This Southern chain says its fried chicken could beat out KFC and Popeyes - here's the verdict
Bojangles' is well-loved, and for good reason; however, at times it falls short of expectation. We can see why people love the biscuit and celebrate the chicken's Cajun seasoning — but in 2017, the chicken competition is stiff. The chain's breakfast menu would compel these judges to visit over a trip to Popeyes, but on a pure comparison of chicken, the larger chain still reigns supreme.
Patio has been essentially discontinued since the late '70s, yet a small number of Bojangles' continue to stock the startlingly red soda on tap. It tastes like the most fake cherry flavoring one can possibly imagine, and it's glorious.
Bojangles' is also known for its extraordinarily sugary sweet tea. Something else caught our eye, however: Patio Red Cherry soda.
Fun fact: In high school, Kate's chemistry class took a field trip to Bojangles' to learn about supersaturation of liquids — using their sweet tea.
Nowhere is the biscuit's power more apparent than the breakfast menu, which is available all day, and is in many ways Bojangles' shining star. Items such as the Cajun fillet biscuit blow other chicken options out of the water.
The saving grace is the simple, humble plain biscuit. Sweet, buttery, salty salvation. It's a utility player that doesn't put on airs or ask for much, but it delivers every time.
Bojangles' signature sweet, the "Bo-Berry" biscuit, is adored amongst Bos' fans. Yet this adoration befuddles us. Biting in, Hollis immediately called his dentist to schedule a cleaning. The toaster strudel-esque icing gave way to a sweetened biscuit dappled with suspiciously artificial-tasting blueberries. It's an icon, sure, but a problematic fave.
The fried chicken sandwich suffers from a similar mayo malaise. However, the Cajun seasoning manages to cling to life despite the dead weight of the goopy condiment.
If only the same can be said for the grilled chicken sandwich. This mayo-laden mess is both dry and flavorless, with a bun that shirks its noble task of avoiding sogginess and wimpy lettuce that retreats in the face of a mayonnaise onslaught.
The dirty rice, on the other hand, is a surprisingly tasty side. Sausage adds a salty, savory punch of flavor to the seasoned rice. It's not something you can get at any fast food chain, and Bojangles' is better for it.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner? Maybe not. Where the Supremes are dry, the chicken on the bone certainly isn't. In fact, the grease can be a tad overwhelming in a chicken that fails to truly distinguish itself in terms of flavor.
The Supremes look fairly appealing, but on first bite, the luster is lost. While they're not horrible, they lean on the dry side of things, and they lack that certain crunch that one craves with a proper tender. The Cajun seasoning, however, is an uplifting redemption that makes these worth a try.
The chicken Supremes — Bojangles' take on chicken tenders — come in a combo with a biscuit and a "fixin'." The mac n' cheese is a solid, yet conservative take on the traditional side — nothing special, but certainly serviceable.
We ordered quite the spread: chicken selects, a two-piece chicken dinner, a fried chicken sandwich, a grilled chicken sandwich, a "Bo-Berry" biscuit as well as a regular biscuit, and bowls of "dirty rice" and mac n' cheese for sides.
The system works seamlessly. Our orders were ready in roughly 3 minutes — easily the speediest chicken chain we surveyed.
The ordering system sets Bojangles' apart from most: the cashier calls orders over a PA system to the kitchen, which springs into action.
The taupe continued inside. The interior had a clean, sterile, yet vaguely homey vibe, like an old-school New England Wendy's.
Bojangles' beige buttress beckoned from the highway in Charlottesville.
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