Fried chicken lovers have more choice then ever after a host of big international players arrived on UK high streets over the last few years.
Dave’s, Slim Chickens, Wingstop, Jollibee and Popeyes are all now fighting for some of KFC’s market share.
Then there’s the British chains quietly expanding in neighbourhoods around the country – names such as Dixy, Morley’s Miss Millie’s, Sam’s Chicken, Favorite and Chicken Cottage.
But can any of them rival KFC as the nation’s favourite fried chicken chain?
Over the past four months, our testers paid multiple visits to the country’s 11 biggest fried chicken chains by branch numbers, plus Dave’s due to the social media hype.
Two US chains, Wingstop and Dave’s, won out, pipping KFC into a respectable third.
Read our full verdict…
1/ Wingstop – Our score 8.5
Branches: 86
We loved: Service, fries, drink selection
But: Expensive, no option to buy one or two bits of chicken
Not strictly a KFC rival, given it predominantly serves wings, but Wingstop is competing for space in the same market and is fast becoming a high street staple. It’s among the most expensive of the chains we tried (cheapest wings are £8.95 for eight, or there’s three tenders for £5.95) but our testers were unanimous in their praise. The chicken, whether you pick uncoated wings or tenders, comes with one of 10 sauces, ranked from mild to hot on the menu. The sauces were full of flavour and textures were exceptional. The skin-on fries come with one of three seasonings – we loved the sweet-spice of the house seasoning. The wing burger gets top marks with a chunky pickle, tasty slaw and brioche bun. The service during three visits to different branches was faultless.
2/ Dave’s – Our score 8
Branches: 5
We loved: Flavour, comfy seating, not a KFC copycat, simple menu
But: Queues and wait times, meals don’t include a drink
Dave’s is famous for the “reaper” spice option that requires you to sign a waiver, but the recent US import is more than a gimmick. While much of the fried chicken we tried in this experiment was a variation of the herby coating you’ll find at KFC, Dave’s is dominated by paprika, cayenne, onion and garlic. It’s not for the faint-hearted but you do get to choose your spice level. The chicken seems to be entirely breast but was consistently juicy and comes on a slice of white bread that soaks up the sweet-spicy mix. The crinkle-cut chips with a mild spicing were among our favourite. Comfy seats, music and made-to-order food makes it feel like you’re out for a meal, rather than fast food, though the illusion is broken slightly by wooden cutlery. Wait times and pricing (the cheapest single chicken is £3.99) mean it’s not one for a quick stop-off – but the flavour across its menu is hard to match.
3/ KFC – Our score 7.5
Branches: 1,040
We loved: Flavour, option to buy single pieces of chicken, more consistent than other “neighbourhood” chains
But: Dry fries
Our testers felt the Colonel’s recipe stood up to all its rivals, blending herbs and spices in a way others struggle to match. One of the issues with many of the neighbourhood chains, where the food isn’t made to order, is that the chicken can be sitting around in quieter times – while not immune to that, the high turnover means it’s less likely to be a problem at KFC. Our testers found one item never disappointed: the hot wings. None of the rival chains combines crispiness, juiciness and spicing as well. Wings and chicken are available for less than £2.
4/ Slim Chickens – Our score 7.25
Branches: 55
We loved: Crispy chicken, comfort and atmosphere, 15 sauces, kitchen towel on tables, refillable drinks
But: Expensive, flavour lacks punch
This felt like a chicken equivalent of Five Guys, in that its branches are a little more upmarket and the prices reflect that (the cheapest chicken is three tenders for £4.95 – or higher in some London branches). Our reviewers loved the crispiness of the chicken. It’s on the herbier side and some of the team felt it needed pepping up with one of the 15 sauces on the menu. If you choose cheese, it comes grated and cheddary. The chips are good – skin on with a shake of sweet-salty seasoning. The hot wings were tough, plump and juicy – but too spicy for some of our team.
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5/ Morley’s – Our score 6
Branches: More than 130
We loved: Flavour, huge drink selection in some branches, cheap options
But: Dry burger, inconsistent
Our testers found their experience at Morley’s depended on which branch they visited. Some were fresh, some were in need of a refresh. The food was similarly branch-dependant but when it was good, the flavour and crispiness were the closest match to KFC. The chicken pieces and wings were strong, with a similar herb-salt combination to its bigger rival. The little bites of chicken, which come with BBQ, sweet chilli or buffalo sauce, were a hit. One consistent let-down was the burger, which despite the promising shiny brioche, was the driest we tried even with plenty of mayo. A single piece of chicken was available for £2.
6/ Jollibee – Our score 5.75
Branches: 12-13
We loved: The chicken
But: Poor drinks selection, confused menu
With endless questions at the kiosk, some long wait times and a slightly random menu that also includes spaghetti and rice meals, Jollibee is an opinion splitter. What’s not disputed is that the fried chicken – with a drier and more aromatic coating than the competition – is very tasty and has a satisfying crunch. A single piece of chicken was available for £2.49.
7/ Popeyes – Our score 5.5
Branches: 110
We loved: The crunch, service
But: Lack of flavour, expensive
Clean restaurants, helpful staff and a trademark (and impressive) crunch would make Popeyes feel like a real treat, but one flaw was noted by all our testers at every branch: a lack of any real flavour on the chicken. This despite the claim of a 12-hour marinade. The burgers (some come with a hash brown) are better and the wings are not far off KFC-standard. The cheapest chicken is two pieces for £4.99 or one piece with fries for £3.49.
=8/ Sam’s Chicken – Our score 5
Branches: Over 50
We loved: The chips
But: No tables
The chicken was nice enough, but lacked enough seasoning to make it moreish. Our testers loved the chips, which were more potatoey than most we tried and had flavour without seasoning (you get a salt sachet). The small, round fillet burger gives school canteen vibes, and while the hot wings had a great kick, some testers commented they had the slightly dead-inside texture that comes with reheating. Two pieces of chicken cost £4.
=8/ Chicken Cottage – Our score 5
Branches: More than 80
We loved: Tasty chicken and very good wings
But: The burger wasn’t tasty enough and the chicken was often left standing for too long
The chicken has a nice, peppery tang, while the wings have a thick, crunchy coating and perfect heat level. The chips were also potatoey and solid. One consistent let-down for our testers was that the chicken seemed to have been sitting around for a while, so at times felt dry. The burger also disappointed. Two pieces of chicken cost £3.75, or £2 if you buy them on top of a meal.
10/ Dixy Chicken – Our score 4.75
Branches: Over 120
We loved: The chips and wings
But: The chicken pieces
The hot wings were among the biggest we tried, and though they were consistently a little greasy, they maintain a crunch and had a lovely kick. The burger was also a good effort, similar to KFC but with a sweeter mayo.
The chips pleased the testers who like traditional fries, but all agreed they lacked flavour. The chicken pieces are also big but on every visit the skin was very pale and way too loose. One piece of chicken costs £1.80 (but prices weren’t consistent).
11/ Miss Millie’s – Our score 4.5
Branches: 14
We loved: The burger
But: Bland chips, chicken inconsistent
Our testers thought this was a decent neighbourhood chain, but a way short of KFC despite a historical connection (its founder, Harry Latham, opened the UK’s first KFC in 1965). The fillet burger is almost a replica of its larger rival, while the wings were tasty but lacked kick in some branches. The chicken pieces were solid but lack the depth of flavouring of KFC, and our testers found the skin a bit loose. A piece of chicken is available for £1.99.
12/ Favorite – Our score 4
Branches: More than 90
We loved: Not too much
But: 50p charge if you want to choose which pieces of chicken you want, if you’re having two, menu too big
Favorite claims to be Britain’s tastiest chicken but our testers didn’t agree. The flavour was okay, but the coating lacked any bite and was slightly greasy. The chips were crunchy but hollow, and though the wings did the job, the chicken was dry for all our testers. The menu felt confused with ribs, halloumi dips and, at the time of testing, a katsu range. We couldn’t find a consistent price for a single piece of chicken.
