Chick-fil-A Mac & Cheese vs Popeyes: Which is Best?
When it comes to comfort food, there’s hardly anything that can top a velvety rich bowl of macaroni and cheese. Much like a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup or a slice of homemade apple pie, a serving of mac & cheese can evoke a wave of nostalgia and soothing comfort from the very first bite.
While your all-time favorite might be a homemade baked version with a blend of cheeses or a hint of spice, a tasty fast food mac and cheese option may be a great way to satisfy your cravings and longings for home.
Today, we present a comprehensive comparison of the thick and creamy macaroni and cheese offerings at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Chick-fil-A.
Which dish comes out on top? Let’s dive in and find out which restaurant has the best mac & cheese.
Even at popular fried chicken joints such as the popular fast-food chain Popeyes or its rival Chick-fil-A, creamy mac and cheese has become a favorite among guests.
Considering the simplicity of this dish, the recipes are fairly similar. The meal features tender elbow macaroni smothered in a decadent cheese sauce.
That said, fast food restaurants rely on different suppliers, ingredients, and preparation methods. This leads to differences in texture, flavor, and portion size.
Moreover, the nutritional value differs from one eatery to the next.
Mac & Cheese Nutritional Information
Nutrition Facts
Let’s begin by comparing the nutrition facts of Chick-fil-A’s mac & cheese to Popeyes’ mac & cheese.
Mac & Cheese Nutrition Facts Summary
Chick-fil-A Small vs Popeyes Regular
| CHICK-FIL-A | POPEYES | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 270 | 280 |
| Total Fat | 17g | 21g |
| Cholesterol | 40mg | 60mg |
| Sodium | 710mg | 510mg |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 16g |
| Fiber | 2g | 0g |
| Sugars | 2g | 3g |
| Protein | 12g | 11g |
Calories
When comparing the two side dishes, the amount of calories in a regular-sized serving of macaroni & cheese from Popeyes is similar to the total calories in Chick-fil-A’s small option.
Although there is only a 10-calorie difference between these two fast food items, the composition of total calories is more significant.
Calories From Fat
While this may be the ultimate comfort food, take note that dietary fats make up a high percentage – over half – of the total calories.
SUMMARY OF CALORIES FROM DIETARY FATS
Here is a breakdown of the amount of percentage of total calories in each pasta meal derived from fat, carbs, and protein.
Percentage of Total Calories by Macronutrient
| CHICK-FIL-A | POPEYES | |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Fat | 58% | 64% |
| Total Carbs | 24% | 22% |
| Protein | 18% | 14% |
Rounded estimate based on nutrition facts provided by Chick-fil-A and Popeyes. Calories may vary by location or as a result of how the food is prepared.
Total Fat
Without taking into consideration the all-important taste test, Chick-fil-A is our chosen winner because of the smaller proportion of total calories derived from dietary fats.
However, it’s important to consider not only the total fats, but also saturated fat and trans fatty acids in each serving.
Note: Reference to daily value (%DV) in this guide is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Individual needs vary and your daily value may be higher or lower.
Saturated Fat
Approximately 55% of the total fats in Chick-fil-A’s macaroni and cheese dish is saturated fat. Even the small serving has 10 grams of saturated fat.
Based on a standard 2,000-calorie diet for an adult, that amount of saturated fat equates to a 50% daily value and is considered high for a single menu item.
Here is the amount of saturated fat in Chick-fil-A’s classic mac & cheese, by size:
Don’t skip over that last bullet. The amount of saturated fat in one large serving from Chick-fil-A exceeds the recommended limit for an entire day.
Sodium
Fat is not the only nutrient to consider when comparing one side dish to the other. In fact, when it comes to nutrition in the fast-food world, my first potential concern is the amount of sodium.
And in this case, the lower sodium content in Popeye’s Mac & Cheese is the winner.
For comparison, a large order of Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries has 340mg of sodium.
What’s in the Mac & Cheese?
Popeyeshighlights that its homestyle mac is made with real butter and cream. It’s topped with shredded cheese and baked to create a golden-brown crust.
Chick-fil-Adescribes its cheesy concoction as a classic macaroni and cheese with a special blend of Cheddar, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses. The dish is baked to order in-restaurant, which develops a crispy layer of cheese bits on top.
Ingredients
More than two dozen main ingredients are used in Chick-fil-A’s dish. That includes cooked elbow macaroni, cheese spread, margarine, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, asiago cheese, and flour, among other ingredients.
Moreover, each main food item is made with multiple ingredients. The creamy sauce, for example, is made with asiago and parmesan cheeses that include cultured milk, salt, enzymes, natural flavor, cellulose, and salt.
Unfortunately, Popeyes doesn’t provide the same level of transparency as Chick-fil-A so we don’t have the detailed ingredient list for the new version of its delicious elbow macaroni and cheese bowl.
Allergens
Follow your personal preference for either fast-food spot, because the allergens are the same. Both macaroni and cheese recipes contain egg, milk, soy, and wheat.