Popeyes’ chicken sandwich scored a hit. Can its latest sandwich start a new craze?
Business reporter John Sowell began eating at the Fairview Avenue Popeyes in Boise soon after it opened in the early 1980s. He was one of the first Boiseans to try the company’s crispy chicken sandwich when it debuted in August 2019, and for the past two years has bought Popeyes’ frozen Cajun-spiced turkey for Thanksgiving. Here, he offers his take on the new fish sandwich.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen created a nationwide frenzy with the 2019 release of its crispy chicken sandwich.
Does the fast-food chain have another craze in its future?
Days before Lent begins on Wednesday, Feb. 17, when millions of Christians avoid meat on Fridays, Popeyes introduced a crispy flounder sandwich.
It comes with the same brioche bun as the chicken sandwich. The crispy flounder filet is dusted with Cajun seasoning and served with tartar sauce and pickles.
My partner, Kristy, and I had planned to go camping at Hagerman for Valentine’s Day weekend but were dissuaded by the snow. As a consolation prize, we decided to try Popeyes’ fish sandwich.
I first discovered Popeyes soon after the Fairview Avenue location opened in the early 1980s. Their spicy chicken beat rings around the competition. Chicken from KFC and other competitors never interested me after that.
When Popeyes introduced its chicken sandwich, I had to drive to Nampa several times to score one. It took several weeks before the Boise and Meridian restaurants offered it. I still prefer Popeyes’ bone-in chicken, but their spicy chicken sandwich with its signature crunch is the best fast-food sandwich out there.
For the $4.49 flounder sandwich, my expectations weren’t that high. They’re just not something that fast-food restaurants excel at. The Filet-O-Fish at McDonald’s is OK if the fish square has just come out of the fryer. But let it sit in a warming bin and it becomes nasty. Even a lot of sit-down restaurants have a hard time producing a decent fish sandwich.
I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t have the same crunch as the chicken sandwich, but it was still adequate. The fish was tasty and although I would have preferred a stronger Cajun spice, it wasn’t bad.
I’ve never understood Southerners’ obsession with pickles on sandwiches. I don’t like them on the chicken sandwich and they weren’t any better on the fish. But they’re easy to remove and feed to our dogs. They seemed to enjoy them just fine.
I can’t imagine that the flounder sandwich will ever rival Popeyes’ chicken sandwich. I just don’t think there’s the same audience for it. But it’s still a decent addition to the Popeyes menu.
Now if they would only bring back the Cajun rice side dish. Without warning, Popeyes removed its version of Cajun dirty rice a few weeks ago. Since the beginning, it was their best side.
“We apologize that our Cajun Rice and Green Beans are no longer on the permanent menu,” Popeyes replied to customers who complained on Twitter. “However, we still have a bunch of delicious sides.”
No one cared about the green beans and the gravy served with mashed potatoes was the only other side worth eating. But nowhere as good as Cajun rice.
And the addition of the flounder sandwich didn’t appease those upset with the disappearance of Cajun rice.
“I bet Cajun Rice would go good with it!,” Ken Staggs of Gonzales, Texas, tweeted. “Oh..That’s right, Y’all removed it from the menu. Bad Move @PopeyesChicken.”
Majilio Jello HImiya of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was in no mood for a fish sandwich.
“Who cares @PopeyesChicken,” she tweeted. “Bring cajun rice back!!!”
I would gladly trade the fish sandwich to bring back Cajun rice. And judging by the anger expressed by Popeyes’ customers, a lot of others would, too.
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 12:47 PM.
