Brandwave

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

In September 2026, Popeyes had more branded searches than Raising Cane’s among fried chicken chains worldwide. Popeyes had about 6.1 million branded searches, while Raising Cane’s had 2.2 million. Popeyes made up 10.5% 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, Popeyes appeared in all three answers and Raising Cane’s in two. Popeyes was mentioned before Raising Cane’s in every answer.

Among fried chicken chains worldwide in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Popeyes, about 3 searches for every 1 for Raising Cane’s

Popeyes 6.1M searchesRaising Cane’s 2.2M searches

Who does AI mention more?

Popeyes, mentioned in every answer we collected

Popeyes in 3 of 3Raising Cane’s in 2 of 3

Who does AI recommend more?

Popeyes, named ahead of Raising Cane’s in every answer

Popeyes first in 3Raising Cane’s never first

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Top fried chicken chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

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

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 Popeyes or Raising Cane’s more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for Popeyes 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.

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

Share of searches by month for Popeyes, 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 Popeyes and Raising Cane’s comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings

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

2 changes

  1. In September 2026, Popeyes gained share of searches among fried chicken chains worldwide, from 9.6% to 10.5%.

  2. 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 Popeyes’ 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.

Popeyes

1 branded search term

  • popeyes

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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