03-04-2025
We tried Popeyes' new pickle menu and it's the real dill
Popeyes has a new pickle-themed menu, and no, it's not an April Fools' joke.
The big picture: The fried chicken chain added pickle-flavored wings, pickle-glazed sandwiches, fried pickles and pickle lemonade to its locations this week.
The items are only available through May 5, Popeyes told Axios.
Popeyes pickle menu taste test
Carlie and a friend dined at a Popeyes in Metairie, and Kelly and friends got delivery in South Florida. We're both pickle people.
We spent about $25 to get one of everything on the pickle menu.
Pickle lemonade: This was the most controversial item. Kelly liked it, and Carlie didn't. It tasted like lemonade with several shots of pickle juice.
You can get it chilled or frozen aka daiquiri style. We both tried it chilled. The Louisiana location was out of frozen when Carlie visited.
Carlie's in a pickle fan Facebook group (yes, she's a freak), and they seem most interested in the frozen version.
Wings and chicken sandwich: Both of these are the regular Popeyes option with a spicy pickle sauce. Solid alternatives to the classics, in our opinion.
If you're not into spicy food, beware this has a kick. Kelly, a bit of spice wimp, needed sips of the sweet pickle lemonade to handle the heat.
Fried pickles: These are pickles fried in Popeyes batter and they absolutely taste like Popeyes. Just like the fried pickles at Sonic have Sonic's slightly sweet batter.
The Popeyes staffers encouraged us to dip them in ranch.
Kelly liked them but wished they were crispier, while Carlie wanted more pickle and less Popeyes batter.
Overall, we liked the food and thought it was a fun meal. If you enjoy Popeyes and pickles, this is going to be a big dill (har har) for you.
Pickles trending nationally
Pickles are having a moment right now, and two other brands shared April Fools' Day pickle product launches with Axios.
Dutch Bros Coffee, which has 1,000-plus locations nationwide, released the "Pickleback Rebel" this week, which it describes as "a dill-iciously bold new energy drink for pickle lovers and curious customers alike."
Wonderful Pistachios announced the official rollout of its new Dill Pickle-flavored No Shells.
Zoom in: Manufacturers also are making limited edition pickle-flavored items. Candy-wrapped pickles are trending.
Popeyes' Louisiana roots
Zoom out: Al Copeland started Popeyes in Arabi, a suburb of New Orleans.
He was a colorful character known for his flamboyant lifestyle, philanthropy, massive Christmas light display and spat with vampire novelist Anne Rice.
Restaurant Brands International, which also operates Burger King and Firehouse Subs, bought Popeyes in 2017 for $1.8 billion. The chain has more than 3,500 locations around the world.
