Popeyes: Cooking Up a Comeback with Modern Equipment

Seems hard to believe that the Popeyes fried chicken sandwich craze was over six years ago now. By using similar seasonings and flavors from the brand’s chicken and biscuits, Popeyes’ created a frenzy: the brand went viral, and the sandwiches sold out across the country. It generated over $760 million in U.S. sales and improved same-store sales by almost 16%.

But did the chicken sandwich reach its ceiling too soon? We wonder how much more revenue the item could’ve driven if they had more ready to sell, or even if customers didn’t have to wait in lines wrapped around buildings for a taste. Popeyes’ parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), is making investments to find out.

In early 2025, RBI announced an “Easy to Run” initiative for Popeyes locations across the U.S., focused on equipment investments for the front and back of house. The equipment changes should reduce wait times, improve order accuracy, and enhance employee experiences with customers and on the line.

RBI started a similar initiative for Burger King in fall 2022. “Reclaim the Flame” is a $400 million project dedicated to an overhaul of marketing messaging and kiosk-focused store designs. It’s already paying off: remodeled stores are seeing sales uplifted by about 15% within the first six months of completed construction. 

Could “Easy to Run” be even more successful than “Reclaim the Flame?” We think the potential’s there.

Auto Batter-Makers

Part of what sets Popeyes chicken apart is its freshness. The chicken arrives at each store raw, and is prepared for customers on site. However, this presents a challenge: employee time is spent seasoning and preparing batter by hand. It’s not only a big use of labor hours, but it also introduces potential inconsistency not only across locations, but also within each store.

Popeyes is introducing auto batter-makers to eliminate those problems. The machines mix batter to improve consistency, reduce waste, and refocus employee time elsewhere. The chicken will still be battered by hand, but the batter makers will still ensure every renovated location can prepare more chicken in less time.

Hot Holding Units

Over-production creates a strong opportunity for massive food waste. But RBI anticipated—and prevented—this for Popeyes by including improved hot holding units as part of “Easy to Run.” Duke Manufacturing, one of Popeyes’ equipment partners, launched an Extensive Holding Unit that keeps food fresh for up to 60 minutes. 

Duke’s entire line of hot holding stations for Popeyes is designed with efficiency in mind. Machines for sides, sandwiches, and larger proteins fit together seamlessly with the Extensive Holding Unit for easy staff access. Employees have to take fewer steps to put orders together, reducing wait times and improving accuracy for customers.

A Modern Model

Thirty different changes are anticipated in Popeyes kitchens across the country. As franchise owners modernize the back of house, they’ll be modernizing the front of house, too: ordering kiosks and order-ready boards are also part of the Easy to Run initiative.

It’s a massive undertaking, but with partnerships with Duke’s Manufacturing and other equipment vendors, Popeyes locations will be primed to meet their 2030 renovation completion date and be better prepared for their next viral moment.