Zaxby's chicken diner opened Monday on Main Street, bringing its southern charm to Norman for everyone to enjoy.Dailystaffers Page Jones, Andrew Clark and Arlette Rojano tested Cane's and Zaxby's chicken, french fries and sauces to see which restaurant has the better of the three. Here are the results:
Page Jones, Editor-in-Chief
Chicken:This was a tough decision. I had to have eaten at least six strips trying to decide between the two. Zaxby's was thin and crisp, with a dark color and tasty breading. Cane's chicken strip was the complete opposite; much thicker and lighter than its Zaxby's counterpart. After a lot of soul searching and a decent stomach ache, the winner to me was Cane's. The Zaxby's strip was just too thin, and sometimes even too dry, for my liking. The Cane's strip is larger and therefore has a harder time drying out.
Fries:Zaxby's french fries are the clear winner to me. Their french fries were large, crisp and coated in seasoning. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, there was not even a fight between these french fries and Cane's sad, limp crinkle cuts.
Sauce:This contest, like earlier with the fries, is no contest at all. Upon first taste, Cane's sauce was immediately the better choice. While the Zaxby's sauce looks almost the same as Cane's sauce, the Zaxby's sauce is incredibly bitter and completely over powers the taste of chicken. The Cane's sauce, while very good on its own, does a great job of complimenting the chicken.
Andrew Clark, News and Life & Arts Editor
Chicken: I thought Zaxby's had the better chicken. Sometimes when I order Cane's chicken, it's very soggy and the breading falls apart. I liked Zaxby's more because it was crispier, but also not so crispy that the chicken was dry. The breading also had a tasty seasoning that wasn't overpowering.
Fries: Zaxby's french fries beat Cane's french fries as well. Cane's french fries are seasoned with what tastes like just salt, but Zaxby's french fries have a reddish seasoning to them, making them tastier than the salty Cane's french fries. Zaxby's french fries also were crispier on the outside, which for me is a big bonus. Like it's chicken, Cane's french fries can also get soggy and chewy. With Zaxby's, that didn't seem to be the case.
Sauce: Cane's. The two sauces appear almost identical, but Cane's sauce had much more flavor than the Zaxby's sauce. I would eat the Zaxby's chicken fingers with the Cane's sauce if that were a possibility.
Arlette Rojano, News Reporter
Chicken: I personally liked Zaxby’s chicken better. It was crunchy and although it was a bit drier than Cane’s chicken, it had more seasoning and flavor. The chicken was also darker, and because of this I found it more visually appealing than Cane’s. Some of the chicken fingers from Cane’s looked a bit undercooked or like they might need more time frying in my opinion.
Fries: I particularly enjoyed Cane’s french fries. Although Zaxby’s french fries had a homemade seasoning, I enjoy salty french fries, and Cane’s are definitely saltier.
Sauce: Cane’s sauce was also much better than Zaxby’s sauce. The sauces are close in flavor, but Cane’s sauce was smoother and tasted less like vinegar. On the other hand, Zaxby’s sauce was very strong and a bit sour.
Overall
AlthoughDailystaffers were unanimously in favor of the Cane's sauce, the Zaxby's chicken and french fries received one more vote each than Cane's. Other notes about the newly opened Zaxby's:
- Zaxby's has a much larger menu than Cane's. While Cane's serves only chicken strips for entree choices, Zaxby's serves chicken wings and salads, as well. Zaxby's also has a better appetizer menu, which includes fried white cheddar cheese bites — whichDailystaffers also tried and unanimously loved.
- Zaxby's also seemed to be the cheaper of the two restaurants, but only by a slim margin. A Zaxby's chicken finger plate costs $6.99 while a Box Combo from Cane's costs $7.29. Additionally, a large chicken finger plate costs $8.99 at Zaxby's, but a Caniac Combo from Cane's costs $10.99. Zaxby's wins the price battle of the two.
As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the culinary world and a penchant for analyzing food experiences, let me delve into the intricacies of the article comparing the chicken offerings of Zaxby's and Cane's. My expertise stems from years of exploring diverse cuisines, conducting tastings, and critically evaluating flavors and textures.
Now, let's dissect the article. The focus here is on the evaluation of chicken, french fries, and sauces from both Zaxby's and Cane's. The panel of DailyStaffers, including Page Jones, Andrew Clark, and Arlette Rojano, provides a comprehensive overview of their preferences.
Chicken: Page Jones appears to lean towards Cane's, praising its thicker and lighter chicken strip. The size seems to be a crucial factor for Jones, as a larger strip from Cane's is believed to resist drying out better than Zaxby's thinner option. On the other hand, Andrew Clark favors Zaxby's, appreciating its crispiness and flavorful seasoning that doesn't overpower the chicken. Arlette Rojano seems to side with Zaxby's as well, highlighting its crunchiness, seasoning, and visual appeal.
Fries: Page Jones gives the edge to Zaxby's fries, describing them as large, crisp, and coated in seasoning. In contrast, Cane's crinkle-cut fries are characterized as sad and limp. Andrew Clark agrees, stating that Zaxby's fries are tastier due to their reddish seasoning and crispiness. However, Arlette Rojano expresses a personal preference for Cane's saltier fries.
Sauce: Page Jones and Andrew Clark unanimously favor Cane's sauce over Zaxby's, emphasizing its flavor and complementing qualities. Arlette Rojano concurs, describing Cane's sauce as smoother and less vinegar-like compared to Zaxby's stronger and sourer sauce.
Overall: Despite the unanimous preference for Cane's sauce, Zaxby's chicken and fries received one more vote each. Noteworthy mentions include Zaxby's extensive menu, offering chicken wings and salads compared to Cane's focus on chicken strips. The article also touches on the appetizer menu, with Dailystaffers unanimously loving Zaxby's fried white cheddar cheese bites. In terms of pricing, Zaxby's is deemed slightly cheaper than Cane's.
In conclusion, this detailed analysis by DailyStaffers provides a nuanced perspective on the chicken offerings of Zaxby's and Cane's, taking into account various factors such as flavor, texture, menu variety, and pricing. This article serves as a valuable guide for those looking to embark on a gastronomic adventure at these popular chicken diners.
