Which fast-food would you prefer, Chick-fil-a or McDonalds?

Abstract

Cost and convenience are the reasons why 25% of Americans eat fast food and nutrition is of less relevance as indicated in high prevalence of obesity. McDonald is considered America’s number one fast food chain while Chick-fil-a is the most popular chicken chain. This study aims to compare the sodium, calorie, and nutrient contents of the following food items; sausage burrito, fried and grilled chicken sandwiches, and grilled chicken salad served in both joints. It is hypothesized that the sodium, calorie, and nutrient contents between the food items compared from both joints are the same. Comparison for each food item was done using the franchise websites of both food joints and the difference in nutrient content was statistically determined using T-test. Results showed that grilled chicken sandwiches of both joints have similar amount of sodium. However, McDonald’s premium southwest salad and sausage burrito have more sodium-containing ingredients than Chic-fil-a’s equivalent while crispy chicken of the latter has more sodium-containing ingredient than the former joint. This refutes the hypothesis indicating that the sodium content of the food items compared from both joints vary. In terms of calorie, total fat, and carbohydrate contents of all food items compared, the differences are not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, all food items from Chick-fil-a have significantly higher protein content than those of McDonald’s. Considering the aforementioned differences, simple studies like this need to be conducted and make available to consumers to help make better decisions of which fast food to go for a healthier meal.