Popeyes

Name: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (also known as Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits)

Type of Food: Fried Chicken & Biscuits

Interesting Fact: “Popeyes,” is named after the character Popeye Doyle in the movie “The French Connection”, not the cartoon sailor character of the same name.

History: The Popeyes story began in New Orleans back in 1972, when Al Copeland opened a quick-service restaurant called “Chicken on the Run,” in a small New Orleans suburb of Arabi. But business was slow, and Copeland realized that he’d have to sell a spicier alternative to his standard chicken recipe if he wanted to impress flavor-seeking New Orleanians. Copeland had already been experimenting with the flavorful Cajun recipes he’d been enjoying all his life and soon reopened his restaurant as “Popeyes.”

Copeland began franchising his restaurant in 1976, beginning in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and added approximately five hundred outlets over the next ten years. B.P. Newman of Laredo, Texas, acquired various franchises in Texas and surrounding states. In 1989 Popeyes merged with AFC Enterprises’ Church’s Chicken. AFC Enterprises retained Popeyes but sold competing brand, Church’s Chicken, to Arcapita in 2004. In 2008 AFC Enterprises, Inc. announced the revamping of the brand to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to bring to mind the marinating and slow cooking of Cajun cuisine.

As of December 27, 2009, the Company operated and franchised 1,943 Popeyes restaurants in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and 27 foreign countries.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Website: www.popeyes.com

Official Popeyes Social Media: Facebook - Twitter

View the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen menu: here

Find your local Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen here

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Specials: -Newsletter – Gift Card – Coupons

Zaxby’s

Name: Zaxby’s

Type of Food: Chicken, chicken fingers, buffalo wings, salads.

Interesting Fact: At Zaxby’s, they love the letter Z. On their menu, for example, appetizers and salads become Zappetizers and Zalads at Zaxby’s.

History: Zaxby’s founders Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley looked around their community and saw plenty of fast food or sit-down dining options, but felt something was missing. They decided to provide the most delicious chicken fingers and Buffalo wings in town. That hatched a simple idea to create a fun atmosphere where food quality is of the utmost importance. In March 1990, they opened the first Zaxby’s in Statesboro, Georgia. Its menu is built around buffalo wings and chicken fingers, including them on platters, in sandwiches, and on salads (called Zalads on their menu).

McLeroy and Townley opened four more restaurants, and in 1994, they began to franchise the brand. The food and service was so popular, the Athens, Ga.-based chain has boomed to more than 470 units in 11 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and is still expanding.

Zaxbys Website: www.zaxbys.com

Official Zaxbys Social Media: Facebook - Twitter

View the Zaxbys menu: here

Find your local Zaxby’s: here

Zaxbys Specials: -Newsletter – Gift Card – Coupons