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Op-Ed: Popeyes Needs to Discontinue Their Chicken Sandwich
On August 12, 2019, Popeyes introduced their new chicken sandwich. Something that normally would have been a blip on the radar became a huge thing. Lines went out the door, cars went out into the street, chicken breasts ran out, arguments ensued, and fights broke out. It was mayhem. Back in August, I waited in the drive-thru for almost an hour to get the sandwich, and while it was tasty, it was not that tasty.
After its release, The Popeyes chicken sandwich sold an estimated 1,000 units per day per store. People literally lost their minds over the sandwich. In September, a Houston man pulled a gun after finding out the restaurant had sold out of the sandwiches. A Brooklyn woman fought an employee after paying for the last sandwich only to have the employee give it to another customer. There were other acts of violence and frustration at Popeyes restaurants around the country. I was happy when the news was announced at the end of August that the sandwich had run out and only remaining sandwiches would be sold.
After the first run with the chicken sandwich, I suspected something psychological was at play. It seemed like some type of FOMO where people did not want to miss out on the chicken sandwich. If “everyone” was talking about it, you didn’t want to be the one person who hadn’t tasted it. If it was causing that type…
