One of the fan favourites at McDonald's is their Chicken McWraps and Snack Wraps and they have had a grip on the chicken wrap market for quite some time, even with the effort of other fast food giants like Tim Hortons.
However, just recently, one of the top chicken chains in Canada, Popeyes, has come for the throne and based on my experience with each, I don't think they missed.
If you've been paying attention to the world of fast food, you may have seen that McDonald's recently revamped their wrap menu with a bunch of new flavours and varieties.
But, chicken giant Popeyes has finally entered the chicken wrap market as of July 24 with their new "Crispy Chicken Wrap." And, as someone who's tried nearly all of the crispy chicken wraps available at both chains, I hate to say that there is no contest between the two fast food chains.
Here's what I think about the McDonald's and Popeyes' chicken wraps and why I think one takes it away.
McDonald's Wraps
Tristan holding a McWrap.
Price: $3.19 to $7.99, depending on the wrap.
McDonald's Canada has been famous for their wraps, especially up here in the Great White North.
And as someone who's tried his fair share of them, there's a legitimate reason why these have stood the test of time.
As a matter of fact, just recently, McDonald's came out with a new slate of wraps and I, as part of my job as a food and drink expert here at Narcity, took to trying every single one of them.
Like anything with a bunch of varietals, there are standouts and winners, with my fave being the more complex lime cilantro one and some less successful ones being things like the sweet chilli wraps.
However, on the whole, I would consider myself a fan of their wraps. And what makes them shine is the bounty of selection we have, from their Snack Wraps to the larger-sized McWraps, including their Buffalo Chicken to the aforementioned chilli or lime, they got an option for basically every palate.
My biggest complaint when ordering a McWrap or Snack Wrap from Mcdonald's is that they tend to load them up with condiments and sauces. This may be a more personal pet peeve, but I don't enjoy super wet foods.
It's my philosophy that a little bit of sauce goes a long way unless we're really dealing with some quality stuff, and sometimes when biting into the chicken wraps at the golden arches, it can feel like the whole thing is 30% sauce by volume, even when that sauce is something I feel optimistic about.
That being said, the other aspects of the wrap do get the job done. The veggies and ingredients taste pretty fresh and are in reasonable amounts and the crispy chicken is the solid McDonald's chicken we've all learned to love and expect from them.
Ultimately, I think, in general, the wraps are all quite good and all get the job done in a utilitarian but fun way.
Score: 3.5/5
Popeyes Crispy Chicken Wrap
The inside of the Popeyes Crispy Chicken Wrap.
Price: $7.49
Just when you thought things were settled in the world of fast-food chicken wraps, a new contender takes the floor and shows us all what's what.
Announced on July 24, the Crispy Chicken Wrap from Popeyes is the latest in Canadian chicken wrap-dom and might actually be among the best available in the country already.
According to the press release, this is the brand's "first foray into the full-sized Wraps category" and is made with their world-famous chicken, either regular or spicy mayo, along with lettuce and tomato.
But how does the new wrap taste?
Well, to put it succinctly, I think only a few other chains in Canada are doing fried chicken, as well as Popeyes. Mary Browns is maybe the only one who can hold its own against them. And that really comes through in their chicken wrap.
While the toppings and sauces for it are more on the dull side — they have nowhere near the variety as McDonald's — they shine when it comes to the sheer quality of the ingredients.
Popeyes chicken is juicy, wonderfully crispy and just an all-around delight. The spices are perfectly balanced and I've never found it dry, underdone or too crispy.
Plus, this new wrap has just the right amount of mayo and veggies so that you aren't getting overwhelmed by them and the delicious chicken is allowed to take centre stage.
I'm sorry, McDonald's, but if given the option between this and any of the wraps you got going on, I'll probably take this one 10 times out of 10.
However, it should also be noted that the Popeyes wrap is around double the price of some of the wraps you can get at McDonald's, so if you're on a budget and need a quick eat, the Popeyes one might not be your friend.
You pay for the quality, but if you're not too worried, by no means is the McDonald's a wrap that will ruin your day.
Score: 5/5
So, hopefully, with these thoughts and feelings on the world of chicken wraps in Canada, you can go out and enjoy the one that makes the most sense to you.
Ultimately I do enjoy the taste and quality of the Popeyes Crispy Chicken Wrap, and the McDonald's ones, depends on what you get, of course, are nothing to sneeze at, especially when you consider that the McDonald's options are way cheaper.
And this isn't the only fast food fight that Popeyes has won. A few months ago, I did a taste test comparison of all of the fast food fried chicken sandwiches and the winner of them was, hands down, the Popeyes chicken sandwich, beating out basically every other major chain in the country.
So, as you can see, Popeyes has cornered the market on great fried chicken to the point where it makes you think, "Are they ever going to miss?"
