A 'Renegade' Popeyes Is Giving Reddit Serious FOMO
For the most part, fast food franchises are uniform. If you ate at McDonald's in your hometown, then drove all the way across the country to go to some random McDonald's, chances are high that you'll see the exact same menu at both locations. It's simply part of the brand's identity. McDonald's is known for its burgers instead of say, tacos. Likewise, you'll never see an average Burger King that sells sushi or a Wendy's that sells pizza. But that doesn't mean there aren't certain "renegade" locations selling things you would have never expected to see on the menu.
According to Business Insider, there are 12 Chick-fil-A locations around the Atlanta, Georgia area that serve hamburgers, steaks, and even chicken waffles as part of a callback to the chain's original incarnation as the "Dwarf House." According to Visit Florida, the "World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's" in Orlando, Florida includes a menu consisting not only of classic McDonald's products but also pizza, pasta, and even a Belgian Waffle maker. Perhaps it's the "exclusiveness" of these menus, the fact that you can't find such items at any other location, that adds that distinct charm and character to these places and makes them all the more tempting to visit.
One Popeyes restaurant, in particular, seemed to follow this idea, according to Reddit. While the Louisiana Kitchen-styled restaurant may be known for its chicken, one South Carolina reportedly sold burgers.
Did Popeyes really sell burgers?
According to Reddit user u/Mole_People, a Popeyes in the New Ellenton, South Carolina area used to sell cheeseburgers in the 2000s. The user remembered grabbing a cheeseburger alongside a slice of Mardi Gras cheesecake. The user claims they've been unable to find evidence of other stores selling burgers. Some Reddit users wondered if the South Carolina location went renegade. "Could've been a renegade franchisee doing something on their own and crossing fingers that it doesn't get back to corporate," wrote one user. Another commented, "I've never heard of this, but anything is possible. I would have kept a clean wrapper or something because it's unusual."
Just how true are this user's claims? While there was a Popeyes location in New Ellenton, it has long since been closed (via Yelp), and no mention of another Popeyes selling burgers exists. Even though the original Popeyes menu consisted of not just fried chicken but also chicken tacos, corn dogs, and clams, it lacked anything resembling a hamburger. Oddly enough, the famous comic strip character Popeye the Sailor Man was once part of Popeye's brand (via Marketplace). The character Wimpy from the comic is well-known for his love of burgers (via Boomer Magazine), so perhaps this was some sort of odd callback to one of the chain's former mascots.
Whether or not Popeyes will introduce cheeseburgers to its main menu of chicken and seafood is yet to be seen.