Chicken is a relatively cheap, tasty option for most college students. It comes in many forms, such as nuggets, strips and patties. Given a typical student's budget, one can expect to find a chicken-themed establishment around campus.

    In Knoxville, you can multiply that number by four. That's right, folks, there are four restaurants devoted to using chicken primarily within one quarter mile of each other, all on or near Cumberland Avenue.

    Of those four restaurants, three are currently open, with the final establishment set to open soon. The most recent opening was that of Zaxby's, which began serving its famous Meal Dealz on February 25. Zaxby's is diving head-first into a competition with the already-established Buffalo Wild Wings and Sawyer's for chicken joint supremacy. Zaxby's is located right on the Strip, where Burger King used to be, meaning there's plenty of parking available.

     Its main attraction to the college crowd: The $4.99 Meal Dealz offer an entree', fries and a drink for one low price.

    Buffalo Wild Wings, or BW3 as it's known to locals, is known for its chicken wings and the many flavors they come in. From Sweet BBQ to Blazin', these wing wizards have it covered. It's located right in the heart of Cumberland Avenue, but there isn't much parking in front of the building, so be prepared to walk a little bit.

     Its main attraction to the college crowd: Multiple wing-related options, from all-you-can eat some days for $9.99 to Wing Tuesdays (35 cent wings) and Boneless Thursdays (45 cent boneless wings). Also, a bar with several big-screen TVs that constantly have sports on attract the big-game viewers.

    Sawyer's (website is currently down) is a locally-operated business that prides itself in its made-to-order chicken. They don't start fixing your meal until you order it, and if you're inside, you can watch. Sawyer's is located at the corner of 17th Street and White Avenue, with minimal parking to go around.

    Its main attraction to the college crowd: The made-to-order meals gives your experience a nice touch, along with the shaved ice chips and truly-Southern sweet tea. The best value for your money is the Sawyer Snak, in which you get three chicken strips, fries and your choice of dipping sauce (the Sawyer's sauce has a nice flavor) for just under $4.00.

    Finally, as the wild card of the bunch, Guthrie's will be opening soon. Their location: almost right across the street from Zaxby's. Guthrie's is an unknown to Knoxville, and East Tennessee, for that matter. The only location in the state is in Jackson, about 80 miles east of Memphis. Guthrie's is similar to Zaxby's and Sawyer's in menu selection, offering chicken plates and boxes with a side of toast. Guthrie's is built similar to Sawyer's, but its parking situation is in better shape.

    Its main attraction to the college crowd: A better location than Sawyer's may be a plus; also, the sweet tea is rumored to be a strength for this newcomer. Finally, Guthrie's offers a chicken strip bucket that may come in handy as a party option on the weekends.

    It would seem that, at sometime, prices will have to drop or marketing will have to change to help keep business steady at any one of these establishments. Until that happens, nobody knows which chicken spots will win out (they can't all sustain, can they?). Right now, there's only one certainty; it's good to be a fan of poultry at the University of Tennessee.