Popeyes is leaning hard into value and fresh creative as it works to snap a long sales slump. The chicken chain brought back its $6 Big Box and rolled out a new Popeyes campaign, “THAT Chicken from Popeyes,” which debuted Monday as the brand tries to reassert itself as the best-tasting and best-value chicken in America.
The push arrives at a rough moment. Popeyes same-store sales fell 5.2 percent in the second quarter, its sixth straight quarterly decline, and parent Restaurant Brands International has pointed to what executives described as a muddled value message. For the campaign, the brand tapped a new creative agency of record, Anomaly, with spots that riff on the chain’s signature “Love That Chicken from Popeyes” jingle and play up its Cajun flavors and hand-breading.
On the value side, Popeyes has brought back the $6 Big Box for the second time in under three months, alongside a $5 Faves menu and a $20 Family Meal added this year.
Company leaders say the simpler value message is already working, crediting it with bringing traffic back and helping stabilize sales.
“We’ll continue to focus on maintaining consistent, easy-to-understand value for guests moving forward,” Josh Kobza, CEO of Restaurant Brands International, said on the company’s earnings call.
Popeyes is also chasing a summer beverage trend with three limited-time pineapple drinks, pineapple lemonade, frozen pineapple lemonade and pineapple iced tea, starting at $3.49. The launch follows similar pineapple releases from Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A as chains court traffic with low-cost seasonal beverages.
For franchise marketers, Popeyes is a case study in fixing a muddled message. A clearer value lineup gives operators something concrete to promote, while a nostalgia-driven campaign works to rebuild the brand’s identity. The combination mirrors a wider playbook where national creative has to connect to local demand and brands court cost-conscious consumers with sharper value.