Is Sam’s Club Southern Style Chicken REALLY as Good as Chick-fil-A?

Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you via trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Prices and availability are accurate as of time posted. Read our full disclosure policy here.

man holding chicken sandwiches and fries on two plates

Chick-Fil-A 7 days a week?! 😱

We heard through the grapevine that the Sam’s Club Member’s Mark Southern Style chicken sandwiches and waffle fries taste exactly like the Chick-fil-A ones! Of course, we just had to find out for ourselves.

Imagine being able to have Chick-fil-A (or the next best thing, anyway) seven days a week – right from the comfort of your own home!

bags of sams club chicken sandwiches and fries sitting with chick fil a takeout food on counter

We sent Stetson to Sam’s Club to buy these Southern Style products and see if they really are Chick-fil-A dupes, or if the Member’s Mark version is nothing more than Chick-FAIL-A.

Watch a replay of Stetson’s LIVE video.

He shared how to make the Member’s Mark frozen foods at home & his thoughts during his taste test.


Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Sandwich

box of chicken sandwiches sitting on kitchen counter

The Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Sandwiches are sold at Sam’s Club in a 10-count box for $15.98. As a tip, if you struggle to find them in your club, check the endcaps where some readers claimed to find theirs. You’d spend more than $35 to get that many Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches! 😱

Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich

Some readers shared that if you air fry the Sam’s Club chicken patty and heat the bun separately, you get an even crunchier chicken sandwich that’s irresistibly good!

Stetson prepared his chicken sandwich according to the directions on the box which meant popping it into the microwave for just 90 seconds! Other than the fact it doesn’t come with pickles (and the bun looks a little different), it’s a dead ringer for the Chick-fil-A sandwich as far as looks go! 👏

Stetson’s taste test thoughts:

“This is going to sound crazy, but I thought the Sam’s Club sandwich tasted exactly like Chick-fil-A! It’s spot on! I’m telling you, put it inside a Chick-fil-A wrapper, and no one will even know the difference. I don’t normally cook, but this made me into a pro instantly and all I needed to do was pop it in the microwave for 90 seconds! Plus, you get 10 of them for $15.98 – I think it’s a great buy!”


Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites

Southern Style Chicken Bites at Sam's Club

Sam’s Club sells the Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites in three-pound bags for a mere $9.98. However, at Chick-fil-A, 8 nuggets will cost you $3.75! Although the nuggets from Sams Club were tasty, they weren’t a great substitute for Chick-fil-A.

On top of that, many readers who have tried them previously, commented about how much they and their families seriously disliked them! Many said they have an awful texture and the strange pickle taste leaves even pickle lovers confused. Sorry nuggets lovers, it sounds like this is a true Chick-FAIL-A!

Here’s Stetson’s thoughts:

“My air fryer and I did really well getting these chicken bites to look just like Chick-fil-A’s nuggets. The nuggets tasted decent, but not like Chick-fil-A’s. They tasted like they were missing the spicy seasoning Chick-fil-A uses. Having said that, I would still eat them on any given day as they were yummy and a great value.”


Member’s Mark Southern Style Waffle Fries

bag of frozen fries and box of chicken sandwiches sitting on counter

At Sam’s Club, you can get four pounds of their Member’s Mark Southern Style Waffle Fries for $4.98. A large fry from Chick-fil-A cost Stetson $2.09 in his area. Prepared in the air fryer, you could hear in the live video that they came out nice and crispy.

chicken sandwich on plate with waffle fries

Stetson’s taste test thoughts:

“With these waffle fries being just $4.98 for four pounds, they’re totally worth it! They were on point and they taste just like Chick-Fil-A. Like the chicken sandwich, you could fill a Chick-fil-A fry box with the Member’s Mark fries, and no one would tell the difference!”


The final verdict:

man with Chick-fil-a

There you have it, Hip friends! While the chicken bites weren’t a good stand-in for Chick-fil-A nuggets, the Member’s Mark chicken sandwich and the waffle fries look, feel, and (most importantly) taste very similar to what you’d get at Chick-fil-A.

All you need is 2 pickles, and you’ve got yourself a Chick-fil-A copycat meal for a fraction of the cost and good enough to fool your loved ones. Stetson says it would fool him, and this guy knows a thing or two about chicken sandwiches. 😏


Save money at Sam’s Club with all the latest shopping tips and hot deals!


About the writer:

Jenna has a Bachelor's Degree from Lycoming College and her Master's from Penn State, holding 4 years of writing experience between a variety of publications and Hip2Save.


Join The Discussion

Comments 123

  1. VickiL

    I couldn’t find them in the freezer at my Sam’s. There are two Sam’s in my city and sometimes one carries things the other doesn’t. Where do you find them in the club?

    • VickiL

      I found the fries but not the chicken sandwiches

    • Sara

      They are often on an end cap at clubs in my area.

      However, my kids LOVE chick fil a, but hated these chicken nuggets, wouldn’t eat them at all. I ate them so they weren’t wasted, but not good IMO

      • Nee

        Yes! My kids hated them too! I was shocked until I tried them and they do taste a bit strong on the pickle side. I don’t really like them either. I told my husband it’s all up to him to finish the giant bag now 😅

        • Cleveland616

          My daughter LOVES Chick fil A and hated the nuggets also. I liked them well enough, but I like pickles and these nuggets definitely taste of pickles. I bought the sandwiches but we haven’t tried them yet. I’ll probably have a hard time getting her to taste the sandwich now. And my Sam’s Club has been out of the fries every time I’ve tried to buy them.

      • Lisa

        No lie, Sara. We got these and we ALL hated them in our household. It’s gotta be a Southern thing. It was the oddest taste. I didn’t think anything about it when I bought them… thinking they’d be great chicken. After I tasted them, I started reading the ingredients. I think it has to do with that pickle juice/taste (not sure), but it left a chemical taste in my mouth. My hubby who never lets anything go to waste ate the rest of them (reluctantly). Props to those who love/like them.

  2. Pinky

    I’m tempted to get a Sam’s Club membership again just for these products. Any good deals on memberships right now?

    • Lo

      You could get a free one week pass. We missed the groupon deal for membership. But probably/ hopefully around oct/nov.

    • BoyMamato4

      I got a Groupon for $45. With it I got: $25 gift card, $20 egift card, free pizza, cookies, chicken, and fruit tray. Everything worked according to terms and conditions. Not sure if it’s still available.

      • Mary

        I did the same deal. Got the gift cards, but the pizza, cookies, food items- how did you know if there on your card?

        • Kim C

          Mary – I had it too. The groupon indicates you only have 30 days from the time you start your membership to use the free coupons. It says 72 hours for the coupons to load but I think mine were there immediately. I hope you still have time.

  3. Jenn

    Does anyone happen to know if these are dairy free like Chik-Fil-A sandwiches?

    • Cleveland616

      Chick-fil-A sandwiches are not dairy free. My daughter is lactose intolerant and sad that she cannot eat them anymore.

      • JenniB

        The Sam’s club nuggets are dairy free. The ones at Chick-fil-A are not. Not sure about the sandwiches since our store has been out.

  4. Lisa

    I have tried the Members Mark chicken bites. My hubby who normally can eat anything thought they were plain gross. It was unanimous because I thought the same. They had a very bad taste/after taste. Jus odd.

  5. Nancy

    Bites were terrible and I could definitely taste pickles.

    • Lisa

      Nancy, we didn’t realize they had the pickle seasoning (if that is what it is called). We just could not figure out what that taste was. It was so very odd tasting.

    • Katie P

      I noticed the pickle flavor too! They have the same texture as Chick-Fil-A but, the flavor is not quite the same in my opinion. My kids still love them though!

  6. Jessica

    My whole family loves the chicken bites (even the picky eaters). The air fryer makes them perfectly.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks for the tip! Good to know they are yummy in the air fryer!

      • GinaPooh

        How long do you cook them in airfryer?

        • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

          Hi there! Maybe check the settings and recommendations in your air fryer. I know that mine has suggested timing and temperature listed in the manual for various items such as frozen chicken or fries. Hoping this helps!

  7. Michelle

    I bought these. The chicken really does taste almost exactly like Chick-fil-a. The bread, however, doesn’t. The bread isn’t very good at all.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks so much for the honest review, Michelle! I haven’t tried them yet!

  8. Mparanz

    Not the same weird after taste

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Darn! Thanks so much for the feedback!

  9. Liz

    Not very good. The kids didn’t like them either.

  10. Ruby

    I love the chicken bites!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Yay! Glad to hear it!

  11. Janet

    We tried them in our family and nobody cared for them.

  12. Ang

    Not good at all in my opinion.

  13. Tracy

    Not even close to Chick Fil A. Had way too much pickle taste in the breading on the sandwiches.

  14. Tracee

    My daughter is a big chick fila fan and she said it is very close. She ate the whole box of sandwiches! Good thing she has great metabolism!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      LOL! Happy she enjoyed them!

  15. becky

    Hell no. We threw them away. They were so disgusting. Tasted like pickles, but not in a good way. Yuck yuck yuck.

  16. Lolie

    The bites are a little different than Chick Fil A , has more of a pickle flavor. But we like them and would buy again. We want to try chicken sandwiches next. Thank you for the suggestions!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      You’re welcome, Lolie! Thank YOU for taking the time to comment!

  17. Ihearthip

    We had some bbq and ranch flavored chicken chips that I thought would be GROSS but I really liked them. I have not tried the chicken sandwich. Perdue makes some frozen chicken nuggets that are very close to Chik Fila. They are hard to find. I think it is their organic line. I definitely recommend them!

    • Ihearthip

      It’s the Perdue Harvestland Breaded Nuggets. Yummy

    • Joy

      Tyson makes frozen Southern style chicken breast filets that taste just like Chik Fil A sans bun.

  18. Jennifer G

    We tried them from Sam’s not a huge fan of the bread since it becomes kind of soggy.

  19. Danielle

    The nearest chic fil a is almost an hour away, so we love the chicken bites in our household. We think they are very close to the real thing.

  20. Rachel

    I loved the nuggets but my kids hated the pickle taste and wouldn’t eat them.

  21. Ashley

    Not a fan of the flavor of the nuggets and they were also very rubbery in texture. My kids did not care for them either!

  22. Heather

    We did not like the sandwiches or the nuggets, they have a weird taste to them!! I wouldn’t recommend them.

  23. Regina

    I like them, I fix them in the air fryer my grandkids like them also 👍

  24. Lo

    I preferred the nuggets deep fried chicken vs toaster oven. Minimal sketch pieces. Deep fry bonus, it flavored the fries 🤪

  25. Mindysue

    My kids loved the waffle fries but hated the nuggets! Strong pickle taste and left awful after taste!

  26. Amy L.

    Pop these nuggets in a Sister Schubert roll and it’s a tie with the chicken minis. Great to serve after a sleepover or to a large group of teenagers.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      YUM! Thanks a bunch for the helpful tip! I’ll have to try that!

  27. Correy

    I thought they were disgusting and so
    Did the kids. We just gave them away

  28. Chris

    I kept hearing how they tasted like Chick-Fil-A, so we tried them. Differently not a fan of the nuggets. They tasted nothing like Chick Fil A. They are still sitting in the freezer because none of us will eat them.

  29. Laura villotta

    Save your money and make this stuff from scratch. Use the air fryer and the nuggets and patties I make are amazing. Every item has a copycat recipe.

    • Ivy

      Can you please share your recipe? I’d like something tried and tested.

  30. Rob

    We use an air fryer for the nuggets and my girls love them. My older daughter was so excited to see the sandwiches and made them according to the directions and was less than impressed with the microwave directions. So the next time I removed the bun, threw the chicken n the air fryer and put it on a regular hamburger bun and now she can’t stop eating them and neither can I!

  31. Leah

    Tried a sample the last time I was at Sam’s. I didn’t like it.

  32. jen

    We bought the nuggets and cooked them in our air fryer. We love chickfila but these tasted just like pickles. Not a fan. If they lightened up on the pickle flavor i think they would be much better!

  33. Emily

    I do not like them. They have a weird taste.

  34. Sierra W

    We love them!! I do notice that sometimes they seem more pickle-y then other times. Air fryer is definitely the way to go!

  35. Casey

    We didn’t like the nuggets either. Weird seasoning/taste.

  36. tinawall

    I don’t eat meat but a coworker was telling me the nuggets tasted just like chick fil a. I bought a bag for my sister because she loves chick fil a. She said they tasted nothing like chick fil a nuggets. She was not impressed. I tried the fries and they are pretty good. I baked them so I’m sure they would be better if they were deep fried.

  37. sherriebryant

    These were so gross to me. The inside of the filet was rubbery with the texture of gristle. I quite literally gagged on several bites, and the aftertaste is terrible. Total waste of money.

  38. Nick

    They over seasoned the nuggets with pickle flavoring. It’s disgusting and leaves a horrid after taste. I say this and I love pickles. Chick Fil A certainly doesn’t season their nuggets with pickles so I have no idea why Sam’s decided to do that other than the fact that the chicken sandwiches come with pickles. I’ve never in my life had a chicken nugget with pickle flavoring so it tastes very awkward. Hope this helps someone. My girlfriend asked me what the after taste was after trying them. I tried them next and noticed it was pickles. Nasty… I threw them away.

  39. ksteele293327

    But can you get the Chick Fil A service at Sams? 😂

    • Queenie

      Oh I agree!!

  40. Queenie

    It was ok!

  41. hip2trade

    The sandwiches are decent. Haven’t tried the nuggets. Also at my Sams this past week they had the spicy version of the sandwiches which I like best.

  42. Jennifer

    We love the waffle fries from Sam’s Club but hated the chicken nuggets and sandwiches. The taste was awful and the chicken on the sandwich was thick, chewy, and gristly. I had high hopes but sadly will throw away the rest of my packages.

  43. elewis91

    We absolutely loved the fries! The nuggets were a no go. No one in our family of 4 liked them. Our Walmart actually carries them as well as our local sams. I’ve never been able to find the sandwiches tho- they’re always sold out.

  44. CaseyB

    I tried the nuggets. They were okay but I probably would not buy again. My niece loves chik-fil-a and hated them.

  45. becky-0

    We HATED the nuggets. They were seriously gross.

  46. Mama2Nine

    I tried sandwiches, nuggets, and fries. Nothing like chic fil a. My oldest eats chic fil a everyday at college. He looked at me like I was crazy when I told him it was a chic fil a knock off. I find them to have lots of rubber parts in them. 🤮 Pass! Never again.

  47. court

    My kids love chick fila, but they did not like the sandwich or nuggets from sams. I thought the taste was similar, not as good, but close. Kids wouldn’t eat them though

  48. whatacutielife

    NO!!! They’re gross! The flavor is so strong. My kids didn’t like it.

  49. Amy R.

    My family LOVES the chicken bites. I purchase 2 bags at a time because our nearest Sam’s is 45 minutes away. Those will last us maybe 3 weeks if I’m lucky! I have sampled the sandwiches and think they are pretty.good too. Not sure if they are worthy of the title of a Chik-fil-a dupe, but still good.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

It's not your Grandma's coupon site!

Sign up for a Hip2Save account (it's free) to access all of the awesome features!

Forgot Password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot Password

Don't have an account? Register

Become a Hip2Save Insider

Don't Miss Out! Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! What are ya waiting for?!



Already have an account? Login

Thank you for rating!

Would you also like to leave us a comment?