Some of you were lucky enough to beat the rush and grab your sandwich on Friday. The official release of Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich was Sunday, but some local restaurants gave it to Acadiana early and yet the lines were still deep and long. Then you had folks like me who waited for the official release of the second coming of Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich on National Sandwich Day and the only day of the week Chick fil a was closed Sunday. Pretty sneaky or smart for the marketing department at Popeye’s.
So because I work in the broadcast industry and part of my responsibility is to find interesting stories to share with you, I decided to hit the road on a Sunday morning and make it to the Popeye’s on Pinhook, you know the one with the buffet. With this in mind, I decided to show up a little early before the doors opened thinking this is a great opportunity for me to talk to people and get to order my chicken sandwich before the mad rush.
Too bad, so sad now I’m mad! The line at the drive-through was already down to South College and the parking lot had many people sitting in their car, some with kids in the back seat eating donuts and people hanging in line at the door. You could have sworn Popeye’s was selling concert tickets. I asked a younger gentleman standing in line why he came so early to wait in line? He said his wife did not get to sample the first coming of the sandwich and did not want to be left out this time. The kids wanted donuts, mom wants the sandwich and dad is paying for it all. Sounds familiar guys?
Here’s the deal, you know the sandwich is going to be delicious and you know what you’re getting. A big chunk of chicken breast seasoned and fried to perfection on the warm bun, the pickle, and the spicy sauce (if you order the spicy sandwich). What you don’t know is how long the wait will be. Is it going to be a long wait and a mad rush or will things progress at a steady pace?
I can tell you on Sunday, the Popeye’s employees were all smiles and happy to serve the popular sandwich. They were excited for the general public to be able to enjoy the delicious poulette on a bun. The staff worked hard to keep up with the orders and it seemed all went well. I do remember the first time the sandwich came out, after a couple of days, people were getting aggravated because of the long lines and people acting rudely towards the workers. I understand it’s a delicious sandwich, but there is never a case where you as the customer has the authority to raise your voice toward any Popeyes employees or any service industry worker. If you do so, I will be the first to tell you this is not an acceptable move. If you worked in the service industry before, you know this is hard work, you’re dealing with the public, and you’re multi-tasking trying to make everybody happy. Give the workers a break and maybe a tip! They’re working as hard and as fast as they can. Give them a break! If the possibility of a long line and wait will send you into a rage, maybe it’s best from someone like you to wait until the rush slows down. That will make it a pleasant experience for all.
I hope you enjoy the chicken Sandwich, it is a hit as before. And I can testify, it tastes as delicious as you remember.