About Popeyes

Fifty years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana, a taste sensation was born. What began with one small restaurant and one big idea turned into a craze that swept the nation—and the world. 3,000 stores worldwide later, it’s now time for our famous chicken to land in Romania.

1972

Alvin C. Copeland Sr., opens “Chicken on the Run” in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi, serving traditional Southern-fried chicken.

After several months of lackluster performance, he reopens the restaurant as “Popeyes” (after Popeye Doyle of "The French Connection"). This time he sells spicy, New Orleans-style chicken.

1976

Popeyes opens first franchise restaurant in Louisiana.

1980

Popeyes introduces its “Love That Chicken” from Popeyes tagline.

1983

Popeyes introduces buttermilk biscuits, which later became a significant menu item

1984

Popeyes goes global and expands to Toronto, Canada.

1985

Popeyes opens its 500th restaurant in Landover, Maryland, putting the brand on equal footing with national competitors.

Popeyes becomes the number-three quick-service chicken chain based on number of units.

1989

Popeyes introduces crawfish as a limited-time offer in the United States.

1991

Popeyes expands its international presence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

1992

America’s Favorite Chicken Company (also known as AFC Enterprises, Inc.) is formed and purchases both Popeyes and Church’s Chicken®.

1993

Popeyes enters a new era of growth as PLK begins updating the look of Popeyes restaurants.

1997

Popeyes celebrates 25 years of success.

1999

Popeyes surpasses one billion-dollar annual sales mark for the first time.

Popeyes receives MenuMasters Award for Louisiana Legends for its rice dishes.

2001

Popeyes becomes the number-two quick-service chicken chain based on number of units.

Popeyes celebrates new heritage-designed restaurants in Atlanta, GA.

2002

Popeyes celebrates its 30-year anniversary.

2008

Popeyes launches the BONAFIDE® brand positioning.

The Popeyes brand reinvents itself as Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen based on its long-standing roots in Louisiana-inspired home cooking. This includes a new logo, distinctive new products and a new advertising campaign touting “LOUISIANA Fast".

2009

Popeyes launches Butterfly Shrimp Tackle Box.

Popeyes introduces feisty spokesperson Annie on national television to tell it like it is.

Popeyes launches first Popeyes Payday.

2010

Popeyes opens 2,000th restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee.

Popeyes launches non-breaded chicken tenders called Louisiana Leaux™ with flash mob in French Quarter. This item is now known as “Blackened Tenders.

The Popeyes Foundation, Inc. announces partnership to benefit the ProStart® program to develop the next generation of food-zealot restaurateurs.

2012

Popeyes celebrates 40th anniversary and announces plans for system-wide remodeling of its restaurants.

2014

Popeyes becomes title sponsor of the Inaugural Bahamas Bowl.

2015

The Inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl gets nominated for Best Play at the 2015 ESPY Awards. Popeyes hosts its second annual Bahamas Bowl.

2019

Popeyes opens its first store in the

Spain.

2020