Launched on April 1, the menu features pickle-flavored versions of the chains most beloved items, from a chicken sandwich coated in a pickle glaze to a tart, pickle-flavored lemonade.
The limited-time offer menu gives the company a chance to try new things. For a while now, pickles have been popular.
CEO of Popeyes, Bart LaCount, told Business Insider in a video interview, “We just think going all in on these flavors and having a lot of fun with it will help us connect with that younger audience.”
LaCount said if the menu is popular enough, it could become a permanent addition. Theres no specific end date for the menu, but it’s typical for limited-time offers to be available for weeks at a time.
“Its something weve seen from a culinary standpoint thats been trending for a bit now,” LaCount said of the pickle trend.
I tried the entire pickle menu for myself to see whether its worth a permanent spot on Popeyes menu.
Popeyes has been making waves in the fast food industry with their new lineup of chicken sandwiches. These innovative sandwiches are putting a fresh twist on a classic menu item and customers can’t seem to get enough. In this article, we’ll take a look at Popeyes’ latest chicken sandwich creations and why they are so popular.
A Brief History of the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich
Back in 2019, Popeyes first introduced their now-legendary chicken sandwich. It featured a crispy, buttermilk fried chicken breast fillet topped with barrel cured pickles and creamy mayo on a toasted brioche bun. This simple yet delicious combination caused a frenzy among chicken sandwich fans and led to shortages across Popeyes locations as demand far exceeded supply of the viral sandwich.
The astounding popularity of this initial chicken sandwich offering made it clear that Popeyes had struck gold with their recipe. Since then, they have continued to build on that success by releasing new riffs on their famous chicken sandwich.
The Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich
In May 2024 Popeyes launched their Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich. This new offering takes the same perfectly fried chicken breast filet and places it on a brioche bun slathered with Popeyes’ sweet and tangy new Golden BBQ Sauce.
The sauce provides a rich, smoky flavor complemented by the crunch of the chicken and tang of barrel cured pickles. Customers also have the option to add applewood smoked bacon or Havarti cheese to amp up the sandwich. Released alongside a promotional campaign aimed at reinvigorating boring office lunch hours, this zesty sandwich certainly livened up menus everywhere.
The Tequila Don Julio Chicken Sandwich
Popeyes wanted to make an even bigger splash, so in January 2025 they announced a limited-time partnership with tequila brand Don Julio for the Tequila Don Julio Chicken Sandwich. The chicken breast was marinated in Don Julio Reposado tequila to give it extra flavor before it was fried. Then a tequila lime slaw and spicy spread were put on top of it on a Mexican concha bread bun. This created a blast of sweet, spicy, and citrusy flavors between the two buns.
This unique mix of Popeyes’ Southern fried chicken and Mexican flavors was a reflection of the city where the sandwich was first made, New Orleans, which has a lot of different kinds of food. You could get it at some Popeyes restaurants in cities like New York, Miami, and Kansas City on January 31 for just one day. Fans waited in line for hours to be one of the few people who could try this special collaboration.
Why Popeyes’ New Chicken Sandwiches Are So Popular
Several factors contribute to the hype surrounding Popeyes’ chicken sandwich innovations:
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Nostalgia – By starting with their already popular classic chicken sandwich as a base, Popeyes taps into diners’ fond memories of their first viral sandwich experience back in 2019. The core components – juicy fried chicken, crunchy pickles, brioche bun – stay the same, while new flavors update the nostalgia factor.
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To keep the menu feeling new and interesting, fast food is mixed with alcohol in the tequila chicken sandwich and new sauce flavors are added in Golden BBQ. People can’t wait to try these unique flavor combinations that they can’t get anywhere else.
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Customization: Toppings like bacon and Havarti cheese can be added to any sandwich to make it more unique. Customers enjoy customizing their sandwich to their exact preferences.
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FOMO – Limited time offerings like the Don Julio sandwich create fear of missing out and a sense of urgency that drives customers to line up for their chance to taste these exclusive items. This amplifies hype and satisfaction when you score the limited edition sandwich.
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Flavor – Most importantly, Popeyes nails the flavors. Their fried chicken is consistently crispy and juicy. And new sauces and toppings enhance, rather than mask, the signature Popeyes chicken taste people crave.
The Future of Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches
If the past few years are any indication, Popeyes has no plans of slowing down innovating their immensely popular chicken sandwich lineup. We can’t predict exactly what crave-worthy flavors and combinations they might dream up next. But one thing is for certain – whatever wild new chicken sandwich concept Popeyes debuts next will have fans racing to get their hands on it before supplies run out.
Popeyes struck gold with their first viral chicken sandwich sensation back in 2019. Now they have found the formula to continue driving excitement and conversation by introducing inventive new riffs on the classic sandwich. As long as they keep delivering the delicious, one-of-a-kind flavors they have become known for, Popeyes’ chicken sandwiches will remain the hottest trend in fast food for the foreseeable future.
The sandwich had a briny, slightly spicy flavor to it.
You could really taste the dill pickle, and the slightly spicy glaze (it was more of an oil than a sauce) went well with the moist, crispy chicken breast. It was also less spicy because of the bun, and the thickly cut pickles made it taste even better and gave it a nice crunch.
This sandwich improved on both the original and spicy Popeyes chicken sandwich. Id definitely order it again.
I paired the pickles with the chain’s buttermilk ranch dipping sauce.
Id never had fried pickles at a fast-food chain before, so I was eager to see if I preferred these over other Popeyes sides like the Cajun fries or mac and cheese.
How Chick Fila Workers was when they heard about the New Popeyes Sandwich
FAQ
What is the famous Popeyes chicken sandwich?
A juicy chicken breast fillet marinated in Popeyes seasonings, hand battered and breaded in our buttermilk system, fried until golden brown. Sandwiched between two buttery toasted brioche buns, topped with our barrel cured pickle slices and classic mayo.
What is a Popeyes pickle glaze chicken sandwich?
Our buttermilk-battered, white meat chicken breast is smothered in a tangy and sweet dill pickle flavored glaze, combined with a rich and flavorful blend of authentic Louisiana herbs and spices, and topped with barrel-cured pickles on a toasted brioche bun.
Is the Ghost Pepper sandwich good?
But despite the fact that the Popeyes Ghost Pepper Chicken Sandwich isn’t spicy in the slightest, it is insanely delicious, which is the only thing that really matters. The chicken itself is as good as it gets, putting even my local bar and grill to shame.
What is the blackened chicken sandwich at Popeyes?
The Popeyes Blackened Chicken Sandwich features a breading-free, antibiotic-free chicken breast marinated in Cajun spices for 12 hours, served on a toasted brioche bun with pickles and either classic or spicy mayo.