Popeyes Is Launching Its First Chicken Sandwich Nationwide, So Get Hungry

Drum roll, please, because the fried chicken connoisseurs over at Popeyes are unveiling what might be their most highly anticipated menu item of late. If you've been waiting for the day the Louisiana-based chain would finally place their golden fried chicken in between two buns, you're in luck, because Popeyes' new Chicken Sandwich coming in August is the first time that the retailer has ever launched a chicken sammie nationwide. Before the new item becomes a part of Popeyes' permanent menu on Aug. 12, here's where you can get a taste of the inaugural bite.

If everyone raised their hand who assumed that Popeyes already had a fried chicken sandwich on its menu, I'm sure there would be quite a few of us who'd fall prey to this fallacy. While the fast casual retailer has tested out the concept before in a few test markets, per a Popeyes rep, this is the first time that Popeyes is actually bringing a chicken sandwich to restaurants nationwide as a permanent offering.

Dubbed Popeyes' "biggest product launch in 30 years" in the press materials, the hyped sandwich apparently includes "a delicious buttermilk battered and hand breaded white meat chicken filet, served on a buttery, toasted brioche bun with two barrel cured pickles and guests' choice of classic mayo or spicy Cajun spread." TBH, my mouth is watering just reading these words, because how amazing does that sound?

Starting on Monday, Aug. 12, you can head to any Popeyes location nationwide to sample this tasty new addition. However, if you can't wait until then (and I personally wouldn't blame you) and you happen to live in California, you can head to Sweet Dixie Kitchen on Thursday, Aug. 8 and on Friday, Aug. 9 to try it. While the Long Beach, California restaurant might seem like a surprising choice for the launch, the eatery actually goes way back with Popeyes. Back in 2017, the restaurant memorably started #POPEYESGATE after the owner Kim Sánchez was spotted walking through the doors of the restaurant with bags of Popeyes' chicken, which the eatery then served to its customers.

Two years later, however, it appears that all is forgiven as Bruno Cardinali, Head of Marketing for North America said that Popeyes feels "honored that the team at Sweet Dixie Kitchen likes our chicken so much," and the restaurant has now been chosen to be the first to launch Popeyes' highly-anticipated new product.

Bruno Cardinali, Head of Marketing for North America for the Popeyes brand, said per a press release:

We feel honored that the team at Sweet Dixie Kitchen likes our chicken so much. To acknowledge their admiration, we are granting them special access to pre-launch our new Chicken Sandwich for a few days before we launch it nationally. If you want to try it, be sure to pay them a visit on Aug. 8 and 9. We promise our new sandwich is worth the visit.

So, if you happen to live in Long Beach, California and want to get ahead of the crowd, you can head to Sweet Dixie Kitchen on 401 East 3rd Street to check out Popeyes' latest offering on Aug. 8 or Aug. 9 (or both, if it's that good) and report back to the rest of us before the chicken sandwich hits storefronts nationwide in the coming days.