Nando's vs Popeyes:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Nando's had more branded searches than Popeyes among fried chicken chains in the United Kingdom. Nando's had about 550,000 branded searches, while Popeyes had 246,000. Nando's made up 23.9% of all fried chicken chain searches we track, and Popeyes accounted for 10.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about fried chicken chains, Nando's appeared in two of the three answers and Popeyes in one. Nando's was mentioned before Popeyes in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Nando's, about 2 searches for every 1 for Popeyes
Who does AI mention more?
Nando's, mentioned in 2 of 3 answers, Popeyes in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Nando's, named ahead of Popeyes in 2 of 2 answers
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Top fried chicken chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Nando's was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Popeyes was mentioned in one out of three: in one of the three ChatGPT answers. Nando's was listed before Popeyes in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Wingstop1st
KFC2nd
Slim Chickens3rd- Nando's4th
Dave's Hot Chicken5th
Popeyes6th
Jollibee7th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- KFC3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Wingstop3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Slim Chickens3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Nando's2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Dave's Hot Chicken2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Jollibee2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Popeyes1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about fried chicken chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best fried chicken chain in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the most popular chicken chains in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK chain has the best chicken wings?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“fried chicken”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“chicken shop”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 23, 2026.
Is Nando's or Popeyes more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Nando's and Popeyes by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven fried chicken chains we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Nando's, Popeyes. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | KFC | Nando's | Popeyes | Wingstop | Dave's Hot Chicken | Slim Chickens | Jollibee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.2% | 20.8% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 7.6% | 4.2% | 2.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.6% | 20% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 42.1% | 23.1% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 2.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 34.3% | 28.2% | 10.3% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.8% | 24.1% | 10.8% | 13.2% | 8.8% | 4.8% | 2.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 40.2% | 22.2% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 5.4% | 2.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 37% | 24.9% | 11.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 6.1% | 2.7% |
| May 2026 | 37.6% | 25.3% | 11.3% | 9.2% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 2.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 41.4% | 22.8% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 3.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 37.7% | 25.4% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 2.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 35.8% | 24.1% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 8.8% | 7.2% | 2.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 35.7% | 23.9% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 7.2% | 3.2% |
How has the Nando's and Popeyes comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Nando's was ahead of Popeyes in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nando's’ share of searches among fried chicken chains in the United Kingdom moved from 20.8% to 23.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 550K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Popeyes’ share of searches among fried chicken chains in the United Kingdom moved from 9.3% to 10.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 368K to 246K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom fried chicken chains in September 2026?
2 changes
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Nando's’ and Popeyes’ 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.
Other head-to-heads among fried chicken chains
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