We compared McDonald's new Chick-fil-A killer to the real thing - and the winner is unmistakable

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

• The fast-food value wars are heating up again, and McDonald's has introduced a new chicken sandwich on its $1 $2 $3 menu.
• It's almost a carbon copy of Chick-fil-A's classic chicken sandwich.
• But - surprise - it's just not as good as the original.

McDonald's new value menu has reignited the fast-food wars, but there's yet another battle brewing because of it.

On the three-dollar tier of the menu sits the new Classic Chicken Sandwich, which almost anyone can see is a direct stab at Chick-fil-A's classic chicken sandwich.

Fried chicken and pickles on a bun: a simple and iconic item that the Southern chicken chain has mastered, and that other chains constantly try to replicate with the same level of success.

While it wasn't a direct parallel, McDonald's has tried to attack Chick-fil-A's iron grip on the chicken sandwich market before, with the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken sandwich. But Chick-fil-A's strengths - simplicity and quality - helped it come out on top in the end.

And recently, McDonald's unveiled a revamped chicken tender that was surprisingly good - it didn't win against Chick-fil-A, but it came close. McDonald's is clearly on the chicken warpath, and Chick-fil-A seems to be the main target.

This new sandwich, however, is as close as McDonald's can possibly get to Chick-fil-A's formula. But can the Golden Arches match Chick-fil-A's quality? Or will it be another fowl disappointment?

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