partial to Popeyes seasoned fries, and Cane’s style of fried spuds has a loyal following. As well, other diners may prefer this chain’s complimentary side of Texas Toast to the biscuits you get at the New Orleans-style restaurant. Finally, Raising Cane’s technically serves chicken fingers, which are different from chicken tenders. Tenders are actually from a specific part of the bird’s breast, which can be more tender (hence the name) and therefore more expensive. If you take this into account, perhaps Popeyes offers the better value for higher quality and more options. But the true measure of where you should spend your money lies in your personal taste preferences, and Cane’s remains a favorite despite its shortcomings, even though some may think it’s one of the worst fried chicken chains.