Which of the big chicken restaurant chains do SC customers prefer? Spending data reveals answers
It almost seems like South Carolinians are obsessed with chicken.
From fried chicken to chicken wings, there’s a multitude of options across the state. But while there are plenty of quality local choices, the big chains reign supreme for a reason.
The real question then is, do you have a favorite?
Are the 11 herbs and spices from Kentucky Fried Chicken simply irresistible? Or maybe you prefer the more home-grown taste of Bojangles, which started in the Carolinas?
Perhaps you’d rather go to places that specialize in chicken wings.
Well, no matter what people say is their favorite, actual spending habits don’t lie. SafeGraph, an online company that builds and maintains data sets, has compiled spending data at restaurant chains to show percent changes over 12 months through March.
We’ve picked six of the biggest chicken chains in South Carolina: Bojangles, Popeyes, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Wingstop and Buffalo Wild Wings, to see which ones South Carolina residents have spent more of their cash at lately.
From the graph above, Wingstop and Chick-fil-A tied for the top spot for now, gaining an 80% increase in customer spending in March. Meanwhile, Popeyes languished at the bottom, seeing a nearly 40% decrease in spending as of March.
Interestingly, the wings spots mainly had the biggest spending gains during the summer last year. Still, while Wingstop and Buffalo Wild Wings both took big dips in November and December, Buffalo has struggled to catch up and has even fallen behind Bojangles, KFC and Chick-fil-A so far this year.
The data also shows that if upward trends continue, all six chains should see another big summer jump in customer spending this year.
This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
