# What's "Popeyes" (the fast food joint) like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931 "2014-08-30T01:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/21 "2014-08-30T02:55:22Z")
Eating at Popeyes [didn’t go so well for the Boston Red Sox a couple years back](http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2011/10/18/popeyes-owner-customers-talk-sox-and-chickengate/fuUV1cm3pw1DeHNTJkc5WM/story.html). ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/22 "2014-08-30T03:06:44Z")
They used to sell crawfish, do they still? I haven’t even there in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/23 "2014-08-30T03:16:05Z")
> [@chancetx](#): > > It’s good for what it is but it’s still just fast food fried chicken. Very well said. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/24 "2014-08-30T05:02:15Z")
We don’t have it here, but when I was in Chicago I had it regularly. I am faithful to KFC original recipe but Popeye’s is an excellent alternative. The chicken is crunchier and the biscuits yum. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/25 "2014-08-30T05:14:23Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > They used to sell crawfish, do they still? I haven’t even there in a while. In my area it is an irregular special, but not year round. > [@chancetx](#): > > It’s good for what it is but it’s still just fast food fried chicken. Yeah, but even some of the southern [celebrity chefs](http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2014/4/18/hugh-acheson-eats-at-popeyes-isnt-ashamed) and [foodies](http://gardenandgun.com/article/john-t-edges-top-ten-dishes-2013/page/0/4) love the stuff :). Comfort food for them I expect. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/26 "2014-08-30T05:17:45Z")
Popeye’s is the only place I’ve ever had red beans & rice (I’m a white guy from southern California, sue me), and I can’t say I was that impressed with theirs - it’s too bland for my tastes. Their fries and mashed potatoes are good, but the coleslaw has pickles in it which is just weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/27 "2014-08-30T05:21:24Z")
Best fast food fried chicken you can get (and better than some non-fast food places as well!). Get the Spicy. The biscuits are also ridiculously good. They have some fun interesting sides to go with it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/28 "2014-08-30T05:25:55Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > And I have to respectfully disagree, Oak. The dirty rice is the best. > > Timbuk 3 even did a song about it: [Dirty Dirty Rice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxKv2qx6IOA). Well, then, we could grab lunch at Popeye’s sometime, and if there’s only one serving of red beans left, I won’t hafta fight you for it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/29 "2014-08-30T07:20:00Z")
I’ve never had the spicy but the chicken is decent. My favorite is the gravy for the mashed potatoes but they never give you enough because I also like to dip the chicken and biscuits in it so I learned to ask for extra gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/30 "2014-08-30T09:45:13Z")
They used to have a location at Leicesters Square in London ages ago. Main findings from me and my friends were that it was all a bit dry and nobody knew what to do with the stale bread rolls (biscuits). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/31 "2014-08-30T10:02:27Z")
**Leaffan** , there are a handful of Popeyes locations in the GTA. Danforth east and Bloor west in Toronto. I’ve even seen one in Bolton. If you like fried chicken, and who doesn’t, try Popeyes/. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/32 "2014-08-30T12:26:31Z")
Church’s Chicken is better. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/33 "2014-08-30T12:55:14Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Church’s Chicken is better. No it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/34 "2014-08-30T13:15:20Z")
KFC is shit. Their coating is soggy and nasty. Their pieces tend to be bigger than other chains, so I guess there’s that. Popeye’s is awesome. Spicy, crunchy coating (if you don’t get the spicy you’re missing out), the flavor goes through the meat underneath, and it has that thin layer of fat under the skin that liquefies when you bite into it. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/35 "2014-08-30T13:33:40Z")
I love Popeyes and yes, the chicken is way better than KFC. The dirty rice is not authentic if you care…it uses ground beef instead of chicken livers…but it’s still pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/36 "2014-08-30T13:38:42Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > In my area it is an irregular special, but not year round. > > Yeah, but even some of the southern [celebrity chefs](http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2014/4/18/hugh-acheson-eats-at-popeyes-isnt-ashamed) and [foodies](http://gardenandgun.com/article/john-t-edges-top-ten-dishes-2013/page/0/4) love the stuff :). Comfort food for them I expect. Hugh Acheson is Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/37 "2014-08-30T13:42:33Z")
**What’s “Popeyes” (the fast food joint) like?** Spinach with everything. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/38 "2014-08-30T13:45:17Z")
They recently built one a mile from my house. When they opened they had to have police to direct traffic. There is a KFC maybe 1/2 a mile further away and they are empty while Popeye’s is always busy. Their spicy is wonderful. I also on a whim tried a special they had this summer which was black pepper butterfly shrimp which was way better than I expected. (that didn’t sound right… it was excellent). There is a big orange box in my fridge right now with some left over tenders and some biscuits my boys brought home the other day. I chopped one up and put it on a salad for lunch yesterday. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/39 "2014-08-30T13:56:57Z")
To me, Popeye’s is probably better fried chicken but KFC has a unique flavor that you crave (probably salt and MSG :))while Popeye’s does not. Neither one was as good as Roy Roger’s fried chicken which was always my favorite. ETA: Not a fan of Popeye’s spicy or KFC’s extra crispy. Original recipe for both please. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931/40 "2014-08-30T13:57:33Z")
As others have said, Popeyes is much better than KFC, but that’s not saying much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-popeyes-the-fast-food-joint-like/696931.md?page=3)