Popeyes' Sandwich v. Chick-fil-A's: More Flavor, Less Homophobia

If you love fried chicken sandwiches but don't want to support Chick-fil-A's homophobia, Popeyes has a new option for you.

Popeyes recently introduced a sandwich that's similar to Chick-fil-A's trademark one. "With both Popeyes and Chick-fil-A you're getting a boneless fried chicken breast filet and two pickle slices, sandwiched between buttered brioche-like buns that steam inside a foiled envelope," The Takeout reports. But the Popeyes sandwich is thicker and spicier, according to the site. Business Insider also gave the Popeyes sandwich a stellar review.

While Chick-fil-A has a documented history of donations to anti-LGBTQ groups through its foundation as well as homophobic statements by its executives, Popeyes does not. Neither company is rated on the Human Rights Campaign's latest Corporate Equality Index (participation is voluntary), but there are sources that say Popeyes is a better choice for supporters of LGBTQ rights.

"This restaurant chain is pretty quiet with their politics, especially when compared with the other chicken fast food giant, Chick-fil-A," Showbiz Cheat Sheet reported in 2018. "The Huffington Post says Popeye's doesn't have a political action committee they can directly track, but the company chairman donates to Democratic politicians in Florida. He's also a man of science, as he serves on the National Stem Cell Foundation to promote and fund research."

The Popeyes website touts its commitment to "diversity and inclusion," but it doesn't specifically mention LGBTQ employees or customers. It lists three employee resource groups: the Popeyes Multi-Cultural Alliance, Popeyes Emerging Leaders Forum, and Popeyes Women's Leadership Forum. So the company isn't overtly pro-LGBTQ, but it isn't overtly anti-LGBTQ either.

Meanwhile, the new sandwich has started a Twitter feud between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A. "Chick-fil-A, the self-proclaimed inventor of the chicken sandwich, refused to accept the elevation of the new chicken sandwich without taking a stand," Business Insider reports.

Chick-fil-A touted its sandwich in a Monday tweet, but "many took the message as a subtweet of Popeyes, as people are increasingly comparing the two chicken sandwiches," the site notes. Popeyes responded by retweeting it with a comment.

Neither company would comment to the site on the social media dust-up.