I tried the viral new Metrocentre chicken shop Popeyes and experienced poultry heaven

Popeyes is more than just a chicken shop. It’s more than just a fast food restaurant. It’s what I would describe as ‘chicken heaven’.

The brand is a huge phenomenon in the US, but it only arrived in the UK in November last year. Due to its popularity in cities such as Stratford and Romford, it has now landed in the North East, specifically in the Yellow Mall of the Metrocentre.

Popeyes is famous for their chicken sandwiches, but they have an extensive menu of other options too, such as wings, tenders, and sides. They also have dessert options, such as sundaes, but their stand-out performer is the Popeyes biscuit, which can be enjoyed either dipped in gravy, or honey, which may seem strange, but it is in fact very delicious either way. The menu has been created to suit everyone’s taste, with the inclusion of a vegan option too. I tried a little bit of everything on my visit, and I was genuinely taken aback by how amazing it all tasted, as I exclaimed out loud: “This is literally the best chicken I’ve ever had in my life!”

The chicken is made entirely by hand, using hand stretching techniques to create butterfly chicken.  After being breaded, it is then fried to perfection to create the Louisiana ‘shatter-crunch’ chicken coating.  Various spice options can be chosen, by choosing which mayonnaise will accompany the chicken, but there are also plenty of other dipping sauces to enjoy if you prefer it plain.

Drink choices to complement the meal include bottomless refills of various sodas and flavours. Keeping with their hand-made method, they also have a selection of creamy milkshakes such as Oreo and Lotus Biscoff, that are hand spun.

Popeyes is all about creating the most joyful experience and vibes within their restaurant. The restaurant itself is decorated in Popeyes orange and teal colours, with a large screen and neon signs. The restaurant can seat up to 100 people, but there is also a self-serve take-away option. Popeyes staff members are called ‘Joy Creators’, and that really does reflect the feeling you experience when in the restaurant.

Popeyes big North East opening date is this Saturday, August 20 at 11am. Popeyes are expecting huge queues and are encouraging customers to queue from 9am. But this is more than any old opening, as Popeyes are full of energy, vibes and joy, they want to reflect that in their opening. A live band will be performing on the opening day, children’s entertainment will also be there such as face painting, and there will be prizes given throughout the day to customers such as Popeyes merchandise.

Chief Operations Officer of Popeyes, Neil Wilkinson is originally from Newcastle, and was the main person pushing a North East opening of Popeyes. He is overjoyed to bring it to his hometown. It’s incredibly exciting to have Popeyes arrive in the North East, and it sure to be a huge hit with the Northerners.