I ordered the same meal from 3 popular Kansas City barbecue chains, and my favorite served the sweetest sandwich

I started my barbecue tour at a more upscale location of Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue.

I seamlessly placed my to-go order on the website, and it came with a 12-minute estimated wait for pickup.

My pulled-pork sandwich with fries came out to $17.23 before tip. Unlike the other chains, it didn't come with a side of pickles.

The Freight House location I visited has a separate to-go entrance at the northwest corner of the building.

If you pick up there, you don't have to walk all the way through the moody dining room for your barbecue meal.

Jack Stack's pulled-pork sandwich had the sturdiest takeout container, which is great because it was also the biggest of the three meals.

There was a hefty helping of smoky sauce, and it was the only one served on a long hoagie roll.

The meat was the least fatty, and the fries were traditional and well-seasoned.

I drove over to Gates Bar-B-Q on Main Street in midtown Kansas City. The beloved chain has been around since 1946, so it's been a staple for a while.

Although Gates has an online ordering system, I don't think it's super user-friendly, so I opted to order in person.

I entered the restaurant to the welcoming "Hi, may I help you?" yell that patrons have come to know and love from the chain's employees.

Gates, which has a deli counter and casual dining area, is definitely a more dressed-down shop than Jack Stack. I went right up to the counter to place my order, which cost $15.10 before tip.

My "sauce on the side" request was ignored, but the bread didn't get too soggy on my drive home.

The sandwich had more of a ham-style pork that was fattier than the other chains.

It was served on a round bun, which ended up being my favorite because of its fluffy texture.

The french fries were thick-cut wedges with very little seasoning. But even so, they are consistently good — each wedge was cut and fried similarly throughout the batch

Joe's Kansas City — originally called Oklahoma Joe's — is one of the city's most popular hangouts.

The chain's original location is inside a gas station, and the wait to order in person is usually over an hour. But patrons gladly stand in line.

The space is open and airy, and you can view memorabilia and shop around while you wait to order.

Instead, I decided to place my order online to save some time. My total came to $15 before tip.

Being able to go right to a curbside pickup area is very convenient, especially if you're passing through during a busy mealtime.

My email confirmation gave me clear directions on where to go to pick up my food, and when I got to the chain, there were even more helpful signs.

The total wait time from receiving my email to picking up my food was about 16 minutes.

The pulled pork from Joe's Kansas City was great. It was served on a round bun, similar to Gates, but the bread was slightly more rigid.

I think the bread-to-meat ratio was perfectly balanced.

The barbecue pork is cooked with a little more sugar than the other chains, and the sauce also tastes sweeter. As someone with a sweet tooth, this was a pleasant surprise.

The seasoned fries tasted great when they were fresh, but they didn't reheat well.

Of the three chains, Gates' salted wedge fries were my favorite. But overall, Joe's served my favorite meal.

I love the sweet flavors of the meat and sauce, and the seasoned fries were abundant.

I liked taking advantage of the curbside pickup option, but I understand the innate out-of-towner desire to experience the crowded gas station firsthand.

Although it wasn't my top pick, if you're looking for more meat and are willing to pay a little more, Jack Stack is probably your best option.