Kiwis wait for hours to try NZ's first Popeyes chicken restaurant
Kiwi fried chicken lovers stood in line for hours – including some overnight – as they waited with anticipation for New Zealand's first Popeyes to open its doors this morning. 1News digital reporter River Lin joined the throng to check it out.
A line of people snaked around the building as the American fried chicken joint opened to the fanfare of a brass band in the Auckland suburb of Takanini at 10am.
Popeyes, founded in Louisiana in 1972, has more than 4300 restaurants in nearly 40 markets worldwide.
The multimillion-dollar Takanini fitout is the first store in New Zealand.
One of the first 50 people in line was a woman with a baby in a stroller who'd been waiting for "about three hours".
Customers eating at Popeyes (Source: 1News)
"It's worth it. It's gonna be the finger lickin' good, mm-hmm," she told 1News.
The woman said she hadn't had Popeyes before and was "excited to try it".
"Been waiting out here three hours so it better be worth it.
"I'm gonna try the burger but we might go big and extravagant today. Go big, go home."
Popeyes MF - New Zealand general manager James McLauchlan said they were "so stoked with the turnout".
"New Zealand’s been asking for Popeyes and they’ve turned out, camped overnight, lines are down around the corner. The team is doing an amazing job. We’re so stoked to see so many Kiwis excited," he said.
McLauchlan said the chicken is marinated in a special blend of Cajun spices and seasonings before being hand-breaded, giving it its "juicy, crispy, shatter crunch".
As for what to expect in the future, McLauchlan said they're "gonna paint the country orange".
People queuing outside Popeyes on opening day (Source: 1News)
“We’re gonna open all over the country as soon as we can. We’re really excited to bring this product to the rest of New Zealand. You’ll see a lot of openings coming soon."
A second store is planned for Taupō in July.
The verdict
Popeyes was famously served at Beyoncé' and Jay-Z's wedding, but was it worth the hype?
A group of diners were ecstatic as they tucked into their meal of spicy chicken sandwiches and a bucket of chicken.
"It is amazing. It is so good," a man eating through a bucket of chicken told 1News.
"It’s very good, honestly. I don’t even know what I ordered – I’m just happy I got it."
"It’s so juicy," a woman added.
The group had been waiting outside the store since 7.15am.
"Quite a while but worth the wait – definitely worth the wait."
It was safe to say Kiwis overwhelmingly "Love That Chicken", so it was time for a very scientific taste test.
As a self-confessed "not a burger person", I was pleasantly surprised by the classic chicken sandwich with its soft bun and generous amount of fried chicken, which was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. The pickles were also a welcome addition, cutting through the grease while remaining light and refreshing. The Cajun fries and gravy were also winners.
A customer collecting their meal at Popeyes (Source: 1News)
The spicy fried chicken was tasty with a crispy coating, but I personally could have done with some extra heat. The mild again had a good coating but was let down by its somewhat dry texture.
The mac n cheese, however, was standard fare which left a lot to be desired flavour-wise. One TVNZ staffer compared it to "aeroplane food", while others said it could have been jazzed up with some bacon, pepper, or hot sauce.
The standout in the TVNZ newsroom was the fried chicken, with taste testers highlighting the coating of the chicken and its subtle spicy kick.
Another 1News digital reporter described the mild chicken as a more elevated version of Country Fried Chicken.
So would I go back to try the rest of the menu? Probably not, but it was worth it for the experience.
