Basket Review No. 36: Popeyes (again)

I think second chances are appropriate in some cases.

Even though I’m writing this redemption review on Popeyes, I’m not sure if second chances apply to the chicken strip game. The thing with Popeyes is, I know it’s extremely good and the first time around when I got bad fries I was partially to blame.

I went at like 2:30 p.m. the first time. There’s a good chance no fast food place will have fresh fries at 2:30 in the afternoon since the lunch hour rush has come and gone.

This time I went at 1 and the results were different.

Popeyes chicken strips are quite good. The breading is the perfect thickness and crispiness, and it’s a good-quality strip I’d be happy with at any sit-down restaurant.

The fries weren’t quite as crunchy as I prefer, but they had nice seasoning and were certainly fresher than the first time around. The ranch was generic ranch you’ll find anywhere, so whatever.

I haven’t had many fast food biscuits, but I can say with confidence that Popeyes has some of, if not the best. There’s just a slight crunch on the outside and they’re warm and soft on the inside. I’m making myself hungry. I can’t and won’t give bonus points for it though.

Here’s where the controversy comes in.

Not to sound like a broken record as I’ve mentioned this previously, but I was younger and dumber nine months ago when I started doing these things. There are some inflated scores.

This is the best fast food chicken strip basket I’ve had and the only one that deserves to be in the 8s. The first time around, the fries held it back to a 6.9 (nice). It’s an 8.2.

Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s were an 8.1 and Dairy Queen, the OG, was an 8.3. A score is a score, but if I could redo those three they’d each be a low-7. Good, quality baskets without a doubt, but not worthy of an 8.

Popeyes. 8.2.