Brandwave

KFC vs Raising Cane’s:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, KFC had more branded searches than Raising Cane’s among fried chicken chains worldwide. KFC had about 24.9 million branded searches, while Raising Cane’s had 2.2 million. KFC made up 42.8% of all fried chicken chain searches we track, and Raising Cane’s accounted for 3.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about fried chicken chains, KFC appeared in all three answers and Raising Cane’s in two. Raising Cane’s was mentioned before KFC in two out of three answers.

Among fried chicken chains worldwide in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

KFC, about 11 searches for every 1 for Raising Cane’s

KFC 24.9M searchesRaising Cane’s 2.2M searches

Who does AI mention more?

KFC, mentioned in every answer we collected

KFC in 3 of 3Raising Cane’s in 2 of 3

Who does AI recommend more?

Raising Cane’s, named ahead of KFC in 2 of 3 answers

Raising Cane’s first in 2KFC first in 1

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Top fried chicken chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions, KFC appeared in all three answers. Raising Cane’s was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Raising Cane’s was listed before KFC in two out of three answers.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Popeyes1st
  2. Chick-fil-A2nd
  3. Raising Cane’s3rd
  4. KFC4th
  5. Nando's–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Chick-fil-A3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
  • KFC3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
  • Popeyes3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
  • Raising Cane’s2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
  • Nando's0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers

See every answer about fried chicken chains

3 answers

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “Which fried chicken chain should I shop at?”

    1. 1Popeyes
    2. 2Chick-fil-A
    3. 3KFC

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “What are the best fried chicken chains?”

    1. 1Popeyes
    2. 2Chick-fil-A
    3. 3Raising Cane’s
    4. 4KFC

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “What's the best fried chicken chain for a quick dinner?”

    1. 1Popeyes
    2. 2Chick-fil-A
    3. 3Raising Cane’s
    4. 4KFC

  • Searched Google, AI Overview

    “fried chicken chains”

    Google showed no AI Overview for this search.

  • Searched Google, AI Overview

    “best fried chicken”

    Google showed no AI Overview for this search.

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.

Is KFC or Raising Cane’s more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for KFC and Raising Cane’s by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all five fried chicken chains we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.

KFC and Raising Cane’s among fried chicken chains worldwide, by month

Share of searches by month for KFC, Raising Cane’s. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthChick-fil-AKFCPopeyesRaising Cane’sNando's
Oct 202542.1%42.1%12.6%3.1%0.09%
Nov 202537%45.2%13.6%4.1%0.1%
Dec 202538.3%46.7%11.5%3.4%0.08%
Jan 202641.8%41.8%12.6%3.8%0.08%
Feb 202638%46.4%11.4%4.2%0.09%
Mar 202641.8%41.8%12.6%3.8%0.08%
Apr 202642.1%42.1%12.6%3.1%0.08%
May 202642.8%42.8%10.5%3.8%0.09%
Jun 202643.1%43.1%10.6%3.2%0.09%
Jul 202643.1%43.1%10.6%3.2%0.09%
Aug 202639.1%47.7%9.6%3.5%0.08%
Sep 202642.8%42.8%10.5%3.8%0.08%

How has the KFC and Raising Cane’s comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • KFC was ahead of Raising Cane’s in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, KFC’s share of searches among fried chicken chains worldwide moved from 42.1% to 42.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 24.9M.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Raising Cane’s’ share of searches among fried chicken chains worldwide moved from 3.1% to 3.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.8M to 2.2M.

How did search popularity change for fried chicken chains worldwide in September 2026?

3 changes

  1. In September 2026, Chick-fil-A overtook KFC to become the leader among fried chicken chains worldwide, with 42.8% of the searches.

  2. In September 2026, KFC lost share of searches among fried chicken chains worldwide, from 47.7% to 42.8%.

  3. Estimated monthly branded searches for Raising Cane’s worldwide rose 22.4% over 12 measured months, from 1.8M to 2.2M in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

3 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using KFC’s and Raising Cane’s’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

KFC

1 branded search term

  • kfc

Raising Cane’s

2 branded search terms

  • raising cane's
  • raising canes

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among fried chicken chains

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