The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

by Mike Lunsford, Editor-in-Chief of the Great Geek Refuge
assisted by Jax Lunsford, Cub Reporter

It’s quarantine! A time when some of us (myself and my son included) are getting a bit stir crazy and need to get out of the house or risk our sanity. The boy and I decided to venture out around Fredericksburg and just take a drive. On our adventure, we passed a Popeyes and a deep fried, cajun spiced lightbulb popped up over my head: I still haven’t tried the Popeyes chicken sandwich. We decided to fix that.

Now, this particular sandwich has caused fist fights, threats of gun violence, angry and irritable customers who were not able to get one and more stories that add to the mythos of this sandwich. As we drove by the Popeyes and saw that there was no one in the drive thru, we figured now’s the time to try this sandwich of legend and mystery.

looks tasty, right?

You get to hear from me all the time, and I’m a firm believer in sharing the wealth. Since this particular food adventure was a shared experience with me and the young Lunsford, I will let you read his thoughts on this sandwich.

It’s crunchy, it’s crispy…it’s not as good as the Guy Fieri Chicken Sandwich from Planet Hollywood but it’s worth the hype. I don’t know about gun threats though…it’s not THAT good. I still like Chick-Fil-A’s sandwich more. So Planet Hollywood is #1, Chick-Fil-A #2, and Popeyes #3

There you have it folks. The boy knows what he likes in a chicken sandwich. For reference, the kid is a fiend for toppings and special sauces and this is what the one from Planet Hollywood that Guy Fieri made looks like.

Out of bounds

My take? Eh. It was good enough. It was super crispy, the chicken was juicy, the sauce on it was okay but overall…it’s not as flavorful as a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. On top of that, we ordered the spicy version from Popeyes and it was NOT spicy in the least bit. The spicy sandwich from Chick-Fil-A has some heat, enough for you to notice that it is, in fact spicy. Popeyes? Not so much. But it’s good. It’s a lot of sandwich, too. The boy and I split it so you’re not getting short-changed. Was it worth the hype, violence and overall hyperbole that spewed from people’s mouths? NOPE. But what sandwich is?

A Double Double Animal Style might be worth the hype you say? Well played. I’ll allow it.

Ultimately, just like I did, people will compare Popeyes sandwich to Chick-Fil-A. It’s inevitable. I mean, Popeyes called them out on Twitter. That being said, price-wise it cost about the same for a combo from Popeyes or Chick-Fil-A . I liked Chick-Fil-A’s sandwich more, but there are plenty of reasons why people would want to avoid eating there. You can get a pretty darn good imitation at Popeyes AND they have those awesome seasoned fries. I’m calling it a draw. Our lady who served us at Popeyes was a delight. She had on a mask and gloves but you could still tell she was smiling when she served us. Can’t ask for a better experience.