How To Order Hot And Fresh Fried Chicken From Popeyes

Popeyes chicken is one of the most popular fried chicken chains in the nation, with unique spice blends and comforting Creole and Cajun side dishes that represent its New Orleans roots. And while its chicken items consistently rank among our favorites, most of the time it isn't made to order. However, if you want hot, fresh fried chicken right out of the fryer, customers in the know say that you can ask for your chicken to be fried to order.

Customers and self-proclaimed employees on Reddit confirm that Popeyes' staff will fry chicken to order if you simply ask them to. For bone-in chicken and tenders, one Redditor recommends "ask[ing] for fresh just in a polite manner obviously and let them know I'm fine with waiting extra time for the order!" Customers and employees say that this will take between 12 and 15 minutes. When it comes to Popeyes' iconic chicken sandwiches, one customer says: "You can order them fresh if you want to, if it isn't too busy they'll usually make you a new one."

Even if you order with the app and are unable to make an in-person or phone request for fresh chicken, customers also argue that if your Popeye's location is always busy, the chicken will always be fresher. Peak hours with long lines and constant orders coming in means that fresh chicken will be consistently cycling through the fryer.

Customers on TikTok also claim that you're more likely to get the freshest chicken in the morning, when Popeyes first opens. According to customers, Popeyes gets chicken and ingredient deliveries in the morning, which means the ingredients themselves are fresh even before they're thrown in the fryer. Secondly, the first order of business for opening employees is to fry the first batch of the day. By mid to late afternoon, the chicken made in the morning has probably spent some time under the heat lamp.

Of course there are plenty of other ways to upgrade Popeyes' menu items after ordering the chicken fresh. For example, the crispy chicken sandwich will taste 10X better with a slathering of the chain's sweet and tangy coleslaw. No matter what chicken item you choose, Popeye's diverse selection of dipping sauces are free, easy upgrades to bring even more flavors to the mix. Our top ranked sauce is the Mardi Gras Mustard, a spicy blend of Creole mustard, sugar, and horseradish. If you want a creamier option, try Blackened Ranch, our second place pick. You can dress up the sides and the chicken with a combination of dipping sauces. To that effect, chicken is the star of the show, but sides complete the meal. Some of our favorite Popeye's sides include the Cajun fries, buttery biscuit and the homestyle mac and cheese.