Preston gets a branch of Popeye’s but, now the excitement and queuing has died down, does the Louisiana chicken deserve the hype?
This week two companions and I visited Popeyes, the U.S. fried chicken chain, which opened its first Lancashire branch on Fishergate in Preston city centre earlier this month.
It opened with great fanfare on 5th September, with some chicken fanatics apparently queuing for over 16 hours to secure their place at the front of the queue in order to snag opening day freebies, and be the first to taste the “Louisiana style” chicken from this particular branch. Considering that they could have literally flown to Louisiana in just nine and a half hours, this must be some very, very special chicken.
Read more: Review: The Preston eatery that had us at ‘fresh pasta, fresh bread and local produce’
The interior is designed in orange and Louisiana-themed branding, with the layout, bins, bright lights, easy-clean seating, self-service kiosks and designated points for online order collections letting customers know straight away that they’re in a fast food restaurant.
I ordered our meals at the self service machines at the front of the restaurant, and managed to find a way around the previously idiot proof design to unintentionally order five portions of mac and cheese for myself, which was fortunately spotted and corrected by my friend before I paid for it.
Info online says that all of the chicken served at Popeye’s is halal and marinated for 12 hours before cooking. Similarly to KFC, one of the chain’s most famous rivals, menu items available in Preston include full box meals as well as “saver” options.
Two of the more interesting items on offer at Popeyes that set it apart from KFC are macaroni cheese and “biscuits.”
Even before I’d first tried the food that’s referred to as biscuits in the USA, they’d been something intriguing that I’d occasionally come across in American literature set in the Deep South, along with grits and chitterlings.
As much as I wanted to love them, I discovered that grits and chitterlings were not for me. Biscuits, on the other hand, were a revelation. For anyone who hasn’t tried them, they’re a little like English scones but lighter, slightly flaky with a tang of buttermilk. They’re filling, comforting, and are absolutely delicious with fried chicken and gravy.
I was ridiculously excited when I saw an option for a “biscuit and Cajun gravy” on the menu for £2.59. However, what arrived was thin and rock hard, and there was no way it was going to absorb any gravy before closing time. It was less soul food and more insole food.
I left it, because a bad biscuit is worse than no biscuit at all. The lukewarm, salty gravy that came with it was alright, but not spectacular. The rest of the food was fine, but nothing really set it apart from other fried chicken shops. The mac and cheese at £3.50, also not very hot, was just about cheesy enough, but could have done with more sauce. The seasoning on the chicken was tasty but three of the five chicken tenders for £7.49 were dry. The other two were juicy, but all were quite greasy.
A Spicy savin’ wrap and fries combo for £2.99 was great value and, although the pale wrap looked a tad unappetising, the chicken and sauce inside was tasty and had a real kick of chilli. The generous portion of seasoned fries that came with it could have been excellent had they been hot and crispy, but unfortunately they too were only lukewarm, slightly undercooked and had started to wilt.
The friends who accompanied me have been to other branches of Popeyes and told me that the food they’d had at those was good so hopefully, as the Preston branch has only very recently opened, the inconsistent cooking and temperature of the food could just be teething troubles.
A positive point was the excellent jazz and blues music that was playing in the restaurant, which was a pleasure to listen to and contributed greatly to the Louisiana vibe.The decor and blazing spotlights were very much of the “fast food” type, and didn’t invite any lingering. Neither did the loud, repetitive announcement that the restaurant was about to close, followed by the request that customers finish their meals. That was going on for a while before they stopped accepting orders, which was a bit naughty.
Popeye’s is a decent enough fast food restaurant as long as customers don’t expect too much from it. Anyone hoping for truly authentic food from the American South is going to be disappointed, but for a quick bite of fried chicken that doesn’t break the bank, it’s fine. It’s also only a few minutes walk from the new Animate Cinema and Leisure complex, so perfect for anyone rushing to watch a film or go bowling.
However, if you’ve got a bit of time and want some home-made, fresh, phenomenal fried chicken, fries and gravy that can show you exactly why it’s called “soul food,” head to All Hopes No Promises on St Wilfred’s Street.
Read more: All of Karen’s reviews and consider becoming a supporter of Blog Preston with a monthly, annual or one-off contribution to help ensure we can keep you updated on the city’s food scene.
Subscribe: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox.
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
