Bama and UGA players share their go-to orders at Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Zaxby’s

Atlanta — At media day for the 2018 National Championship, I decided to ask the most hard-hitting questions of all — those, of course, all relating to three omnipresent Southern chicken restaurants.

These are three restaurant staples in Atlanta, and they’re fixtures throughout the South, where the far majority of rosters from both teams come from. I’m assuming basically everyone likes Chick-fil-A — because basically everyone likes Chick-fil-A — but I’m also asking players which of the other two they prefer.

The Bulldogs came out first on Saturday morning. Chick-fil-A orders vary, but the Dawgs largely agree on Popeyes over Zaxby’s.

Chick-fil-A order: “Chicken minis, just a lemonade. I’m not a big hash brown guy.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Zaxby’s for sure.” Boneless wings, teriyaki sweet and spicy sauce.

Chick-fil-A order: “Probably the chicken sandwich, maybe fries.”

Chick-fil-A order: Number one [chicken sandwich] with Polynesian sauce.

Chick-fil-A order: Number one with no pickles, large fry, fruit punch with no ice, and a chocolate chip cookie.

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Popeyes, no question.” Six-piece combo with french fries and a biscuit.

Chick-fil-A order: “Number five. I think that’s the club sandwich, grilled chicken with the lettuce, tomato. Large fry, Polynesian sauce, Chick-fil-A sauce.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Twelve-count chicken nugget meal with sweet tea and Chick-fil-A sauce.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Spicy chicken deluxe, no question. No pickles. Mayonnaise packets.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? Popeyes. “Four-piece, side of fries, extra biscuit. They gotta be all thighs.”

I asked him if Popeyes always screws up his order like I’m accustomed to.

“No, no, Athens actually has gotten it right a couple of times.”

Chick-fil-A order: “I’m more just a meat guy,” Brown said. “I don’t even even eat Chick-fil-A. I’m from Florida. Where I’m from, there’s no Chick-fil-A in my area. We get it for breakfast up here, but I’m not a Chick-fil-A guy, ‘cause I didn’t eat it growing up.”

This honestly made me sad, with me being from central Florida and eating Chick-fil-A constantly growing up.

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Definitely taking Popeyes. When I do go, I get two thighs and a drumstick.”

Chick-fil-A order: Twelve-count nugget, honey mustard, waffle fries.

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? Popeyes.

Chick-fil-A order: “OK, I want spicy chicken sandwich, deluxe with no tomatoes. I want the meal with a sweet tea, and I want two eight-count nuggets.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Oh that’s a hard question. I like both. If I had to choose, I’d go Popeyes. Five whole wings, double fries, extra biscuit.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Spicy chicken sandwich with honey mustard, Chick-fil-A sauce, bbq sauce — in that order — french fries.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? Popeyes. Chick-fil-A order but from Popeyes (didn’t know this was even an option!).

OK, before we get started here, there’s a very important fact I need you all to know: A handful of Alabama players told me they don’t even eat Chick-fil-A. I asked again just to make sure I heard them right. Can you imagine not having Chick-fil-A in your diet? The ultimate sacrifice, to be honest.

Otherwise, more Bama players picked Zaxby’s than UGA players did.

Chick-fil-A order: “I don’t eat Chick-fil-A.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “I eat Popeyes.” Two-piece combo, all thighs.

I asked Davis, who was sitting at the same table as Buggs, if he eats CFA.

“No, I eat salads,” Davis said. “Because it’s fried. I don’t eat fried food.”

Here’s a picture of a very jacked Davis — I’m not surprised he eats extra healthy, tbh.

Chick-fil-A order: “I don’t even eat at Chick-fil-A, to be honest with you.” Baker added the last time he had it was over a year ago, and that he doesn’t even crave it. Imagine!

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “I love Zaxby’s. Six-piece combo tenders, Zaxby’s sauce.”

Chick-fil-A order: “I don’t like Chick-fil-A, not a big fan.” EXCUSE ME?!

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Zaxby’s over Popeyes. I change it up. I go either the classic chicken fingers or the wings-and-things sweet and spicy sauce. Last time I had Zaxby’s was a minute, probably like six months. It’s not in the circle of Tuscaloosa.”

It is a bit of a hike.

Pappanastos was very confused that some of his teammates don’t eat Chick-fil-A.

“I don’t understand that,” he said.

Chick-fil-A order: Breakfast: “I’ve always liked chicken minis, I don’t know why but I like the bread that comes with it. Anything with Chick-fil-A is always great.”

Lunch: “Probably just like a chicken sandwich. I know that’s kind of basic, but you can’t really beat that. No pickles, fries, Chick-fil-A sauce and possibly cookies and cream milkshake. It depends if I earned it. It depends on how many calories, how I’m feeling, if I worked out earlier, something like that, if I can get away with it.”

“I’m not really on much of a diet. I can kick on Saturdays, kick on Monday.”

Pappanastos added eating Chick-fil-A was a ritual of his.

“Actually in a high school I used to eat Chick-fil-A every game, it was tradition. My mom would pick it up for me.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Breakfast, I’m getting a chicken, egg, and cheese biscuit, with a lemonade.”

This sounded like the egg white grill sandwich at first, but Hand quickly corrected me on this.

“Oh, no fried chicken, we ain’t worried about no grilled. I ain’t worried about that; my figure’s straight. For like lunch, OK, you gotta do the chicken deluxe sandwich, you gotta get a strawberry frosted lemonade, a large. Chick-fil-A sauce, Polynesian, and barbecue on deck. I kinda like pick and choose, I might double dip, I might do Chick-fil-A sauce, Polynesian.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Oooooo, Popeyes. Four-piece, so you get two wings, a drum, and a breast, and then I get rice and beans with fries, an extra biscuit, strawberry jam, the honey. Gotta have the hot sauce and a large strawberry Fanta.”

Both of these orders are extremely impressive, and I salute you, Mr. Hand.

Chick-fil-A order: “I would have to say chicken nuggets, but I always get a shake. Gotta be a 12-count with Polynesian. Always fries, you gotta mix the fries with the sauce too.”

I asked him the last time he had it, since some of his teammates don’t eat it.

“Probably like last week,” Jacobs said. “Some people are kind of restricted. I’m probably like the fattest on the team, like I’ll literally eat a donut burger, all of that.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “It depends where you’re at. If I’m in Alabama, I’m going with Zaxby’s. In Atlanta, Popeyes.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Number eight, no tomato, combo with water, Polynesian sauce, large fry.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “I don’t eat either, but if I had to choose, I’d go with Popeyes.”

Chick-fil-A order: Regular chicken sandwich.

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? Popeyes, two-piece meal.

Chick-fil-A order: “Number one, add American cheese with a Hi-C and fries, Polynesian.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Popeyes over Zaxby’s. In New Orleans, it’s hands down. If I’m not in New Orleans, it’s Zaxby’s.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Two nuggets, 12-count, with Chick-fil-A sauce, strawberry shake, no fries.”

Chick-fil-A order: “Number one with a strawberry milkshake and barbecue sauce.”

Popeyes or Zaxby’s? “Ooooooh oooooh, Pop- ... I’m gonna have to go with Zaxby’s, because Popeyes everywhere isn’t good. If I’m in Louisiana, I’m going to Popeyes for sure. If I’m in Tuscaloosa I’m going to Zaxby’s.”