Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Popeyes - Is it the Nuggets?

By 
Ethan Chernofsky
August 25, 2021
Popeyes - Is it the Nuggets?
SHARE
Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
Key Takeaways

If the chicken wars of summer 2019 taught us anything, it’s that a healthy chicken sandwich obsession is warranted. The rise experienced by Popeyes was so significant that it catapulted the chain into visit levels that reset the standard for the brand. 

So, using the launch of Popeyes’s new chicken nugget offering as an excuse, we dove back into the data from some of the chicken wars’ primary protagonists.

Popeyes Continues to Thrive

Looking at visits for Popeyes in 2021 compared to 2019 shows a clear and consistent trend of growth - even during months when visits to most QSR leaders were still limited by the pandemic’s effect. During the first seven months of 2021, Popeyes averaged 19.9% visit growth compared to the equivalent months in 2019, with July showing a 22.4% increase.

Popeyes’ Big Test Coming Up 

Yet, the biggest test is coming in August - the month in 2019 that marked the initial launch. The standard set in that month will likely push Popeyes into a visit decline compared to its 2019 equivalent for the first time in 2019 – not because of any weakness for the brand but simply due to the unique heights hit following the chicken sandwich launch. This is a reality even in spite of significant weekly visits growth compared to 2019 equivalents.

The expected ‘decline’ will need to be understood within the same frame of reference as the year over year drops from home improvement leaders Home Depot and Lowe’s, where the initial surge was so significant that it created a boost that pushed the brands higher than years prior. 

And, interesting product launches like the chicken nuggets may not be enough to stem this shift. Visits the week of the launch were up 12.3% compared to the equivalent week in 2019, but this was in line with visit growth seen the week prior, indicating that the period was more responsible for the jumps than the new offering. However, should Popeyes prove capable of driving growth in August, or even a limited decline, the result will be truly impressive

The Wider QSR Surge

Popeyes’s success is not happening in a vacuum. Looking at other QSR leaders with an emphasis on those who played key roles in the initial Chicken Wars or have had more recent entries, the strength seems well spread. All the brands analyzed have seen significant reductions in their visit gaps compared to 2019 with July marking a high point across the board.

While this success does mirror the strength seen in other dining segments, there is a key caveat when analyzing QSR leaders - they are less dependent on actual visits. Top QSR players have proven to be incredibly adaptive with their multi-channel reach across drive-thru, delivery and takeaway. This leads to two key takeaways that speak to the high potential for this sector in the short and long term. 

In the short term, wider concerns that rising COVID cases could lead to renewed restrictions may not negatively impact these brands, as they can adjust to a greater emphasis on other distribution channels during those periods. In the longer term, the strong recovery of in-location visits speaks to the strong pull these brands create at branches showing a wider ability to drive interest and demand across channels.

Can Popeyes continue to show growth even when compared to the heights of the initial Chicken Sandwich launch? Visit Placer.ai to find out.

Learn how downtown regions across US cities are measuring up with our free tools.
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.

Related Topics

Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
SHARE
Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week
Subscribe to the newsletter
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Recent Publications

Get 3 brand & industry breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter
Dutch Bros. & Sprouts: Beverage-Led Success
Off-Price Apparel: Off to a Strong Start in 2025
Visitation Trends and Shopping Behaviors at Walmart & Target 
Restaurant Success in 2025: Experience, Convenience, and Familiarity
Home Improvement Segment Shows Stability
Fitness Starts Strong in 2025
The Meat of the Matter: Bloomin’ Brands in 2024
The Beat of the Bowl: Visitation Patterns for CAVA and sweetgreen
Women's Sports on a Roll: Packed Stadiums, The Sports Bra Bar & Restaurant, and Impacting CRE
Year of the Dragon, Luckiest Animal in the Zodiac: Will that Luck Hold for Asian-Themed CRE?
Washington DC: How the Population in Our Nation's Capital has Evolved Following the Pandemic
What First Half 2024 Visit Trends Tell Us About What to Expect in the Second Half
What Does Walmart’s Results Mean for Other Discretionary Retailers?
Warehouse Clubs: Younger Visitors Support Growth
Wayfair: Early Impressions from Wayfair's New Wilmette Store
We're All Mad for March Madness: NCAA Women's Basketball is Breaking All Sorts of Records
Warehouse Clubs: Finding the Perfect Timing
Ulta: A Thing of Beauty
The Sweet Smell of Success: How CPG Brands are Bringing Their Brands to Life with Experiential Stores
Urban Outfitters: High Income, Specialty Fleets Still Thriving
The Silver Lining to Mall Anchor Department Store Closures
Ulta Beauty: Store Visits and Target Partnership Driving Category Market Share
The Secret to Trader Joe's Success in 2023
Tractor Supply: Visitation Share Gains Continue Despite Weather-Related Disruptions
Takeaways from the 2024 Fast Casual Executive Summit
The Lure of Waikiki and Beyond: The Feel of Fifth Avenue on Oahu?
Target: Circle Week Shows Signs of Success
Suiting Up in Boston: Newbury Street Suitsupply Store Showing Signs of Strength
Takeaways from Shoptalk Fall
Stew Leonard’s: Specialty Grocery Still a Shining Example
Small Towns, Deepening Pockets: How Migration is Changing the Face of Boise
Studs: Reinvigorating the Accessories Category
South Asian Influence on Sports, Groceries, and Malls
Starbucks: Silver Linings After a Difficult Quarter
Shopping "High-Low": Escada and Club Monaco share space in Beverly Hills
Round1 Entertainment Expands with Spo-Cha Concept
Self-Storage: More Industry Consolidation Ahead
Self-Storage: Consolidation Driving Year-Over-Year Increases in Visits
Return to Office is Hot in Miami: Placer's New Return to Office Dashboard Launches
Restaurants: Bifurcation Here Too
Self-Storage: More Consolidation as Public Storage Acquires Simply Self Storage
Return to Office Insights: Miami and New York in the Lead
RFDC Takeaways: Lessons from CAVA and Other Restaurant Visit Share Winners
Pop-Ups Drive Excitement and Foretell Brand Demand
Restaurants: Where Do We Stand After Q1 2024
Restaurant Outlook 2024: Year of New Location Expansion Plans?
Reformation: Building an Apparel Destination
Pickleball and Padel: Saviors for Malls, but Threats to Tennis Courts?
Regional Grocery Update: Consumers Seeking Out Lower Prices
QSR Visit Trends: What Gives?
Performing Arts: Takeaways from the California Presenters Conference and Spotlight on Arizona Venues
Public Storage: Self-Storage Demand Resilient
QSR Chicken: Driving the Industry's Growth
Planet Fitness: Signs of a More Resilient Fitness Club Visitor?
Parks, Recreation Centers, and Redeveloped Malls: Community Glue
Outlet Malls: Ontario Mills Leads Black Friday, Arundel Mills Tops November Visitation
Olympics Boost: PR is Priceless
Olympic Inspiration: Is the Fitness Category Bringing Home the Gold?
Outlook for Holiday Thrifting: Inflation, Sustainability, and Gen Z Fuel Growth
Oklahoma, OK!: The Opening of Tulsa Premium Outlets Kickstarts Excitement
"Must-Have" Tenants for 2025: Top Brands to Elevate Your Outdoor Shopping Center
National Restaurant Association Show Takeaways: Who’s Winning the Food Fight?
Non-Traditional Anchors: Cheers or Jeers for Those Replacing Sears?
McDonald's: Where Do Whitespace Opportunities Exist?
Megamalls: All-Day Experiences, Entertainment, and Dining
Mercado Gonzalez: This Mexican Food Hall is a Magnet
Messi Mania hits Miami and LA
Luxury Outlet Malls: Seeing Strong Back-to-School Traffic and the Lure of Luxury
McDonald's: "Adult Happy Meal" Sets a High Bar for QSR Promotions
McDonald’s Swift E. Coli Response Should Minimize Traffic Impact, and SpongeBob’s a Hit at Wendy’s
Measuring the Impact of California’s Minimum Wage Increase on Restaurants
McDonald’s Joins the Restaurant Value Wars of 2024
McDonald’s and the Evolving State of Food Retail
How Have Winter Storms Impacted Retail Visits?
Luxury and Sustainability are the Ethos Driving 1 Hotels
Market Spotlight: How New Mexico Highlights its Cultural and Arts Scene to Drive Business and Leisure Tourism
Marine Layer: "Perfect for a 7-Day Weekend Kinda Lifestyle"
Market Spotlight: Downtown DC Breathes a Sigh of Relief as Washington Wizards and Capitals Stay Put
Kroger/Albertsons: Assessing the Aftershock
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!: Aquariums and Zoos trends from A to Z
Limited Too: Brand Relaunch Has Millennials in Mind
Let's Get Physical! Fitness Chains in Better Shape to Withstand Economic Volatility
Kohl's + Babies"R"Us: Early Learnings from Newly Opened Michigan Locations
ICSC Takeaways: Retail Optimism, Getting Creative with Formats, Impact of Hybrid/Remote Work, and Miami is Hot
Ikea: Why Invest More in Home Furnishing Retail Now?
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Haunted Car Wash? Tunnel of Terror “Boo”sts traffic by 3x
Hispanic Grocery Chains: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo‍
Housewares Retail: Kitchen Focused Chains Still Thriving
Home Improvement: Harbor Freight and Ace Hardware Drive Outperformance through Smaller Markets
Home Furnishing: 2024 Outlook for Housewares, Mattress, and Furniture Retail
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Popularity of Hispanic Grocery Underlines Growing Appetite for Latin Foods
Holiday 2024: Time is of the Essence
Hispanic Grocery: Customizing the Merchandise Assortment to the Neighborhood
Happy Nowruz! Celebrating Persian New Year with a Tour of Tehrangeles
Happy Lunar New Year Part 2: Vietnamese, Korean, and Pan-Asian Malls
Gifting, Paper and Books: Consumers Crave More in One Place
Golf's COVID Comeback: PGA Superstore Reaping the Benefits
GEN Korean BBQ House: IPO Filing Underpins the Importance of Experiential Dining
Formula 1: U.S. Grand Prix Expansion Winning Key Visitor Segments