Popeyes — Review by Daym Drops
Farmington, United States — Fast Food, Fried Chicken and Seafood
The reviewer tested Popeyes' new cheese bites and five flavored shrimp options. While the cheese bites started strong at 4.8 out of 5, the saltiness increased with each bite, lowering the score to 3.7. The shrimp flavors, particularly buffalo and ghost pepper, delivered excellent taste and seasoning, making them worth ordering again.
What was great: Cheese bites are crispy, salty, and moist on the interior with good flavor. Buffalo shrimp are flavorful with a sweet heat that can be eaten repeatedly. Ghost pepper shrimp have excellent seasoning with intense spice and flavor.
What could improve: Cheese bites have weak cheese pull, become increasingly salty with low replay value and unpleasant aftertaste. Ghost pepper shrimp are extremely spicy and can cause throat irritation.
The Dishes
The reviewer sampled three new offerings from Popeyes: cheese bites and two varieties of the new shrimp flavors. The cheese bites arrived hot and large, comparable in size to chicken nuggets found at other fast food chains. Initially, they impressed with a crispy exterior and salty, savory taste. However, the cheese pull was disappointing, and as the reviewer continued eating, the saltiness became overwhelming, creating an unpleasant aftertaste that diminished the overall experience. The buffalo shrimp delivered a satisfying sweet heat with crispy coating and excellent powder seasoning that remained consistently flavorful throughout. The ghost pepper shrimp proved exceptionally spicy, hitting hard in the back of the throat with intense dry rub seasoning and powerful flavor. A guest tried the ghost pepper variety and found it well-balanced with the black ranch sauce topping, though she attributed her higher spice tolerance to her Jamaican and Indian heritage.
The Experience
The visit occurred at the Farmington, Connecticut location on what appeared to be a typical service day. However, the reviewer also documented a significant operational issue where the restaurant appeared to be closed during posted operating hours, with customers including a frustrated Uber or DoorDash driver unable to enter or get served. Staff were inside but seemingly unprepared to serve customers at the scheduled opening time.
Value and Pricing
The pricing was reasonable for fast food. The shrimp options were priced at $8.49 each for either the buffalo or ghost pepper varieties. The cheese bites cost $3.99, with two drinks totaling $7.98. The complete order came to $31.08 with tax. Notably, the reviewer received a parmesan shrimp flavor free of charge, which he appreciated and chose not to complain about the earlier overcharge.
Notable Moments
What the hell them fries hitting for? What them fries doing right there? Uh-uh. Them joints ain't ready for me.
I need a drink. Oh, that one crept up in the back of my throat and bust.
Whoever work over here at the Popeye's in Farmington, Connecticut, you were about to lose your job. You was supposed to be open 26 minutes ago.
The Verdict
Popeyes successfully launched flavorful shrimp options that deliver on taste and seasoning, with the buffalo variety being particularly recommendable for repeat orders. The cheese bites, while initially appealing, have limited replay value due to excessive saltiness. The restaurant should be commended for the new menu items but needs to address operational consistency and customer service issues at certain locations to maintain customer satisfaction.