These 15 Fast Food Places Have The Best Coleslaw

El Pollo Loco has built its brand on the idea that its chicken is among the best in the fast food universe. But we're not actually here to talk about El Pollo Loco's chicken. We're here to talk about its coleslaw. Word of this coleslaw's excellence has spread far and wide: As one Reddit user put it, "For fast food chain coleslaw, El Pollo Loco is the best." 

The secret is in its freshness. The cabbage snaps and crunches between your teeth, bursting with cool, verdant flavor. Shredded carrots add a potent hit of sweetness. The dressing is ever-so-slightly creamy and enjoyably tangy, without ever overwhelming the other elements. This coleslaw is basically the diametric opposite of the green, mayonnaise-heavy glop you've probably been unfortunate enough to endure at some point in your life. It's crunchy, bright, zesty, and flavorful — kind of like a garden in your mouth. And boy, does it go great with fire-grilled chicken.

As its name implies, Slim Chickens specializes in chicken. But one glance at the chain's extensive menu makes it clear that this is definitely not all it does. This establishment serves up chicken of all cuts and preparations, french fries, sandwiches, and more. You might assume, based on this extravagance, that Slim Chickens spreads itself a bit too thin, ensuring sides like coleslaw suffer. But no — its coleslaw is as good as everything else on its menu, which is to say, great.

Slim Chickens' coleslaw goes a little heavier on the carrots and red cabbage than many other entries on this list. That means it's more varied in texture, which is a major strength — even ardent green cabbage fans can get a little tired of coleslaw that's nothing more than that veggie, shredded and dressed. It also makes it a tad bit sweeter. It never verges on cloying, thanks to the dressing, which is on the sharper and tangier side of things. Pickle lovers will particularly enjoy this coleslaw as a result.

For the most part, Bojangles is confined to the southeastern states. This joint's Cajun-style chicken, biscuits, and "fixins" are seriously tasty. These attention-grabbing items tend to obscure its coleslaw, which is a huge shame. Bojangles' coleslaw is among the best in the business.

This coleslaw sets itself apart by including more carrots than many other recipes — and by being quite a bit crunchier. It's not clear how, exactly, it achieves this textural success, though we suspect it has something to do with the fact that it's roughly chopped, rather than shredded. Smaller pieces keep the dressing from overwhelming the veggies, allowing each ingredient to shine. Said dressing is also good; it's a touch creamier than many other places' coleslaw, but not to the point of being unpleasantly thick. Bojangles' coleslaw is a lesson in harmony: Crunchiness, sweetness, sourness, tanginess, and richness are all impeccably balanced in this humble side.

As the slogan goes, we all love that chicken at Popeyes. But the savvy Popeyes diner knows that its coleslaw is just as craveable as its poultry. Popeyes' coleslaw is a bright mixture of cabbage and carrots. It's obvious from a single glance that this chain goes lighter on the carrots than many others, which may disappoint those who like their coleslaw sweeter. But this ratio actually works in the dish's favor, thanks to its unique dressing. Popeyes dresses its coleslaw is a zingy mixture that's noticeably more acidic than many other chains' coleslaws. This throws the carrots' sweetness into sharp contrast, enhancing it even as it counteracts it. What results is a sweet-sour-tangy-zesty flavor that's as tasty on its own as it is with Popeyes' famous chicken.

This coleslaw has another major virtue going for it: It's one of the crunchiest out there. We're not sure how, exactly, Popeyes manages to keep it so crisp, but the proof is in the eating. Each bite practically bursts in the mouth, as though the cabbage and carrots were shredded only moments prior. It's hugely satisfying and a perfect complement to the coleslaw's bright, tongue-tickling flavor.

Church's Chicken is all about vibrant flavor, quality ingredients, and Texas attitude. This is as evident in its coleslaw as it is in its famous chicken. This is impressive on its own, but even more so when you take into account the fact that Church's Chicken does not skimp on sides. In addition to coleslaw, the chain also offers mashed potatoes, honey butter biscuits, fried okra, mac and cheese, jalapeño cheese bombers, and a variety of other tasty treats.

Yet the coleslaw still manages to stand out from the pack. How does it do this? One Reddit user summed it up when they remarked that "Church's coleslaw is cleaner with more focus on just the crisp cabbage." Indeed, this slaw is all about verdant freshness. The dressing serves the cabbage and carrots, highlighting their crunchy texture and cool, sweet flavor with a pleasantly rich tang. Other coleslaws, in disappointing contrast, treat the veggies like dressing delivery systems. This can often seem like a chain's way of apologizing for forcing diners to eat their greens. But Church's Chicken understands the value of cabbage and carrots unto themselves, which means its coleslaw stands up just fine to such delights as mac and cheese and honey-glazed biscuits. Take note, other chains: Respecting the slaw will take you far.

When a chain is big enough to go by an acronym alone, you know it's a big deal. So it goes with KFC. This long-running tribute to the power of poultry is an American icon, and for good reason — its golden-brown buckets of chicken are absolutely delicious. As it turns out, its coleslaw isn't bad either.

On a Reddit thread discussing the best fast food coleslaw, several users convened to hail KFC's effort. "I'm gonna have to go with the good ol' KFC on this one. Their coleslaw is fantastic IMO," remarked one user. "I agree. Every time we make homemade pork bbq we stop and grab one or two containers of KFC slaw," concurred another. 

KFC's coleslaw is heavy on the mayo, but connoisseurs know that this is, in fact, its strength. No, this isn't the lightest and brightest coleslaw around. But that isn't the measure of coleslaw quality. There's something to be said for a dressing-drenched coleslaw, full of rich flavor. The veggies in this coleslaw are mellow and sweet, which makes them a wonderful canvas for the dressing's flavorful interplay between sharp, tangy vinegar and plush, eggy creaminess. It's coleslaw with the volume turned up, coleslaw at its most decadent, and, many believe, coleslaw at its best. This makes it a robust match for the chain's fried chicken and biscuits, and a delicious dish on its own.

Southerners, rejoice: You live in the land of Cook Out. This unique chain is all about classic American dining, and has received passionate acclaim for its Carolina-style barbecue, juicy hot dogs and hamburgers, and an enormous variety of ice cream-based beverages. But beyond Cook Out's milkshakes and bacon cheddar dogs lies humble coleslaw — and it's just as worthy of your attention.

One Reddit user hailed Cook Out's coleslaw as the best in all of fast food-dom, saying: "Not too heavy on the mayo, tangy, crunchy, perfect on their BBQ." Indeed, Cook Out's coleslaw is a lighter, leaner, and altogether more zippy affair than many others on this list. The veggies get to shine, here: They're crunchy, crispy, and firm, bursting with cool flavor and just enough sweetness. This is, as the Reddit user points out, a fantastic complement to Cook Out's robust barbecue; a heap of slaw is just the thing to crown a juicy, sauce-smothered hunk of pork.

But what makes Cook Out's coleslaw even more impressive is the fact that its light dressing is so flavorful. There's nowhere near as much of it as there is in other chains' coleslaws — and, as previously mentioned, it's a lot less creamily mayo-like than you might expect. But it still manages to pack a delightfully tangy punch. That's one heck of a trick.

Captain D's is all about seafood. It's also all about coleslaw. One look through the menu reveals plate after plate of maritime delights from grilled salmon to fried shrimp accompanied by a bright green pile of coleslaw (among other sides). Captain D's coleslaw more than earns this ubiquity; it's absolutely scrumptious on its own, and serves as a perfect side to pretty much everything the restaurant makes.

It's also an interesting departure from standard coleslaw recipes. Sure, it looks pretty normal: It's got cabbage, carrots, and dressing. The connoisseur might notice that it goes quite a bit heavier on the cabbage than the carrots, but this is a fairly standard choice. But this coleslaw's dressing is a whole different affair. It's distinctively sweet in a way no other coleslaw matches. This proves to be as great a choice as it is unique. Sweetness brings an entirely new dimension to the dish, contrasting the cabbage's cool flavor and the savory seasoning as it enhances the veggies' natural sugars. What results is something sour, creamy, tangy, sweet, and just the tiniest bit zesty. When combined with seafood, it gets even more interesting. In putting a unique spin on the classic coleslaw formula, Captain D's seriously succeeds.