What $20 Will Get You At KFC Vs Popeyes

Both KFC and Popeye's are well-known for serving up fried chicken at bargain prices, but which one will give you the most bang for your buck? Here's what you can get for only $20 at KFC and Popeye's — and the results are surprisingly skewed toward one brand.

If you just want chicken with some sides, at KFC an eight-piece Build a Bucket will cost you $20 and comes with four sides and four biscuits. Popeye's menu is filled with chicken items which are more expensive. A three or two piece combo proves to be the more economical selection; you can score white or dark meat chicken with two sides, a drink and a biscuit for $16.99. But if you use their Build a Bundle option, you can score nine pieces of chicken and two sides for $20 — and you can even mix-and-match, throwing in a chicken sandwich, chicken tenders or wings as one of your protein picks.

When it comes to smaller offerings like popcorn chicken, wings, or tenders, competition between the two chains gets more interesting. KFC's Build-a-Bucket or Tender Combo meal are the best ways to eat KFC's tenders in an economical way; the former offers eight tenders, four sides, and four dipping sauces and should cost $20.99. The latter combines five tenders with a drink, a side and a biscuit and will cost $16.99. At Popeye's, a large three-piece tender combo with two sides, a drink and a biscuit will run you $17.99. Popeye's doesn't offer nuggets on their regular menu as KFC does, though they do offer chicken wings; a six piece wing (bone-in or boneless) meal is $14.49 with two sides and a drink. 

If you'd like to simply buy a few individual pieces at each location, wings cost $3.49 at KFC and are the absolute cheapest item on the fast food chain's menu. Individual thighs and drumsticks go for $4.19 each and breasts cost 4.69. At Popeye's, individual pieces are not sold, though you can utilize the chain's $5 faves menu and buy three pieces of chicken for $5. 

Which chain sells the cheapest Spicy Chicken Sandwich? A chicken sandwich at Popeye's costs $5.49 before adding a drink or side, which will cost you $10.99; adding an extra side to that will add three dollars more. At KFC, a sandwich is $6.69, while the smaller Snackers  are only $2.99; $3.30 more will get you an extra side and a drink. The conclusion? KFC will definitely stretch your $20 budget further, unless you're dead-set on getting a sandwich.