7 Facts About Popeyes Only A Real Fried Chicken Fan Would Know

You don't need to be a diehard fan to be familiar with Popeyes chicken sandwiches. Their debut in August of 2019 did, after all, cause a craze that led them to sell out in just two weeks. Nor does it take a staunch supporter to know the chain is inspired by New Orleans cuisine, as Popeyes is proud to identify with the fact that its very first location was built in Louisiana. But there are quite a few things hiding behind all that Sweet Heat Sauce and Mardi Gras Mustard that most people would not be nearly as familiar with about the fast food joint unless they are real fanatics.

From seemingly small details about Popeyes' core identity to crazy menu items it once offered, there's more to the company than you likely realize, and a whole lot of it will probably make you want to learn more about the establishment's lore. Either that, or maybe you'll just be left craving some of its Signature Hot Wings or buttermilk biscuits.

Chances are, when you think of Popeyes, your mind quickly conjures up an image of a cartoon, complete with bulging muscles, tough talk, and that trusty can of spinach that provides him with boosts of energy. This character has, after all, been around since 1929, so it'd make sense that customers often assume he's who the popular fried chicken chain is titled after. But while you'd be correct in guessing Popeyes is named after a fictional person, it's not the pipe-smoking Sailor Man so many households grew up on.

Popeyes got its moniker from a character played by Gene Hackman in the 1971 film "The French Connection." Hackman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, an undercover cop with a fiery demeanor. His performance clearly amassed a fan base not just in film industry professionals and critics, but in Popeyes founder Alvin C. Copeland Sr., who took enough of a liking to Popeye to name his restaurant after him. This eventual decision came after Copeland had originally opened up the establishment under the failed name of "Chicken on the Run."

There are countless old-school food jingles you've probably forgotten about, but it's unlikely that Popeyes is among that list. We need hardly remind you that the slogan, created in 1980, is short and sweet — a quick "Love that chicken from Popeyes!" added onto the end of each of the fast food chain's commercials.

It's simple and catchy enough for fans to memorize, but it's inarguable that another reason the tune gets so easily stuck in people's heads is that it was sung by the late, legendary Dr. John, who puts some undeniable soul into the approximately four-second slogan. Dr. John was a New Orleans artist best known for songs like "Right Place Wrong Time," "Iko Iko," and "Such a Night." And if those hits aren't familiar to you, perhaps you know him better for having voiced the "Curious George" theme song or "Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog." He even won a total of six Grammy Awards (out of 16 nominations), with recognition for best contemporary blues album and best rock instrumental performance being among them. So, it's no surprise Dr. John was even inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

As iconic as the jingle "Love that chicken from Popeyes!" is, so is one of the fast food chain's mascots: Annie. Anyone who has watched or even clicked past a Popeyes commercial within the last two decades has likely caught glimpses of the character. She's been around since 2009, whether it's behind the cash register or outside a Popeyes building, showing up on people's screens in a red shirt and white apron to advertise the restaurant's best deals. Annie doesn't say much outside of what menu items are being offered for whatever low price the establishment has going on at the time, but her bright smile and Southern charm make her easy to love and remember nonetheless.

While we might not know much about who Annie is aside from her love for Popeyes, what we do know is that the character is portrayed by actress Deidrie Henry, whose resume is studded with numerous other accomplishments in TV shows, film, and theatre. Among those include roles in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Criminal Minds." Her time as Annie seemingly ended in 2018, which is the last time she's been seen in a commercial. The funny thing is, though: Henry doesn't eat Popeyes even a fraction of the amount her character, Annie, did. When asked in an interview with The Daily Advertiser whether she eats Popeyes or not, she answered, "Not that much. I will eat Popeyes, but I'm also health conscious ... so I don't eat a lot of fast food." Regardless of the reason for Henry's absence from the chain, her warmth as a person and defining role in Popeyes' identity make it so that Annie will never make it onto a list of forgotten fast food mascots.

It's clear that Popeyes is a top contender for dine-in and takeout, with its chicken being said to retain the perfect temperature, crispiness, and juiciness even through the time needed for transportation and delivery. So, in an age where carryout and services like DoorDash are thriving, we're willing to bet most of you reading this didn't know that Popeyes used to have buffets, too.

That's right: An all-you-can-eat version of one of America's favorite fast food chains could once be found at only a handful of places, including in Panama City Beach, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama. The last standing location was in Lafayette, Louisiana, which unfortunately shuttered its doors in 2021. This was the final destination for customers to be able to experience all that a Popeyes buffet had to offer. There, you could find a bar of popular favorites like chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, red beans, rice, green beans, and mac and cheese. But now that Popeyes is among the list of chain buffets you'll never see again, you'll just have to order these menu items individually at a cash register.

The Popeyes Foundation was founded in 2018, and since then, it has started and joined several impactful initiatives. One of its earliest efforts was the Family Fund, now known as the Team Member Love Program. Just as it sounds, Team Member Love works to provide financial aid to Popeyes employees who have been victims of "short-term, catastrophic hardships related to emergencies or natural disasters," such as the passing of a family member or a very serious medical crisis. This program has helped over 760 team members so far.

Serving with Love, an initiative that launched in 2023, is Popeyes' current focus. It continues the support given to team members while also providing food to low-income individuals and families, as well as those with limited access to resources. This is all done through Popeyes' Food Love Grants Program, which is responsible for giving money (usually earned through in-restaurant fundraisers) to nonprofit organizations that will supply communities with food. That includes food banks, mobile kitchens, delivery meal programs, and more. Just under $1 million was given to these organizations in 2025.

By number of sales, Popeyes is the second most popular fast food chicken chain as of 2024, according to QSR Magazine. Contributing to that revenue is a handful of celebrities who have made their love for the eatery known, from Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner to Megan Thee Stallion. And let's not forget Anthony Bourdain's praise for the chain, either. But a public figure who is perhaps most often tied to Popeyes is none other than Beyoncé.

Sure, Queen B has been tied to a bunch of fast food joints, like In-N-Out and Frenchy's Chicken, but does she have a free lifetime supply at any of those places? Nope (or not that the public knows of, at least). She does at Popeyes, though. In an interview with Oprah back in 2003, Beyoncé openly declared her love for Popeyes. She revealed that, at the time, it was a common occurrence for her fans to gift her with food from the establishment — so much so that Popeyes itself eventually gave her a lifetime membership that allows her to order as much as she'd like, whenever she'd like. She told Oprah that she's been too embarrassed to ever use it, but we'd like to think that it's come in handy at least once or twice in the decades that have passed since the interview.

Popeyes sure knows how to celebrate. Though the multinational chain has around 4,000 locations as of 2025, it chose to commemorate the opening of its 3,000th restaurant in an extra special way in October of 2018.

That year, a very select few locations across the nation were granted a new addition to the menu for just one day. Certain Popeyes spots, including one in Elizabeth, New Jersey (where the lucky 3,000th restaurant was built), New York, New Orleans, and California, saw the release of 24 Karat Champagne Wings. Exactly as it sounds (and then some), this order consisted of champagne-battered, boneless chicken wings coated in flakes of real, edible gold. Along with them came a biscuit and a side, totaling just $5. It all sold out unsurprisingly fast, though many customers still got the chance to try them out and share a review. The general consensus seemed to be that while the gold obviously did a lot to boost the chicken's appearance, it did nothing for the flavor.