Popeyes is already well-known for their tasty fried chicken. Their biscuits, however, with
their buttery crust and flaky texture, are also some of the best in the business. Here's
why Popeyes' biscuits are so delicious.
According to multiple biscuit recipes, a classic biscuit needs some buttermilk in it. That
said, it may not come as a surprise that Popeyes has publicized the fact that their biscuits
contain buttermilk.
"We're having fun right here. And keeping cool, too."
"Welcome to Buttermilk Falls."
On their website, they asserted that such a product was first marketed to the public
in 1983, going on to state that it later became a significant menu item. But how does buttermilk
impact a biscuit's flavor? Is one with this ingredient really that different from one
that contains regular old milk? According to a fast food biscuit review on My Recipes,
buttermilk legitimately changes the game. When discussing Popeyes' creation, My Recipes
exclaimed,
"Unlike many of its franchised brethren, the Popeye's biscuit uses buttermilk, which adds
a slightly different, saltier flavor than other standard butter (or 'butter') versions."
So, if you enjoy your biscuits on the more savory side, then you might agree that Popeyes'
baked goods are a scrumptious time.
There's no denying it that some food combinations are absolutely iconic.
"From that day on, we was always together. Jenny and me was like peas and carrots."
And one of these powerhouse marriages is a humble biscuit paired with some gravy. So,
keeping in mind that these two food groups are expected to work together, do Popeyes'
biscuits compliment their gravy, despite it not being the sausage gravy most people pair
with biscuits? Well, multiple people on social media and even some official sources have
certainly thought so. One person tweeted out,
"Nothing beats a Popeyes biscuit dipped in mashed potatoes and spicy gravy!"
Likewise, another Tweeter noted that the skin of a Popeyes biscuit crunches in the chain's
mashed potatoes and gravy, which they believed improves the overall fast food experience.
And when the website Deadspin wrote instructions on how exactly to enjoy a Popeyes' biscuit,
the writer declared that even after being soaked in gravy, the fast food chain's creation
remains, quote, "buttery, fluffy, crumbly, and perfect."
If you were to highlight all of the words that routinely pop up in an evaluation of
Popeyes' biscuits, one of the most common would be "buttery." On Twitter, a fan of Popeyes'
biscuits wrote, quote,
"Buttery keys to my heart."
Meanwhile, another fan tweeted,
"I need me some Popeyes buttery biscuits."
In 2020, Popeyes even got in on the action, tweeting out,
"RT this if you know the joy of a perfectly buttery, soft Popeyes biscuit."
Their request ended up getting over a hundred retweets. Moreover, it's not just the Twittersphere
that uses this word to describe the texture of Popeyes' biscuits. Business Insider called
them a, quote, "flaky, buttery triumph," while Branded Eating called the biscuits' crust
both "buttery" and "crisp." At this point, it's pretty safe to say that Popeyes knows
what they're doing when it comes to butter and flavor with these delectable baked offerings.
Here's a fun fact that you may not have already known: you can bake your own Popeyes biscuits
at home! That's right, Popeyes sells a Buttermilk Biscuit Mix on Amazon and in various brick-and-mortar
stores, including some Walmart locations. So, like many homemade foods, they are completely
customizable. So, for instance, if you want to make the biscuits bigger, then go right
ahead. Furthermore, some folks that purchased the mix on Amazon really dug it. One reviewer
wrote,
"We loved them... I added a little more milk and melted butter to the batter."
On the Popeyes website, the chain states that it was first established in 1972. This means
that their food has existed for decades and is most likely nostalgic to some of their
diners. As Scott Gold on Thrillist put it,
"When I was in grade school, we would have 'Popeyes Fridays,' and, friends, those were
some of the best days [...] A two-piece box with a biscuit and a toy was about the most
glorious thing I or any of my young compadres could imagine."
However, while this info's all hunky dory, how could a wave of nostalgia possibly help
make something like Popeyes' biscuits be even more delicious? Well, psychologist and neuroscientist
Hadley Bergstrom explained to The Huffington Post in a 2017 article that this sensation
can impact how a feed tastes. Bergstrom told the outlet,
"The idea of nostalgia is that the sauce [for example] is associated not only with yummy
pasta, but also with grandma and her home ― that's because food is so reinforcing.
All of this stimuli in the environment become associated with the reinforcing properties
of that yummy pasta sauce."
So, when Gold describes Popeyes' biscuits as being "magic" in his Thrillist article,
his memories might be impacting his reaction. Moreover, anyone who grew up with this product
could potentially be affected by their nostalgia goggles if they tasted them again.
As previously mentioned, biscuits and gravy are a culinary staple. But while this is the
case, they're not the only famous combo which star these classic baked goods. Another beloved
pairing is a biscuit that's covered in honey. As one Twitter user claimed,
"Y'all haven't lived until you've put honey on your biscuit."
Likewise, Popeyes' competitor Bojangles once tweeted, quote,
"Get honey. Put it on your biscuit. Eat it. Smile."
So, now that this fusion is at the front and center, how do Popeyes' biscuits stack up?
The answer to this question is very successfully, according to multiple diners. In 2016, The
Kansas State Collegian declared,
"Popeyes' biscuits are fluffy, salty and fantastic. Throw some butter and honey on there and you're
in gluten heaven."
Plus on a Popeyes' Facebook post, a plethora of accounts praised this enduring union. Thus,
if you have a passion for all things salty yet sweet, then maybe you'll enjoy a Popeyes'
biscuit with honey. After all, it's a celebrated dish that's apparently done right. And what
more could a person want from this classic fast food delight?
As stated in the Macmillan Dictionary, for food to melt in your mouth, it has to become
soft as soon as it hits your tongue, and also taste very good.
"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand."
So, when a writer throws out this compliment, they're usually giving a dish a stamp of approval.
And such a seal can certainly be observed in a 2012 Forbes article, which compares KFC's
biscuits to Popeyes' biscuits. In this piece, the author Carol Tice wrote,
"KFC's biscuit is a biscuit. Popeyes' biscuit is a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth little slice
of pure buttermilky heaven."
Additionally, Tice isn't the only one that's described Popeyes' biscuits in this manner.
In 2010, CBS News said,
"Popeyes biscuits melt in your mouth, while KFC's are merely edible."
Ah, pancakes. No matter how you stack 'em, they are truly a classic, and not just in
the US. According to the National Geographic, pancake-like dishes may have existed 30,000
years ago and were even consumed in ancient Greece. And Britannica outlined that Ireland
and some other countries have a celebration called Pancake Day or Pancake Tuesday, where
people cook up these famous discs in celebration.
“I want pancakes! Who wants some pancakes? Whipped butter. Maple syrup. What?"
Therefore, if you're a fan of this enduring breakfast dish, then you might like your Popeyes'
biscuits to be reminiscent of pancakes — Lily Grace Tabanera at Cosmopolitan certainly did.
In a review of Popeyes' Philippines menu, she discussed that the joint sold biscuits
which were coated in chocolate and declared that they were delicious. In her review, Tabanera
wrote,
"It's a pancake and biscuit combined! I'm a fan of desserts, but this one was more than
a dessert because it was perfect as a filling snack [...] It was just the right amount of
buttery, crumbly, and chewy."
Now, it's worth noting that the American branch of Popeyes doesn't currently sell these chocolate
biscuits.
"Wow! The world has been devastated by Popeye's Chicken. There is no USA to come back to."
However, that doesn't negate them from being potentially delicious from your viewpoint
or comparable to some pancakes. If you ever find yourself in the Philippines, it might
be worth finding out if you can try one of these sweet sides.
In 2011, a Twitter user reported that Popeyes' biscuits have their own unique scent, writing,
"Somebody sitting in front of me is eating a Popeyes biscuit. I know that smell too well...
I'm about to ask for a piece."
Additionally, a ton of other people on Twitter agreed that these baked goods smell delightful.
But what does the smell of a Popeyes' biscuit have to do with how it tastes? In an Eater
video, the creators explain how the scent of food influences a diner's experience. The
narrator states,
"Smell doesn't stop when something enters your mouth. You can also smell food while
it's inside your mouth. This is called retronasal olfaction."
The narrator then explains that when we eat food, how it smells travels up through our
retronasal passages and into our brains, and this action contributes to a dish's character.
Therefore, the smell of a Popeyes' biscuits might be influencing folks to describe this
product as "yummy" or "delicious." And there's also a possibility that they won't realize
that the scent of this side has impacted them, which further creates an enjoyable experience.
On Twitter, Popeyes hasn't shied away from the fact that they can serve up a fresh biscuit.
In 2011, they wrote that having one of these from their establishment is a great way to
"start your day." And in 2015, they tweeted out,
"Love = Fresh Biscuits."
On that note, numerous individuals have hyped up how good these biscuits are when they're
new. In an article on Panther Now, Gabby Arzola described Popeyes' biscuits as being "fresh"
before going onto say that they were her "favorite part of the meal." Likewise, on Twitter, one
user exclaimed,
"Wishing I had a Popeyes biscuit – fresh, hot and covered in honey."
Yet, while a lot of folks like a fresh biscuit from Popeyes, are they more delicious this
way? The answer to this question is probably yes. According to BAKERpedia, bread products
slowly start to go stale as soon as they're pulled out of an oven. Meanwhile, stalling
before eating bread products causes them to no longer possess their original characteristics.
Thus, the fact that Popeyes can freshly serve their biscuits means that their flavors can
be more pronounced.
If you're purchasing a Popeyes' biscuits, you're probably not thinking about the hours,
the work, and the drama that went into their creation. Nevertheless, if you're curious,
64 Parishes reported on this saga, and it's a doozy. This publication said that in 1983,
Popeyes' creator Al Copeland wasn't happy with the joint's original biscuit. During
that year, Copeland told Louisiana Public Broadcasting,
"I've always been disappointed by the roll. It's a standard roll. Half the people eat
it, half the people throw it away, but the industry dictates that you should have a bread
product."
This allegedly subpar item resulted in Copeland spending months and months trying to create
a new biscuit for his chain in collaboration with the company's tasting lab. However, some
of Copeland's co-workers wanted this product to be released sooner rather than later. Lamar
Berry, a man who crafted some of Popeyes' advertisements, revealed,
"Every month that went by, it was not perfect for him. It finally got to a point where several
of us, including [executive Vice President] Ron Lewis, who was basically president of
the company, had meetings with Al where we were begging him."
Fortunately, Copeland did end up settling on an updated biscuit recipe, and the rest
is history. And this story demonstrates how much effort went into getting these buttermilk
goods onto the market. If this never happened, then maybe fewer folks would reckon that they're
as delicious as they are.
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