Popeyes chicken sandwich. Is it that good?

[luvsJack]

Trust me, Popeye's is NOT the same outside of Louisiana. Here in the Midwest, I have to pre-order it to get Louisiana-level spicy. IME, with the exceptions of southern Mississippi , South Texas, and the Nashville area (where Hot Chicken is, after all, a Thing), the spicy served elsewhere is generally equivalent to the mild version sold in Louisiana. (I just realized that this post sounds like I'm on a nationwide Popeye's tour, LOL! I'm not, but with an autistic kid, familiarity tends to work well on road trips.)

Also, the "cajun rice" is not quite right in locations where the staff doesn't know what it's supposed to taste like; they tend put too high a ratio of livers in it, to get rid of them. (My test of whether or not a Popeye's location is likely to be good is in ordering that: if you ask for rice dressing and they have to ask what you mean, that's your sign.)

You are so right! I always get the mild (can't handle the spicy) but its too bland in a lot of places. The oil seems to be kept fresher in more southern stores too. I would have thought that the oil cleaning and changing would have been sort of a franchise policy and procedure but apparently not.

 

[LSUmiss]

Trust me, Popeye's is NOT the same outside of Louisiana. Here in the Midwest, I have to pre-order it to get Louisiana-level spicy. IME, with the possible exceptions of southern Mississippi , South Texas, and the Nashville area (where Hot Chicken is, after all, a Thing), the spicy served elsewhere is generally equivalent to the mild version sold in Louisiana. (I just realized that this post sounds like I'm on a nationwide Popeye's tour, LOL! I'm not, but with an autistic kid, familiarity tends to work well on road trips.)

Also, the "cajun rice" is not quite right in locations where the staff doesn't know what it's supposed to taste like; they tend put too high a ratio of livers in it, to get rid of them. (My test of whether or not a Popeye's location is likely to be good is in ordering that: if you ask for rice dressing and they have to ask what you mean, that's your sign.)

FWIW, I generally like CFA, but I would really prefer it if they didn't bag sandwiches that are being eaten in-house. The bag does keep them hot longer, but it steams the whole sandwich, making it soggy.

BTW, there is an article in yesterday's Times-Picayune on local New Orleans alternative chicken sandwiches. The review gives the crown to Chubbie's (in Algiers)

Yes! I saw that about Chubbies! We live about a mile from them & I have been going there since I was a kid! It is very good, but my vote still goes to the Popeyes sandwich. But, Chubbies has the best fried shrimp & poboys in the city IMO.

If the spicy there is the mild here, what is the mild?! Yuck!

 

[LSUmiss]

You are so right! I always get the mild (can't handle the spicy) but its too bland in a lot of places. The oil seems to be kept fresher in more southern stores too. I would have thought that the oil cleaning and changing would have been sort of a franchise policy and procedure but apparently not.

I wonder if the oil thing is just b/c it’s busier here. The Popeyes closest to my house has lines onto the street most days & that was pre chicken sandwich hype.

 

[luvsJack]

I wonder if the oil thing is just b/c it’s busier here. The Popeyes closest to my house has lines onto the street most days & that was pre chicken sandwich hype.

Could be. The one's here are busy at certain times (lunch and right at 6) but not continuously through the day.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Could be. The one's here are busy at certain times (lunch and right at 6) but not continuously through the day.

I agree, my Popeye's is busy all the time, its clean, delicious and friendly. I guess it really depends on the franchise owner

 

[usnuzuloose]

I went to my closest Popeyes and they’re out.

Go figure

 

[bcla]

Go figure

I tried it again. They still had some of the same signs, but I saw people receiving them, so someone forgot to take down the sign. They were making them as fast as they could, and at times there were maybe 20 of them at a time. They had s limit of 5 per customer and I waited about 25 minutes in line. For a while it wasn’t moving. This location has a drive-thru which is probably taking most of the orders.

I got the combo, which was $2 more and came with a side. I wanted jambalaya but was told it was extra even though the price of a separate side is the same. It’s good, It’s the special seasoned mayo that makes it good. One can add sauce, but it would just mess up the taste of the mayo. Better than CFA, which I still don’t get.

 

[robinb]

I've never been impressed with CFA....I just don't get the hype for them at all. But I love Popeye's though, whenever it's a food option we get it, so I can't wait to try their sandwich. We have neither very close to where we live and they are now sold out so who knows when I'll actually get to try it.

I tried the CFA near Animal Kingdom 10+ years ago. I was so not impressed and I was wondering why everyone loved it. I too like Popeye's better. I do have to say ... not being impressed sure makes it easier to boycott CFA .

 

[ronandannette]

Guess we will never know if you haven't had one yet as apparently the entire supply of Chicken Sandwiches for the promotion sold out a month before the promotion is over.

Sort of like McDonalds and the Shamrock shake during St. Patricks day. Usually sold out here weeks before St. Patrick's day. So far out you would think McDonalds could tell their supplies to produce more so they can sell more and make more money., In this era of Amazon Prime deliveries where you can get just about anything delivered in hours, you would think they could ramp up more syrup production with weeks of lead time.

I don't really understand this. It's a sandwich - can't they just make more? How over-processed and pre-fabricated is it? I know that Shamrock Shakes are a nightmare of artificial ingredients that come pre-mixed and is then fed into the dispensers. I wouldn't have though the same for a sandwich though.

 

[NotUrsula]

I don't really understand this. It's a sandwich - can't they just make more? How over-processed and pre-fabricated is it? I know that Shamrock Shakes are a nightmare of artificial ingredients that come pre-mixed and is then fed into the dispensers. I wouldn't have though the same for a sandwich though.

It's probably an issue of the ancillary ingredients; the buns, breading, pickles and sauce. If the suppliers' entire production were spoken for, the only option is look for more suppliers, which takes time with large contract situations.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I don't really understand this. It's a sandwich - can't they just make more? How over-processed and pre-fabricated is it? I know that Shamrock Shakes are a nightmare of artificial ingredients that come pre-mixed and is then fed into the dispensers. I wouldn't have though the same for a sandwich though.

the stores ran out of chicken, and their suppliers ran out of chicken, I find this 100% feasbile and believable. I'd actually be concerned if they DIDN'T run out of chicken, because to me it would mean that its prefabricated and not fresh. yuck

 

[bcla]

I don't really understand this. It's a sandwich - can't they just make more? How over-processed and pre-fabricated is it? I know that Shamrock Shakes are a nightmare of artificial ingredients that come pre-mixed and is then fed into the dispensers. I wouldn't have though the same for a sandwich though.

The ingredients are basically what you would find in almost any major brand ice cream. The only artificial ingredient is food color.

 

[bcla]

It's probably an issue of the ancillary ingredients; the buns, breading, pickles and sauce. If the suppliers' entire production were spoken for, the only option is look for more suppliers, which takes time with large contract situations.

I doubt the chicken is really the big issue unless they're having problems getting enough properly prepared meat. However, I could imagine that they've never really dealt with bread before, and they're using a very specific type of bread that's part of their recipe.

 

[smmco]

The reality is that I will never eat at Chik-fil-a because of their politics. So I'm all for alternatives.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Love Chic Fil A Sandwich with Kobe cheese.
Favorite fast food ever.

 

[luvsJack]

Popeyes mostly sells bone-in chicken except for their strips which come cut into strips. So fresh, boneless chicken breasts cut to use for these sandwiches and probably pre-brined, is something that they probably ran out of easily.

They have dealt with bread because they have Po-boys but not with this specific bun possible their supplier ran out of these particular buns. Pickles they would have because they come on the po-boy.

 

[LSUmiss]

Popeyes mostly sells bone-in chicken except for their strips which come cut into strips. So fresh, boneless chicken breasts cut to use for these sandwiches and probably pre-brined, is something that they probably ran out of easily.

They have dealt with bread because they have Po-boys but not with this specific bun possible their supplier ran out of these particular buns. Pickles they would have because they come on the po-boy.

Now y’all got me wanting Popeyes for dinner!!

 

[luvsJack]

Now y’all got me wanting Popeyes for dinner!!

Me too!! Thinking I will go by on the way home!

 

[mrodgers]

Am I the only person on the DIS who has never eaten at Popeye’s or CFA? We have them here. I just haven’t tried them.

Me, but I don't have either anywhere around me. Where I see CFA a lot is out on bicycle rides in Pittsburgh and everyone insists we eat at Steak n Shake when CFA is right next to it. I have no idea where a Popeyes is.

 

[Libbysmom2000]

Honestly, how good could it possibly be? I don't get standing in line for it. Then again, i don't get the love for Chik Fil A either.