Chicken (Cane’s 4/5, Layne’s 4/5)

A number-one original combo meal at Layne’s Chicken Fingers includes five chicken fingers sprinkled with pepper and piled into a styrofoam box. Each chicken finger felt like a meal on its own, but while Layne’s provided more for my money, it also made me feel sick to my stomach less than halfway into the meal. The oversized portions were satisfying enough to result in enough leftovers for a second lunch, although I would rather order a lighter portion if I revisit Layne’s in the future.

Meanwhile, at Raising Cane’s, the box combo includes four chicken fingers encased in a crispy, deep-fried coating. Although the Cane’s box contains less meat than the Layne’s number-one, the chicken is equally as satisfying as Layne’s while providing more flavor and ultimately, the superior chicken finger.

Sauce (Layne’s 2/5, Cane’s 5/5)

I thought Layne’s secret sauce would be love at first bite, but when reality and the harsh aftertaste kicked in, I discovered some secrets were best kept hidden. Sweet and spicy can be a delicious combination, but in Layne’s sauce, the two tastes clash with almost every aspect of the meal. Tasting too peppery for chicken fingers or crinkle-cut fries, too thick for the thin slice of Texas toast and incompatible with a mayonnaise-drenched cup of potato salad, this sauce is better off substituted for another side item.

Cane’s sauce, on the other hand, unites the meal by complementing the sweetness of the chicken with its signature tangy flavor. Excluding the coleslaw, almost every item in the box combo can be eaten with Cane’s sauce. However, only a small amount is provided, forcing customers to choose between paying for each extra container of sauce or practically rationing the condiment. In my opinion, it’s well worth the money.

Bread (Layne’s 3/5, Cane’s 4/5)

Those who enjoy their Texas toast well-done are likely to appreciate how each slice is grilled to a crisp before being served at Layne’s. However, the bread itself is incredibly thin and tastes slightly burnt once toasted.

In contrast, the soft, lightly grilled Texas toast slices at Cane’s are more similar to bread than toast, yet greater in thickness.

Sides (Layne’s 1/5, Cane’s 1/5)

Both Layne’s potato salad and Cane’s coleslaw should satisfy mayonnaise lovers in need of a side dish. Conversely, those who dislike mayonnaise should request extra fries in lieu of a side dish. I could not detect a hint of potato in Layne’s potato salad, only the uncomfortable chill of refrigerated condiments on my taste buds.

Cane’s coleslaw is also drowned in mayonnaise. In fact, apart from a few pieces of lettuce, mayonnaise is basically the coleslaw’s sole ingredient. There is no “lesser of two evils” to choose from between the two sides. There is only mayonnaise.

Drinks (Layne’s 5/5, Cane’s 3/5)

Drinking Layne’s lemonade was an incredibly refreshing way to wash the Layne’s sauce aftertaste out of my mouth, and it was definitely the number-one part of my number-one combo. Instead of a lemon-like flavor, Layne’s lemonade tasted as if it had been squeezed from s the same day it was served to me.

Cane’s lemonade, however, lacks the freshness of its Layne’s counterpart. While the drink still pairs well with the rest of the box combo meal, it’s watered down because the cup is filled to the brim with ice. As a result, the lemonade loses all flavor if left out for a long period of time.

Overall

I would give Layne’s Chicken Fingers a B-. The chicken fingers and lemonade are delicious, but overwhelmingly large portion sizes and the clashing flavors of the secret sauce have made me unsure whether or not to revisit a Layne’s location in the future.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers earns a well-deserved A for reminding me of my deep love for deep-fried chicken and for serving a signature sauce so good, I can almost forgive them for serving coleslaw.