Top 10
Side dishes rarely get the attention they deserve. Too often they’re menu afterthoughts, mentioned only as “and choice of sides.” That’s not the case at chicken chains, where side choices are plentiful and often imaginative.
-- Restaurants and Institutions, 7/15/2008
Side dishes rarely get the attention they deserve. Too often they’re menu afterthoughts, mentioned only as “and choice of sides.”
That’s not the case at chicken chains, where side choices are plentiful and often imaginative. Chick-fil-A, for example, includes a colorful carrot/pineapple/raisin salad as an option; Boston Market has vegetable stuffing and sweet-potato casserole on its list. Yucca with garlic sauce is available only at Pollo Tropical.
Below are the 10 most-often-offered side dishes on the menus of the 17 chains grouped in the R&I Top 400’s Chicken category, along with the number of chains in that group that offer them.
| 1. | Coleslaw | 13 |
| 2. | Mashed potatoes and gravy | 12 |
| 3. | Fries (waffle, straight, seasoned, etc.) | 11 |
| 4. | Macaroni and cheese | 10 |
| 5. | Beans (BBQ, baked, pinto, etc.) | 9 |
| 6. | Green beans | 8 |
| 7. | Rice (white, seasoned, dirty, etc.) | 7 |
| 8. | Corn on the cob | 6 |
| 9. | Side salad | 5 |
| 10. | Kernel corn, potato wedges (tie) | 4 |
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