Why Popeyes Needs To Raise Its Sandwich Price, ASAP

Conversations and quotes in this article have been transcribed from the Foodbeast Katchup podcast: “#102: Camel Meat and Popeyes, We’re All Hypocrites,” out now on Spotify, the Apple Podcasts App, and all major platforms where podcasts are heard.

There is not a single fast food menu item that has been hotter than Popeyes’ chicken sandwich this year. From McDonald’s, to Chick-Fil-A and even Taco Bell, none of the world’s top fast food restaurants have created the type of buzz that Popeyes has.

With this much buzz around their crunchy, juicy sandwich, they have the attention of the world, and with that attention, could really turn the industry on its head. Again.

At least that’s the argument made by Uproxx Life editor Steve Bramucci, who made a radical suggestion that almost makes too much sense.

“First of all, if they said, ‘We’re making so much on these chicken sandwiches, we’re actually going to bump the price up $1. If you don’t want it fine, but we’re willing to bet you’ll pay an extra $1. Here’s exactly where our dollar’s going to go… 50 cents of that dollar is going to… the rate we pay our employees. The other 50 cents of that dollar is going to go to better sourcing for our farmers.’ Those two things for a $5 sandwich, I am in that line with all those maniacs.”

Raise the price of the coveted chicken sandwich by $1, in order to give the employees a better wage, and to be more transparent about their chicken sourcing.

Popeyes has a gold mine in its hands, and a pretty affordable one at that. Bramucci believed that Popeyes is selling so much volume of that sandwich, that it would not be crazy to invest in those two keys.

Now would Popeyes actually do something like that? It isn’t something that has been done in the past, but if they were the first, it would change the industry.