Bachelor on the Cheap

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: Sonic's Chicken Slinger

04/30/2021

Sonic's Chicken Slinger

By Mike Thayer

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

The only reason I got pickle in every bite is because the sandwich was slider size

I recently sampled Sonic's Crispy Chicken Slinger. This isn't a full size sandwich, it's more of a slider, but it's got all the ingredients necessary for the Chicken Sandwich War: Fried chicken, a bun, pickles and mayo. Here's the description from the Sonic website: Juicy all white-meat chicken, pickles and mayo served on a brioche bun.

Sonic's sandwich is a pea shooter in the Chicken Sandwich War.

The sandwich had a decent visual appeal and I was looking forward to that first bite but in taking it, I was like, "Looks better than it tastes." The chicken was kind of boring, the breading was under-seasoned, although the meat itself was juicy. The biggest downer was the lack of crunch. The Brioche bun was nice, providing that desired 'pillowy' element to the sandwich and the meat to bun ratio was slider ration good. But in continuing the lack of flavor, the mayo and pickles were unspectacular. In the overall taste factor, this was a very average chicken sandwich.

Looked better than it tasted

I paid just $6.69 for my Sonic Chicken Slinger combo meal with the sandwich scoring 46 out of 63 possible points. While the combo meal was reasonably priced, this sandwich is very average and NOT a repeat buy. I gave it 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Related: DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 07:35 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: Burger King's Hand Breaded Crispy Chicken Sandwich

04/22/2021

By Mike Thayer

Burger King Handbreaded Crispy Chicken Sandwich

The wrapper says "Ultra Crispy" but is it?

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

Nice Bun!

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

I recently sampled Burger King's Hand Breaded Crispy Chicken Sandwich. This sandwich arrives late to the chicken sandwich war that started in 2019 and Burger King's 'effort' here is a flat out copycat attempt taken from Popeyes. So how good is this copycat attempt, was this sandwich worth the wait?

Here's the Burger King description of the sandwich: Our sandwich has a thick cut white meat chicken breast that is freshly breaded by hand for a bite that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Served on a toasty potato bun with crisp deli pickles and a savory signature sauce.

No, this sandwich was NOT worth the wait.

The chicken was over-fried and I'm thinking the fryer temp was not where it needed to be (not hot enough) because the breast was NOT crispy, it was chewy. The meat itself was dry and stringy. The chicken portion was also a bit small compared to the competition - especially Popeyes - with the chicken breast failing to really reach beyond the borders of the bun, a sub-par meat to bun ratio. The bun itself was quite nice and the deli pickles and savory mayo were spot on, in fact, the bun, pickles and mayo were the best parts of this sandwich and that's a sad statement. A chicken sandwich that fails to highlight the main ingredient....

Over-fried chicken and didn't get pickle in every bite

I paid just $6.98 for my Burger King Hand Breaded Crispy Chicken Sandwich Combo Meal and it scored just 44 out 63 possible points. That is the second lowest score registered so far in this challenge and the second worst sandwich. While the combo meal was reasonably priced, this sandwich is NOT a repeat buy and gets 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Related: DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 03:51 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shopping for a Fishing Kayak

04/20/2021

By Mike Thayer

Spring is here, the ice on the water has melted off, it's time to go fishing at beautiful Lake Viking!

I need a boat, a fishing kayak to be precise, so before I hit the water I'm in the market for a nice fishing kayak. But what kind of kayak should I buy? Which is better, a sit-in or sit-on style? Do I go with a 10 foot kayak, 12 feet? What features and accessories are essential?

Just about any kind of fishing kayak is better than shoreline fishing and the kayak choices out there vary greatly in size, hull material, seating, features and accessories. I don't want just a base level Kayak which I could get into for about $400 but I don't want to spend too much either, with bells and whistles kayaks going for $1,400 plus. I want something I can get into the water with right away and can upgrade as I choose, later. That $400 buys me a basic plastic boat, a molded seat, minimal storage and one rod holder. I need to spend more than that to get a few features to make my on-the-water fishing endeavors more enjoyable, better than just "good enough," so I've set my budget at around $700 to $900.

After researching fishing kayaks online and based on the type of fishing I'll be doing - on a lake, dealing with a few waves from motor boats and water skiers - I'm going for a wide bodied, sit-on kayak. The sit-on style will give me better stability on the water, in dealing with the occasional boat waves and also provides the ability to stand up in the kayak to cast. Other pluses to a sit-on kayak are they are easier to get in and out of, I'll be sitting higher giving me a better view of the water, and sit-on kayaks are easier to customize and accessorize.

Here are a few choices in getting started on my search for a fishing kayak, details and descriptions from the respective kayak makers:

Pelican Catch 100

Length: 10’ | Width: 34” | Weight: 54 lbs. | Retail: $649

The Pelican Catch 100 features a tunnel hull for amazing stability, making it easy to stand while casting. Well-planned-out accessories help keep everything conveniently stowed, and yet it’s light enough for most people to carry and launch on their own.

Pelican Premium the Catch 120 Kayak

Length: 11' 8" | Width: 34" | Weight: 69 lbs. | Retail: $749

Make sure to take out the Pelican Premium the Catch 120 Kayak the next time you fish. The RAM-X™ PREMIUM material tunnel hull resists wear and tear out on the water, and a tank well with a bungee cord and a quick-lock hatch provide additional room for your gear. The Ergocast G2 dual-position seating system can be adjusted to sitting or standing, and an antislip carpet and stand-assist strap help you safely stand when it is wet.

Ascend® 12T Sit-On-Top Kayak

Length: 12' | Width: 32" | Weight: 77 lbs. | Retail: $779

To craft the updated Ascend® 12T Sit-On-Top Kayak, our designers took our most-popular sit-on-top kayak and refined it to be even more stable, more functional, and more comfortable. The advanced tunnel design with a wide transom and flared bow sections bring a fishing kayak so stable, you can stand up and cast from it. The same design also produces outstanding tracking and couldn't-be-easier paddling. While you're standing, you'll stay comfortable thanks to the non-skid foam deck mat.

Lifetime Sport Fisher Angler 10ft Kayak

Length: 10' | Width: 36" | Weight: 60 lbs. | Retail: $688

The 10 ft. Lifetime Sport Fisher™ is one of the most versatile fishing kayaks on the market. The comfortable tiered seating allows for the kayak to be paddled solo or tandem and can even transport a 3rd smaller passenger in the center seat. The tunnel hull design boasts 500 lb. of weight capacity and is incredibly stable making it nearly impossible to tip over. The Lifetime Sport Fisher™ includes two kayak paddles, two padded backrests which can be moved to any of the three seating positions, three flush-mounted fishing rod holders, and a 6 in. hatch for added storage access beneath the deck.

Perception Outlaw 11.5 Angler Kayak

Length; 11' 6" | Width: 35" | Weight: 77 lbs. | Retail: $749.99

With a wide-open deck and an expansive standing platform, you’ll be sure to love the Perception® Outlaw 11.5 Angler Kayak as you’re out angling this season. This sit-on-top fishing kayak is best used for lakes, slow-moving rivers, streams and calm coastal waters. Its folding and removable framed seat provides all-around convenience and the perfect stow position for your gear when the seat is removed. With three solo moint recesses, two double-barrel rod holders and more, the Outlaw ‘yak is perfect for making your next big catch!

Stay tuned for additional details on these kayaks and others, as I narrow my search and find the kayak that suits me best.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Posted at 03:59 PM in Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich

04/15/2021

By Mike Thayer

The DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

A thin chicken breast

I recently sampled the DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich. They make a decent burger, so how good is their chicken sandwich and how does it stack up against the competition?

Here's the description from the DQ website: A crispy chicken fillet topped with crisp chopped lettuce, thick-cut tomato and mayo served on a warm toasted bun.

What? No pickle? Every good chicken sandwich comes with pickles! And check out the thin chicken breast fillet, the SMALLEST portion of chicken of any sandwich sampled so far in this challenge. The chicken also lacked flavor, it was under-seasoned and it shouldn't be called a 'Crispy' Chicken Sandwich because the crunch factor was missing. The lettuce, tomato and bun were all fine, but all rather ordinary and there was a bit of mayo overkill. This wasn't a balanced sandwich either, there wasn't tomato in every bite, there wasn't lettuce in every bite. Overall, an under-seasoned chicken breast and no pickles makes for a rather boring sandwich.

A bit of mayo overkill

I paid just $3.89 for my DQ Crispy Chicken Sandwich and it scored just 39 out 63 possible points. That is the lowest score registered so far in this challenge and the worst sandwich. It is NOT a repeat buy and gets 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 07:24 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: Popeye's Classic Chicken Sandwich

04/12/2021

By Mike Thayer

Just LOOK at that chicken breast!

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

Under the lid

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

I recently sampled Popeye's Classic Chicken Sandwich, yes, that one, THE Gold Standard, the sandwich that is used to measure others.....

This sandwich flat out ROCKS! It had a great visual appeal, just look at the size of that chicken breast! The meat was crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside and seasoned perfectly. Wrapped up in that puffy Brioche bun and complimented by tart pickle and creamy mayo, this sandwich combination is genius in it's simplicity and packing all that flavor in just a few ingredients.

It needs another pickle

I paid just $3.99 for my Popeye's Classic Chicken Sandwich and it scored 62 out 63 possible points. The only knock I've got against the sandwich is that it could have used one more pickle, I didn't get that nice tartness in every bite. Popeye's sandwich deserves Gold Standard status and it's most definitely a repeat buy getting 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It should be your go-to chicken sandwich.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 05:02 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: Wendy's Classic Chicken Sandwich

04/11/2021

By Mike Thayer

Wendy's Classic Chicken Sandwich

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

The lettuce and tomato takes away from the twang of the pickle

I recently sampled Wendy's Classic Chicken Sandwich, which features a crispy all-white meat chicken breast with mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce and tomato on a warm, toasted bun.

This is a good sandwich, but not great. It had a decent visual appeal aside from the oversized leaf of lettuce, the chicken breast was a good size but thick on one end, kind of thin on the other. With that in mind the meat to bun ratio was OK but the crunch just wasn't there despite the nice visual. And the sandwich was over dressed. There was too much mayo, with the lettuce and tomato not really adding much to the sandwich, in fact, they took away from the tartness of a good pickle, which in writing, Wendy's needs a better pickle. Overall, not a bad chicken sandwich, but there's better out there (KFC) and this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge is just getting started!

An over-dressed sandwich

I paid $8 and change for a combo meal (just the sandwich is $4.99 making it a bit pricier than other competitors), and the sandwich scored 51 points out of a possible 63. I'm giving the Wendy's Classic Chicken Sandwich a weak 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It's an iffy repeat buy, definitely not a first choice when in the mood for a chicken sandwich.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 08:37 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: Slim Chickens Crispy Chicken Sandwich

04/03/2021

The restaurant logo is pretty cool

By Mike Thayer

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich has been so popular, it is now considered THE gold standard for a chicken sandwich. So how do all the other fast food joints stack up? In the name of 'food science' (cough), I intend to find out.

Just look at that brioche bun and the crispy chicken peaking out...

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

I recently sampled the Crispy Chicken Sandwich offering from Slim Chickens. A relative newcomer to the fast food culture, Slim Chickens opened it's first store in 2003 and now has 100 restaurants in 18 states. Here's the description of the Crispy Chicken Sandwich from the restaurant website: Fried chicken breast with fresh pickles & ranch mayo on a toasted brioche bun.

Breading falling apart

So enough about Slim Chickens history and such, "How is their sandwich?" you ask...

SALTY!!! Three exclamation points SALTY.... Slim Chickens might as well call this a salt lick sandwich!

I've never eaten at a Slim Chickens before and the visual appeal of the sandwich had me licking my chops, but my first bite into this sandwich was a big salt lick disappointment. The breading on the chicken fell apart and lacked crunch. And while the ranch mayo, pickle and toasted bun were all on point, that overdose of salt just overpowered anything that was good about this sandwich.

I paid about $8 for a combo meal, a typical fast food combo meal price, but the sandwich scored just 45 points out of a possible 63. I'm giving the Slim Chickens Crispy Chicken Sandwich 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It is NOT a repeat buy.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 08:53 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: McDonald's "New" Crispy Chicken Sandwich

04/02/2021

It even says "Crispy" on the packaging, but is it?

By Mike Thayer

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Where has McDonald's been in all this? While the McChicken remains on the menu, McDonald's has made two failed attempts to 'introduce' a chicken sandwich that can compete with Chick-fil-A and Popeye's. Unveiling a brand-new crispy chicken sandwich this year, it's available in three offerings: original with crinkle-cut pickles, spicy with pickles and a “spicy pepper sauce”, and a deluxe version with pickles, lettuce, tomato and mayo.

I recently sampled the McDonald's 'original' with crinkle-cut pickles, trying every restaurant's classic sandwich first during the course of this challenge, to see who makes the best one.

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

The 'New' McDonald's Crispy Chicken Sandwich has a typical fast food preparation appeal - slapped together - with more thought going into the packaging than the sandwich. There wasn't much of a crunch in the chicken and the pickles were 'eh'. The bun, a potato roll, was dry, there's no mayo on this sandwich and the buttering of the bun didn't register. McDonald's has missed the mark with this latest attempt to compete with Chick-fil-A and Popeye's and only scored 45 points of a possible 63. Priced a bit over $4, I'm giving McDonald's Crispy Chicken Sandwich 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It's not a repeat buy.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

The McDonald's 'Crispy' Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is not so crispy...

Related: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

Posted at 06:46 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich War Challenge: KFC's Chicken Sandwich

03/31/2021

By Mike Thayer

There's been a chicken sandwich war going on in fast food, it started in 2019 and it's still going on today.

Shots fired! Chick-fil-A made headlines in 2019 becoming the third largest fast food chain, led with their classic chicken sandwich. Popeyes reacted by putting a new chicken sandwich on the menu and consumers went crazy over it, so crazy in fact, Popeyes ran out of ammo. Already armed with a spicy chicken sandwich, Wendy's entered the battlefield that year by bringing back their spicy chicken nuggets, fans of the item went in a Twitter frenzy.

Where was KFC in all this? They didn't really enter the war until this year, introducing consumers to their Crunchy Chicken Sandwich in January, 2021. Competitors served up over 4 billion chicken sandwiches in 2019 and sales jumped up another 4% in 2020 before KFC fired their first shot, but boy was it a good shot!

Simply called the "KFC Chicken Sandwich" it features and extra crispy chicken filet on a buttered brioche bun and topped with pickles and the option of classic or spicy mayonnaise. I opted for the classic and I look forward to trying the spicy version, but I'm sampling everybody's classic sandwich first, to see who makes the best one.

Not a brioche bun

About their classic, crispy chicken sandwich..... It's about time KFC!

In this Chicken Sandwich War Challenge, sandwiches are evaluated and scored on the following criteria: Visual appeal, the meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, crunch factor, the pickle/mayo and of course, overall taste. There are 1-9 points available for each category for a total possible total score of 63.

The KFC Chicken Sandwich has a nice visual appeal with that 1/4 pound chicken breast fillet breaking the borders of the bun which was a standard bun by the way, NOT brioche. The pickles are nice and thick, a perfectly tart element to compliment that extra crispy chicken. And the sandwich isn't over dressed, the amount of mayo was just right. KFC may have entered the sandwich war late, but they did their sandwich right. The KFC Chicken Sandwich scored 55 out of a possible 63 points and I'm giving it 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Priced at just $3.99, it's definitely a repeat buy even without a brioche bun.

$pend Wisely My Friends.....

Posted at 08:45 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Sandwich Wars Challenge - Who makes the best classic chicken sandwich?

03/28/2021

The Chicken Sandwich Wars in Fast Food.... Started in 2019, the battles continue, who makes a better chicken sandwich, McDonald's or KFC? They're both touting 'New' sandwiches and in the name of 'food science' I've sampled them both, stay tuned to see who in my humble opinion, makes the better sandwich..... www.bacheloronthecheap.com