Achi news desk-
Maybe that’s why the first person at the drive-thru at the new Popeyes on Bury New Road arrived 25 hours before the restaurant opened last Friday.
Or it could have something to do with them getting free chicken sandwiches for a year, but still, that’s a long time to wait. (He actually said he would give a lot of it to the homeless so a great reason to stand in line, kudos to him).
It was a Sunday afternoon when we decided to visit the two-day Salford branch, which brings a splash of orange and a taste of New Orleans on its way to Manchester city centre.
Unsurprisingly, there was already a line of traffic with drivers waiting patiently to use the drive-thru and hungry souls waiting at the door.
But I didn’t really have anywhere to be so we ended up going up to the parking lot, found a spot easily and joined the back of the line.
The sun was shining, music was playing on the speakers and the smell of fried chicken wafted through the air.
Having never been to Popeyes before, I was intrigued to find out what all the fuss was about.
A helpful guy greeted us at the door and said the easiest way to order was to find a table, of which there were several available, and use the QR code on the table to make the order with your phone.
We tried to do that but, for some reason, it didn’t go through so we ended up doing the order on the screen.
Then we just had to wait until the feast was brought to the table. And wait, we did. From joining the line in the car until the food landed on the table, an hour passed.
It felt like all the fast food restaurants had reopened after the lockdown and everyone was flocking to Maccies desperate for a Big Mac.
I chose a spicy deluxe chicken sandwich – fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles and spicy mayo on a brioche bun.
And it was very nice – freshly made, tasty, a nice big piece of what looked like decent quality chicken on a fresh bun with a decent kick.
The fries were Cajun seasoned (at extra charge) which was nicely invested in a pot of delicious sauce (also Cajun) that could have done with being a little fuller.
My two kids, ages 2 and 6, absolutely destroyed the 2 Tender Kids Meal, which came with two chunky pieces of chicken breast fillet, regular fries and a drink.
They didn’t even notice that there was no toy in the meal.
All drinks are self serve and refillable which is always a win. Eating all that junk is thirsty work.
For two adult meals with some extras and two children’s meals, the bill came to around £35.
So not the cheapest fast food, and not fast either. But with my fried chicken craving satisfied, I’m glad we visited and the hour flew by.
If you are planning a visit soon, be prepared to wait or leave it until the renewal wears off.
Popeyes UK Bury New Road is now open at 288-292 Bury New Road, Salford, M7 2YJ.
Have you been to Popeyes? Let us know what you think in the comments.
