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Popeyes’ Chicken Sarnie Caused Crazy Queues In The US & It’s Coming To S’pore

Someone was even stabbed for cutting the queue for the viral sandwich in the US.

Someone was even stabbed for cutting the queue for the viral sandwich in the US.

Someone was even stabbed for cutting the queue for the viral sandwich in the US.

If you’re a foodie, you’ve probably heard that Popeye’s chicken sandwich caused a massive stir in the United States when it was launched last August. In fact, the carby offering by the Louisiana fried chicken fast food chain started a cheeky “chicken sandwich war” on Twitter among other fast food brands like Chick-fil-A in the US, which also sell similar sarnies. Each of them claimed they served the best version. But folks went crazy for Popeye’s new dish, waiting hours in line for the coveted sandwich. It was so popular it sold out across the States and didn’t return till two months later in November. And when it finally came back — it resulted in an altercation, stabbing and death of a customer who allegedly cut the queue for the prized sarnie in a Popeyes Maryland outlet, according to USA Today. The sandwich is now a permanent menu item in America.

Things were less dramatic when the famous sandwich launched in China this May, but the queue did stretch to a soul-sapping four hours long. Come 16 September, Popeye’s Singapore will be bringing this viral creation to town, albeit for a limited period only (it might make a comeback if demand is good). 8days.sg had a preview taste test.

1 of 6 Even celebs can’t resist it

American tennis star Serena Williams is a fan. According to delish mag, Serena’s husband Alexis Ohanian gifted Popeyes’ sandwich to Selena on their wedding anniversary last year and she uploaded a video of her eating it with this caption: “Have I known life before this day?” Clearly she was moved by its deliciousness.

Meanwhile, American rapper Cardi B also weighed in on the sarnie via an IG live video: “The Popeyes sandwich was good. It was good, I just thought it was going to have, like a special sauce, but it didn’t. It’s just the bread and the chicken and it just goes well with each other.”

Photo: Serena Williams/Instagram

2 of 6 What’s in the viral sandwich?

Battered chicken fillet smothered in a spicy Cajun mayo sauce, tucked in a brioche bun together with some pickles. We’re told it took the Popeyes team three years to refine the recipe.

3 of 6 Chicken Sandwich, $5.50 a la carte; $7.90 with cajun fries & drink

Popeyes Singapore sent us a couple of the sarnies ahead of its SG debut. We were pleased to learn that the chicken breast used in the American original has been wisely swapped out for superior thigh meat instead in the local version. For reasons unbeknownst to us, most people in the West don't like dark meat. First look: promising. The buns are big (roughly the size of a large man’s fleshy palm), glossy, golden and wedged within its depths is an equally pudgy buttermilk-battered fillet.

4 of 6 Taste test

Surprisingly pillowy, plush brioche — it's somewhat reminiscent of those found in artisanal bakeries, minus the atas butter. And it remained fluffy even after being exposed for 10 minutes while we snapped photos. All the PR rep would say when we asked if the buns are sourced in Singapore or imported from America was: “It’s a secret”. What of the chook? Very tender, slightly fatty meat saturated with juices and salty-spicy flavours. We’d prefer the bird to be a little less soft (it was so soft we didn’t have to chew much, which means it might've been over-brined or over-tenderised), but we’d still much rather have this over stringy breast meat. The batter is moderately crispy (we had our sarnie delivered, it should be crispier eaten on-site at the restaurant), and smothered with a tasty but tongue-searing Cajun mayo sauce that had us gulping water between bites. Apparently, the sauce has been tweaked to be spicier for the SG rendition. We love that the sarnie is uncluttered with useless frills like iceberg lettuce — instead, it’s simply adorned with crisp, fat pickles that are freshly brined here, its tartness providing relief from all that fiery richness.

5 of 6 Verdict

Delicious. “Even better than my Gold Standard for fast food chicken sandwiches, McDonald’s McSpicy,” declared our besotted makan kaki who wolfed down his Popeyes sarnie within two minutes and eyed our half-eaten one lustfully. Impressive for a chain restaurant offering, especially that (sorta) bakery-style brioche bun. Good value too, given its hefty size. So we now understand some of the hype surrounding it — though we can’t say we’d queue more than 10 minutes for this. Nor do we recommend flying into an uncontrollable rage if someone cuts the queue for this famous sandwich. Still, it'll be interesting to see if it attracts equally long lines and impassioned behaviour once it hits Singapore.

6 of 6 The details

The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich is available from 16 Sep to 14 Oct at all 13 Popeyes outlets, while stocks last. Only a limited number of burgers will be prepared each day. Order via delivery here: www.Popeyesdeliver.com.sg .


Photos: Florence Fong & Popeyes

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