Best chicken sandwich in the DMV?

Submitted by jsnowman97 t3_zxia1m in washingtondc

Hey all, I’m on a quest to find the best fried chicken sandwich in the DMV area! So far I’ve tried Honeymoon chicken (pretty good but I didn’t feel like the chicken was the star of the show, too many other flavors and toppings going on) and Astro donuts ( they do a chicken sandwich with a donut as the bun, pretty bomb but a little too expensive for how much you get).

Anyway, what are your favorites? What other places should I try?

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sadistbiker t1_j20esju wrote

Roaming Rooster used to be good but feels like quality has gone down. At least at the Western Market location.

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Thatdewd57 t1_j20f8nj wrote

Ekiben does a solid sandwich. I’ve heard Lucky Buns as well.

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Aiogher t1_j20fikx wrote

popeyes tbh

roaming rooster gave me diarrhea byeee

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fatdaddyphat t1_j20gc72 wrote

Woo Boi. Locations in Alexandria and Herndon.

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throwaway832222222 t1_j20h9vv wrote

The best one is at busboys and poets. Comes with delicious ass fries and an aoili and bun. Also its halal if u eat halal

−5

SteamPunkTomCat6913 t1_j20j88y wrote

Damn Good Burger and the Queen Mother's are my two favorite spots for fried chicken sandwiches. And Damn Good Burger also has great burgers and fries, shocking I know. Damn Good Burgers has multiple locations, but you can find both in Arlington.

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celj1234 t1_j20jrf7 wrote

Roaming Roaster. Also melange has a damn good one as well

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Saxxy- t1_j20p1ju wrote

Bubbie’s Plant Burgers has a vegan version of chicken sandwich I love

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iidesune t1_j20r5e1 wrote

Also voting Roaming Roster

But if I'm keeping real, Popeye's gives even Roaming Roster a run for its money

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TastyLemonzzz t1_j20rsaz wrote

The answer is Lucky Buns. Also happens to be the best spicy chicken sandwich. I had high hopes for Roaming Rooster when I moved here, but it was pretty disappointing both times I had it.

Little Chicken is good too, but their chicken sandwiches are incredibly hit or miss.

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TheSquireOfShaw t1_j20w49r wrote

Hip city veg does a vegan chicken that is absolutely amazing. I had two after the first one because it was so surprisingly good!

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freelancerjourn t1_j20xzbq wrote

They are a national chain, but I’ve come to love Chick-Fil-A’s chicken sandwhiches. Also, pre-pandemic I had a Nashville Hot chicken sandwhich at BJ’s Brewhouse and it was delicious. Not sure how they managed to keep the chicken so crispy with the hot sauce on it but they did. (Though the chicken sandwhich I had delivered from them was not as good as the one I physically had in the restaurant.)

−5

thispeanutgallery t1_j20ycfb wrote

Wooboi Hot Chicken. The one in Herndon has always been great for me.

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IJocko t1_j2117yn wrote

Silver diner in Cathedral commons has a pickle brined fried chicken sandwich. I add mozzarella and bacon to mine; skip the banana peppers, the arugula and honey mustard and just go with mayo, tomato, and lettuce. I think It’s really good. But nothing compares to the hole in the wall joint up in Maine called Frederick’s Southside that makes the best fried chicken sandwich in history. Thanks y’all for the lucky buns tip though.

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sithgang t1_j211h30 wrote

Roaming Rooster. They also do not fuck around with their spice levels.

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NPRjunkieDC t1_j214vdh wrote

I'd be surprised to taste one tastier than Popeyes or Chick-fil-A (struggle with their anti-gay stance but respect them for closing on Sundays , even though that costs them probably tens of millions ).

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NU2L t1_j2152q7 wrote

I’m a fan of Swizzler, Hot Lola’s, and Roaming Rooster. The Swizzler fried chicken sandwich is shockingly good (though not Nashville hot like the other two).

Hill East Burgers also has an interesting fried chicken sandwich (topped with gravy) that is worth trying out to see if it’s your thing.

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anon22003 t1_j215wcj wrote

Hangry Joe’s has a pretty decent spicy Korean/Nashville chicken sando.

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ItsLiterallyPK t1_j2170jc wrote

Lucky buns! I know roaming roasters is pretty good and popular but IMHO it's a generic chicken sandwich. Lucky buns has some of the juiciest fried chicken I've had in a sandwich and they have some interesting items on their menu too.

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MrWolf327 t1_j219sio wrote

Don’t know if the best of all time, but Hot Lola’s is amazing chicken sandwich (and tenders) place 🤤🤤🤤

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doomfist_420 t1_j21ajuj wrote

Surprised nobody has mentioned Z-Burger - that's my #1

Popeyes is best budget sandwich, RR has good coleslaw but is most expensive

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just-another-post t1_j21brko wrote

The best fried chicken is in Virginia. You’re definitely asking the wrong sub on this one (sorry).

Go to Queen Mother’s, and if you like it hot, go to Wooboi. Honorable shoutouts to Melange and Hangry Joe’s.

I’d like to request the mods ban whoever voted for Popeyes.

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kirkl3s t1_j21e3rx wrote

Barrel in Eastern Market makes an amazing chicken sando

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scramblin_pan t1_j21eczb wrote

LUCKY BUNS for sure and if you like spicy their Hot Tiger is one of the best and most unique takes on a nashville hot chicken. I've eaten ~100 of them and I haven't lived in DC for over 2 years now.

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Beneficial_Data_1137 t1_j21eqzx wrote

Tupelo Honey in Arlington has some pretty fire chicken sandwiches. Would highly recommend

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AwesomeAndy t1_j21h5gu wrote

Hi OP, I had a whole big post I keep almost posting on this topic, having - somewhat unintentionally - tried a whole bunch of them.

Anyway, Hot Lola's or WooBois are the answers I'd give depending on if Sichuan pepper flavor is acceptable (Hot Lola's) or not (WooBois) for you, even though I eat at Roaming Rooster more than anywhere since they're easiest for me to get in that specific style. (Lucky Buns is also great, but I think they're just a bit too far off the "standard" chicken sandwich to really fit in.)

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freelancerjourn t1_j21hnva wrote

Replying to doomfist_420 (#1,129,497)

Wow. I guess I truly need to pay a little closer attention to Zburger’s menu. I get them often. Normally I get their cheesesteak. Every once in a while their burger. How is it I never noticed they have chicken sandwhiches on the menu? Wow.

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AwesomeAndy t1_j21hq2n wrote

Replying to just-another-post (#1,129,719)

> I’d like to request the mods ban whoever voted for Popeyes.

lol seriously. Even ignoring that it's not particularly hot, it's also not particularly good. I like Popeye's, but an unspiced chicken patty with some lightly spiced mayo ain't it.

EDIT: Add the person who said Chik-Fil-A too.

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FormerCollegeDJ t1_j21iott wrote

Regardless what anyone else says, Roaming Rooster is overrated. Twice I’ve had their sandwiches and twice I’ve been disappointed. Their chicken sandwiches are good but not great, IMO no better than Popeyes’ spicy chicken sandwich (which is about 40% of the price).

To me, Lucky Buns (Hot Tiger Bun) is the answer to the question. Hot Lola’s is pretty good too, though its standout feature is the massive filet they give you.

I’ve heard good things about Wooboi, but I haven’t eaten there yet.

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Bear-Competitive t1_j21jch9 wrote

Chicken sandwich at Clyde’s in Georgetown was absolute 🔥

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igohami t1_j21jckn wrote

Woo Boi is probably my go to Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Roaming rooster is so overrated and bland compared to many others around the area.

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SquishWindow t1_j21k2f8 wrote

Replying to ItsLiterallyPK (#1,128,945)

Lucky Buns is great but I feel like Lucky Buns has turned down their heat recently. The last couple of times I've gone the Hot Tiger Bun has barely made me break a sweat; it used to have me panting hard.

IMO Hot Lola's is the clear king based on my most recent experiences.

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FormerCollegeDJ t1_j21kd0s wrote

Replying to AwesomeAndy (#1,130,681)

Yeah, I’ve had Roaming Rooster’s Nashville hot chicken sandwich twice, and I can eat it without really needing a drink. (That should NEVER be the case when eating the hottest level of any Nashville hot chicken variation. Your mouth should be on fire, and your brow should be moist with sweat.)

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FormerCollegeDJ t1_j21ktye wrote

Replying to Suburbs-suck (#1,125,405)

Lucky Buns’ Hot Tiger Bun definitely tops Popeyes’ spicy chicken sandwich IMO, but as a 20+ year member of Popeyes Nation, their spicy chicken sandwich is good enough to make me sometimes pass on getting my usual spicy bone-in chicken when I go there. (Sometimes I also say screw it and get both bone-in spicy chicken and a spicy chicken sandwich.)

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brock_h t1_j21layx wrote

Replying to ItsLiterallyPK (#1,128,945)

I'm ready for some hate but I don't understand lucky buns at all. It's extremely pricey and serves mediocre food with no attention to any kind of presentation. Plastic cups, plates, beer straight out of the 24-pack for premium prices. The vibe is dive bar but with $20 hamburgers and $10 beers. The service when I went there was not good either, it was like I was supposed to be thankful that they were serving me. I went in totally wanting to like it with no preconceived notions. It seems like a restaurant that thinks it's a social club (or maybe it is)? I guess I'm not the target audience...

To the question, Roaming Rooster is definitely another option but really Popeyes is going to get you most of the way there and also cost less than $5... Kind of a sad state of affairs.

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wavysnakes9732 t1_j21lsjn wrote

Astro donuts has a highly underrated chicken sandwich

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GreatStateOfSadness t1_j21msmn wrote

Replying to ItsLiterallyPK (#1,128,945)

> I know roaming roasters is pretty good and popular but IMHO it's a generic chicken sandwich

It's wild how much chicken sandwiches have evolved in the last three years. Pre-pandemic, Roaming Rooster was the chicken sandwich in the DMV.

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GreatStateOfSadness t1_j21ntuq wrote

Replying to AwesomeAndy (#1,130,681)

There was another thread here where someone said to go to Roaming Rooster and say "just fuck my day up" and they'll give you something approaching Wooboi or Hot Lola's.

I tried that and I'd say they got close, but still nowhere near the hottest that those two can provide.

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gee1001 t1_j21oh63 wrote

Woo Boi in Alexandria is awesome!!

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rachs1988 t1_j21pv4x wrote

I agree with a lot of votes here, but figured I’d throw out a wild card - Circa’s fried chicken sandwich hits the spot when you’re craving one.

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Sparqman t1_j21qtb1 wrote

Uncle C's Chicken & Waffles (6308 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306). I stumbled upon it while grabbing lunch after a painful visit to the car dealership. Incredibly good chicken and waffles and a delightful chicken sandwich. To be clear, I had that across two different visits.

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random_generation t1_j21qy7i wrote

Surprisingly, Granville Moore’s chicken sandwich is pretty good.

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GreatStateOfSadness t1_j21r1jq wrote

Replying to SquishWindow (#1,132,162)

Yep. I'll be honest, I tried Hot Lola's when it first opened in Ballston and couldn't handle even the Shy Guy (which I think was called Shy Hot when they opened) but could do fine with the RR Extra Hot. Roaming Rooster ended up being my gateway into hot chicken.

Now I can't leave Hot Lola's since the Flippin' Hot is the only heat I can actually feel.

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PapillionPapa t1_j21s1lt wrote

Little Chicken might have the best chicken hands down. It’s starting to blow up in terms of popularity, but hot damn it’s good!

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End2Ender t1_j21trjh wrote

Wooboi's is really hot and tasty. I like Hangry Joe's as well, really good fries and their sandwich is HUGE. I don't particularly like Hot Lola's coleslaw on their sandwich but I think their fries are really good. I've had good sandwiches at Big Buns (Shirlington Hot) and whatever Tupelo Honey calls theirs as well. Chickfila is honestly also really good for like $3.50 or whatever, there is reason it's popular. Never had roaming rooster, popeyes tastes good but doesn't agree with my stomach for some reason.

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Rough-Ground6141 t1_j21u9pn wrote

The Diner in AdMo has a surprisingly fire fried chicken sandwich. I would also def give DC9 in Shaw a hard look, too.

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FlowFacer t1_j21ub2h wrote

So you guys want the hot tiger at Lucky Bun's to be more spicy?

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JustHereForCookies17 t1_j21uvrm wrote

Knowles Station in Kensington. I had their fried chicken sandwich the other day and I was blown away by how good the chicken was. Plus, the size of the piece on the sandwich was so ginormous that I ended up cutting it in half and eating one half by itself.

They're a beer & wine store with an attached cafe, so the drinks options are pretty awesome as well.

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Optimal-Nose1092 t1_j223fso wrote

Absolutely ban the Popeye and Chik--fil-a folks. I miss Mason Dixie. That was a good chicken sandwich.

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MontereyJack144 t1_j224270 wrote

Going to pile on for Roaming Rooster. Them having a location in Nats Park is a godsend.

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veepeedeepee t1_j2249wz wrote

I love the chicken sandwich at St. Arnold’s.

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onbrandg t1_j22502j wrote

Doro Soul - new Ethiopian fried chicken option in Shaw

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Gaijin_Monster t1_j225mfz wrote

Have you ever tried just making one at home? Super easy and if you make it to your liking, it will be vastly superior to anything you can get at a restaurant.

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bridges-build-burn t1_j22cj1p wrote

Replying to brock_h (#1,131,328)

I live pretty close to Lucky Buns and I have seen more rats around the kitchen door and trash area than anywhere else in what is already a generally very ratty neighborhood.

Even if there wasn’t a rat jamboree out back, I wouldn’t eat there just based on the prices and the pissed off vibes

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saikoma t1_j22hyol wrote

It’s definitely Chicken + Whiskey

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Ncav2 t1_j22j8yr wrote

Roaming Rooster is still king

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electriclady09 t1_j22lgn6 wrote

rip to little pearl's daytime cafe menu... they had the best chicken sandwich IMO. maybe someday they'll bring it back! until then, I like lucky buns and barrel.

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jsnowman97 OP t1_j22lwid wrote

Replying to ItsLiterallyPK (#1,128,945)

Just tried Lucky Buns today, it was really good, I would put it on par with Honeymoon. I forgot to mention in the post that I’ve also tried Hangry Joes and personally I liked that one more. Focus of the sandwich was all chicken and its great chicken

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consultantk t1_j22oeof wrote

Roaming rooster, but don’t sleep on the chicken sandwiches at Melange either

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naturallyaspirated18 t1_j22orsl wrote

People commenting roaming rooster never had a proper chicken sandwich before that stuff is nasty

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loofa1922 t1_j22qbt7 wrote

Queen Mothers is the best. Alternatives that are awesome are Hot Lola’s, Lucky Buns, and I really enjoy Detour Coffee in Arlington which has a shockingly good chicken sandwich. Tried to like Roaming Rooster, couldn’t but I thought they had a lot of average chicken meat for your money.

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HugeTractsofLando t1_j22r9ii wrote

Melange has two unique Ethiopian-style (I believe) fried chicken sandwiches. Both amazing!

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cornell256 t1_j22rdbe wrote

My personal preference tends to be Roaming Rooster. Amazing chicken, enormous sandwiches that always fill me up. That said, I definitely want to shout out Doro Soul Food in Shaw. Their fried chicken and chicken sandwich are absolutely delicious -- so crispy, juicy, and spiced incredibly. I do wish their sandwich was as meaty as a RR sandwich, but overall a great new option.

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Matt_Tress t1_j23cq49 wrote

Replying to AwesomeAndy (#1,132,441)

Went in once, was casually talking to my mom about her birthday. They overheard, waited til we were done with our food, and literally brought us out a dessert pizza! Truly the best service I’ve ever had, anywhere, including fancier restaurants.

And they really helped out the feddies during the last big shutdown. I love &pizza. Or at least I used to, not sure if they’d do the same things today.

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sweetbeat8 t1_j23d7h0 wrote

Don’t sleep on Baltimore. There are some amazing chicken Sammie’s Ekiban BRD And Blacksauce kitchen

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sloowhand t1_j23ggv3 wrote

Replying to ItsLiterallyPK (#1,128,945)

Lucky Buns and Roaming Rooster are two completely different categories, imo. RR is the best fast food chicken sandwich you’re ever going to have. LB is not fast food and the price is way higher. This is an apples to oranges comparison.

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1oJK t1_j23tfke wrote

Clyde’s in Chinatown had an off menu buffalo chicken sandwich a few years ago. Don’t know if they still do - it was fantastic.

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mr_fun_cooker t1_j23w9on wrote

During lockdown I tried to eat and rate all the hot chickens in town. Then I had to lose about 15 pounds. Worth it.

Ppl have amazing picks in the comments but don’t sleep on Ghost Burger and Union Pub.

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d_hor t1_j2449ke wrote

top tier - service bar, melange, hot lolas, wooboi, federalist pig, ekiben (pls come to dc already)

middle tier - popeyes, queen mothers, maketto, astro doughnuts (breakfast biscuit only), lucky buns, fedwich, doro soul food

lower tier - roaming rooster, bantam king (note their fried chicken is amazing, but sandwich leaves a lot to be desired), little chicken, chicken & whiskey, butter me up, the royal, unconventional diner, honeymoon chicken, convivial

​

RIP Little Pearl (cafe) and ABC Pony. Also the chicken parm sando that they used to serve at pogiboy was amazing.

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FormerCollegeDJ t1_j24bd5m wrote

Replying to sloowhand (#1,142,421)

???

I haven't gone to either place for a while, but I remember Roaming Rooster's sandwich was about $10 while Lucky Buns' Hot Tiger Bun was about $13 or $14; there's a cost difference but they are in the same general category and Roaming Rooster is definitely NOT a fast food restaurant. RR is definitely closer in price to Lucky Buns and Hot Lola's than it is to Popeyes (was $4, now $4.50).

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RaisedbyArseholes t1_j24du3q wrote

Replying to sadistbiker (#1,124,083)

Went there last night in western market. The problem is that it either gets soggy from the greasy sauce or coleslaw. They should put the sauce on the side for you to add. I had the fried chicken on slaw and it also got soggy. Fried chicken needs to be crispy.

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RG_Viza t1_j25p5xe wrote

If it’s fresh, rofo pulled chicken

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brock_h t1_j2773n4 wrote

Replying to FormerCollegeDJ (#1,148,169)

Not sure when the last time it was you went but prices are $16+ at lucky buns and keep in mind it's table service so you're expected to be tipping (whereas RR you can just take out). It's way pricier.

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FormerCollegeDJ t1_j279i1g wrote

Replying to brock_h (#1,169,112)

I typically have done pickup at Lucky Buns. (My girlfriend lives about 3 blocks away.) I’d guess the last time I went there was probably late 2021 or early 2022.

Regardless of the cost difference, Roaming Rooster is NOT a fast food place. It is a fast casual restaurant.

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