Zaxby's Vs. Raising Cane's: Which Is Better?

There are a ton of ways to serve up chicken, and that's what makes the meat so popular. A quick Google search instantly presents you with heaps of recipes on how to perfect your pollo, and one of the tastiest and easiest ways to do it is with a deep fryer. Sure, we all know deep frying food is far from healthy, but sometimes you need to put the urge to watch your waistline high on a shelf and just enjoy the moment. Sit back, drop that chicken into a jacuzzi of golden oil, and watch it sizzle away to a crunchy-coated perfection.

If you're a huge fan of fried chicken, you really don't have to look too hard to snag some; most fast food spots offer crispy chicken in one way or another. If you live in any of the southernmost states of America, you likely know about two popular chains that are known specifically for their fried chicken: Zaxby's and Raising Cane's. Both these joints have a strong fried chicken game, but if given the option, which one is more deserving of your money? Well, we're here to help you make the right decision so you don't end up with deep-fried disappointment.

Fried chicken can come in several different ways. Sometimes you want a basket of straight up chicken strips without all the fixings of a sandwich to get in the way of your mouth and that golden crunch. But there are also times you prefer those breaded strips to nestle in between some bread for a handheld vessel of delight. If you are looking to eat your fried chicken sandwich-style, you'll definitely want to head to Zaxby's over Raising Cane's.

Raising Cane's only has one measly sandwich option, which is a huge bummer for anyone who ends up there with a sandwich on their mind. The one option they have is on the "Extras” section of the menu, so it's not even a main item. Zaxby's however, comes in strong with seven sandwich choices. They offer customers a Kickin' Chicken Sandwich on Texas Toast with hot sauce, a Grilled Chicken option, and a trio of tiny Nibblerz (basically fried chicken sliders), just to name a few. If fried chicken sandwiches are your thing, then Zaxby's has you covered.

Let's be honest: No one is heading out to a spot known for serving up fried chicken because they're super concerned with their caloric intake. That's just the simple truth. However, treating yourself now and then is totally okay. One tactic you can implement when you know you'll be taking down a lot of unhealthy ingredients is to kick the meal off with something green and leafy, like a salad. But know that between Raising Cane's and Zaxby's, Zaxby's is the only spot that offers any salad options.

Although the salad selection isn't huge, customers do get to choose between three options. They can order either the Asian Zensation, the Cobb, or the House, and each one comes with their choice of fried or grilled chicken chunks. Feeling skeptical about a Zaxby's salad? One satisfied Zaxby's customer who was a "long time salad eater" and "had eaten salads at fancy and traditional restaurants" raved about their experience with the grilled chicken salad on TripAdvisor. They wrote, "It tasted as good as it looked, and I would highly recommend it to any salad lover."

Anyone who likes to find themselves around a basket of chicken fingers now and again knows the importance of having a great sauce to dunk them in. Sure, some people opt to eat them dry and enjoy the flavor of the chicken alone, but when you give a fresh piece of fried chicken a nice bath in a delicious sauce it takes the taste to a whole new level. Now, if you're a sauce enthusiast, then it's Zaxby's you absolutely want to head to instead of Raising Cane's.

The only sauce Raising Cane's offers is their signature Cane's sauce. However, when compared to the signature Zax sauce, one food reporter felt it tasted "similar to Raising Cane's sauce, but I found it to be just ever-so-slightly less flavorful." However, she said it was still "undeniably delicious when paired with the fries and chicken tenders." At Zaxby's, the chicken-dunking game is turned up full blast with 11 different sauces: Zax Sauce, Spicy Zax Sauce, Ranch, Honey Mustard, Wimpy, Tongue Torch, Nuclear, Hot Honey Mustard, Sweet & Spicy, Teriyaki, and Barbecue. Whew! It's pretty much sauce heaven.

You can't just stroll into an establishment and order a bunch of food without a refreshing drink to wash it all down. That's ludicrous! There's nothing quite like a great beverage to coat your mouth and help all that delicious food travel its way safely into your belly. Now, it's pretty obvious that both Zaxby's and Raising Cane's have a selection of drinks to pick from to accompany your food, but what's unique about both spots is you can leave with a hefty gallon jug of iced tea for your drinking pleasure.

This is great news for anyone who takes a sip of either restaurant's tea and thinks, "I wish I had a whole lot more of this." Customers have the option of either sweet or unsweetened, so if anyone's concerned about sugar content they need not worry. One customer even had enthusiastic things to say about the tea at Raising Cane's specifically. They wrote, "They have a little bit of both worlds when it comes to their iced tea – they have sweetened and unsweetened. Both are so good! The sweetened iced tea isn't too sweet either – just like back home!"

Have you ever shown up to a party and there simply wasn't enough food? Or not enough variety of food? It's a huge bummer because aside from mingling with friends or family, the food is the highlight of the hoopla. And no one wants to be the host who ends up letting everyone down with their less-than-impressive culinary spread. Now, both Zaxby's and Raising Cane's offer large platters to cater to parties, but if given the option, you'll definitely want to travel down the Zaxby's avenue and leave Raising Cane's far behind.

The reason for this is simple: The only food item Raising Cane's offers in large quantities is chicken tenders. So unless you're inviting over a group of elementary school kids for the party, you're going to want a bit more variety, and that's where Zaxby's comes in strong. Customers can get platters of not only chicken fingers but buffalo fingers, boneless and traditional wings, nibblerz sandwiches, Texas toast, potato chips and dip, and the cobb, house, and garden salad. Now that's a spread that would put huge smiles on whoever walked through your front door.

So, which of these two restaurants should you head to when your stomach really wants some crispy fried chicken? Making the correct decision is vital. Of course, you're always going to find people who swear by one or the other, and it's impossible to change their minds, and that's totally okay. When it comes to food, subjectivity looms tall. However, if you're new to both these spots, then your best choice is absolutely Zaxby's.

One thing you have to keep in mind if you're venturing out to Raising Cane's is that, aside from a small handful of side dishes, the only thing you can get is chicken fingers. So if you're in the mood for anything other than that, you're out of luck. Zaxby's, on the other hand, has sandwiches, salads, wings, a bigger selection of sides, a kids' menu, more sauces, cookies for dessert, and far more catering options. Again, if you're absolutely obsessed with chicken fingers and only chicken fingers, then Raising Cane's is worth your attention. If not, then Zaxby's is the way to roll.