Whether Popeyes is one of your favorite fast-food joints or you haven't popped 'round in quite
awhile, there are a few things you really ought to know about this popular chain.
"Not your bland, mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy chicken… but chicken that says, 'Yo, let
me take your mouth for a ride!'"
Without further ado, let's follow the smell of that delicious fried chicken and see what
we can see.
When Vox talked to some Popeyes employees during The Great Chicken Sandwich Outage of
2019, they found employees weren't just exhausted, they were dealing with some downright abusive
customers.
One manager spent so much time on her feet, her legs went numb.
That's because she'd been working 12-hour days after one of her co-workers abruptly
decided to quit under the pressure.
While serving insanely long lines of hungry people, employees weren't allowed to take
breaks or sit down.
And when the sandwiches started to run out, customers went crazy.
Nevertheless, when the chicken sandwich finally made its grand return in November 2019, things
got even more insane:
"Gonna go to some breaking news.
A man pulls a knife and stabs someone to death at a Popeyes in Maryland tonight."
"Fist fights.
Car crashes.
Even a murder.
Yeah this is going to sound pretty ridiculous, but all of that is over a chicken sandwich."
As you're no doubt aware, fried chicken should be considered a tasty treat rather than a
regular menu staple.
It's definitely not the healthiest option out there… and Popeyes chicken is particularly
bad for you.
It doesn't take a genius to know that...
"So how do you explain Popeye's $3.99 Chicken and a Biscuit?"
"You're not a student."
Let's start with the chicken sandwich.
This new, insanely popular offering is packed with 690 calories, 42 grams of fat, and 1,443
milligrams of sodium.
Now compare that to Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich, which is just 440 calories, 19 grams
of fat, and 1,350 milligrams of sodium.
Speaking to Heathline, nutritionists were quick to point out that neither sandwich is
particularly good for you … but Chick-fil-A's is by far the healthier choice.
As for Popeyes chicken sandwich, would you like some fries with that?
Please note that a large order of Cajun fries is packed with 770 calories, 41 grams of fat,
and 1,700 milligrams of sodium.
Just something to keep in mind as you're stepping up to the counter.
Watching your waistline?
If so, Popeyes' biscuits can be downright dangerous… because who on Earth can eat
just one?
Unfortunately, all that goodness comes with 260 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 450 mg
of sodium… and that's per biscuit!
To put that in perspective, you only have to eat three biscuits to hit the American
Heart Association's guidelines for how much sodium you should ideally consume in a single
day.
"No, the secret here is the sides."
Is it though?
As far as the sides are concerned, there's nothing particularly healthy on the menu.
Even if you decide on something seemingly innocuous — like the large red beans and
rice — you're talking about 690 calories and 1,740 mg of sodium.
Jeez Louise!
If you're busily writing up your Popeyes "must-have" list, Cajun Sparkle should definitely be right
up on top and highlighted in red.
This sensational stuff really elevates fried chicken — and it's the secret ingredient
that kept chefs like Anthony Bourdain coming back for more.
In 1972, Popeyes founder Al Copeland traded his donut stand for a fried chicken stand,
and at first, business wasn't so hot.
But when he switched up the spice, that's when things really started cooking.
In fact, Cajun Sparkle was so important to Copeland, it wasn't part of the deal when
he ultimately sold the chain.
Instead, he charged Popeyes a licensing fee to continue using the seasoning — and he
did it for over 20 years, up until 2014.
That's when the powers that be paid a shocking $43 million just for the rights to the special
spice blend.
And here's the brilliant thing — you can even ask for extra packets of Cajun Sparkle,
so there's absolutely nothing keeping you from stashing away a few to take home.
Will it make your own fried chicken as good as Popeyes?
Probably not... but it'll make your popcorn taste absolutely stellar.
Popeyes employees have warned customers to steer clear of a few items.
In one Reddit thread, an employee revealed that spicy chicken doesn't sell nearly as
fast as the regular chicken… which means the spicy chicken winds up sitting around
longer than the 30-minute time limit.
And the exact same thing apparently happens with the fish… because it's just not popular
enough to sell out quickly.
Of course, this is Reddit we're talking about, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
So, here's another burning question: when's the best time to go to Popeyes to ensure you
get the chicken at its absolute freshest?
According to one Redditor, customers should come around 10 a.m., right when the restaurant
opens.
If that's not in the cards for you, here's another strong choice: The employee says to
come right when the chicken has the highest turnover… either around 2 p.m. or 5 p.m.
Good to know!
"Puh-pow."
"Puh-pow!"
"PUH-POW!"
"Paul, please."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite foods are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.