Popeyes: If You Want a Chicken Sandwich, Bring Your Own Damn Buns

Popeye's If You Want a Chicken Sandwich, Bring Your Own Damn Buns

popeyes chicken sandwich
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Somehow, one of the biggest stories in August was a fried chicken sandwich. Popeyes unveiled its new sandwich to rave reviews and then told everyone its sold out. Whether they ran out or you count yourself among the skeptics who think its disappearance is a marketing stunt (their CEO told CNN that demand outpaced their projections), Popeyes is determined to milk every bit of attention it can out of the tumult. 

On September 12, the chain announced a BYOB campaign attached to the instantly-loved item. No, it's not an invitation to bring your favorite fall beer into the restaurant. And no, it's not back, yet. Popeyes is suggesting anyone craving a chicken sandwich bring their own bun to the store.

Chicken is always on the menu at the fried chicken chain, so they want you to order some tenders and stick 'em on your brought-from-home bun. Though, you'll obviously be missing sauce and pickles that makes the sandwich what it is.

popeyes chicken sandwich byob
Courtesy of Popeyes

Yes, it's a joke. But this feels like the kind of stunt that is going to encounter backlash from people have gotten strangely passionate about the sandwich. Hell, one person is suing the chain for the distress caused by his inability to stuff one in his craw. Though, maybe the potential for outrage is the point. As the saying goes, all tweets are good tweets. And here we are, talking about it, again.

Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.

Dustin Nelson is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. His favorite chicken sandwich of the moment is at Tiny Diner in Minneapolis. They're not sold out. Follow him @dlukenelson.