• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
RetailPOPEYES

Popeyes Sets an Official Return Date for Its Virally Popular Chicken Sandwich

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 28, 2019, 10:24 AM ET
Popeyes-chicken-sandwich-return-date
Popeyes

The madness starts all over again at Popeye’s on Nov. 3.

That’s the official return date for the chain’s staggeringly popular chicken sandwich, the company announced today in a brief press release that simply read: “I’m back.”

The release, falling on a Sunday, is another salvo aimed at Chick-fil-A, which is closed nationally on Sundays. Popeyes has been open about its ambitions to unseat the Atlanta-based chain in the chicken sandwich wars from the beginning.

The return of the chicken sandwich (now dubbed The Sandwich, capital letters Popeyes’) was widely expected in early November. One owner of 150 Popeyes locations told Bloomberg he planned to hire an additional 400 people to handle demand.

Presumably, the chain is better equipped to handle demand this time around. When it introduced its chicken sandwich in August, Popeyes created such a frenzy that it sold out of its entire two-month inventory in just two weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJxLX9suK6I&feature=youtu.be

The chicken sandwich was a gamble that paid off for Popeye’s. It was the first time in its 50-year history the company had offered a sandwich. Demand was so strong that, after the sandwich supply was gone, the company took the unusual approach of encouraging people to bring their own buns to the stores to create the sandwiches themselves, using chicken tenders.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—These 50 companies have the strongest long-term growth potential this year
—Spotify saved the music industry. Now what?
—Trump’s tariffs were supposed to ding China, but the U.S. economy is getting hit 2.5x harder
—U.S. CTO: How America achieved ‘quantum supremacy’
—Mexico’s most enticing getaway: San Miguel de Allende
Subscribe to Fortune’s Eye on A.I. newsletter, where artificial intelligence meets industry.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Aerie built a $2 billion brand by rejecting Victoria’s Secret’s old playbook. Now it wants to win the AI backlash.
C-SuiteRetail
Aerie built a $2 billion brand by rejecting Victoria’s Secret’s old playbook. Now it wants to win the AI backlash.
By Phil WahbaApril 30, 2026
9 hours ago
Starbucks is winning customers back after investing $500 million in workers and stores
Workplace CultureFortune 500
Starbucks is winning customers back after investing $500 million in workers and stores
By Phil WahbaApril 29, 2026
24 hours ago
starbucks
Retailearnings
‘A little touch of luxury, it goes a long way’: Starbucks CEO sees the turn in the turnaround as human touch sings
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
1 day ago
greer
CommentaryTariffs
No, tariffs are not strengthening the economy
By Alex DuranteApril 29, 2026
1 day ago
mormon
RetailMcDonald's
‘Our fans have an obsession with beverages’: McDonald’s jumps on ‘dirty soda’ trend from TikTok and ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’
By Dee-Ann Durbin, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressApril 28, 2026
2 days ago
Exclusive: Michael Boes talks being named the first-ever chief MAHA officer. ‘Nothing’s been off the table’
C-SuiteHealth
Exclusive: Michael Boes talks being named the first-ever chief MAHA officer. ‘Nothing’s been off the table’
By Catherina GioinoApril 24, 2026
6 days ago

Most Popular

Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
3 days ago
Jamie Dimon gets candid about national debt: ‘There will be a bond crisis, and then we’ll have to deal with it’
Economy
Jamie Dimon gets candid about national debt: ‘There will be a bond crisis, and then we’ll have to deal with it’
By Eleanor PringleApril 29, 2026
1 day ago
‘They left me no choice’: Powell isn’t going anywhere—blocking Trump from another Fed appointee
Banking
‘They left me no choice’: Powell isn’t going anywhere—blocking Trump from another Fed appointee
By Eva RoytburgApril 29, 2026
21 hours ago
‘The cost of compute is far beyond the costs of the employees’: Nvidia executive says right now AI is more expensive than paying human workers
AI
‘The cost of compute is far beyond the costs of the employees’: Nvidia executive says right now AI is more expensive than paying human workers
By Sasha RogelbergApril 28, 2026
2 days ago
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
Big Tech
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
By Alexei OreskovicApril 29, 2026
14 hours ago
‘Take the money and run’: Johns Hopkins economist Steve Hanke on why the UAE quit OPEC
Energy
‘Take the money and run’: Johns Hopkins economist Steve Hanke on why the UAE quit OPEC
By Shawn TullyApril 29, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.