Some say cooking chicken wings is an art — for Popeyes, it was a big pain in the neck that contributed to mixed third-quarter results for parent company Restaurant Brands International.
Same-store sales for Popeyes outposts in the US dropped 2.2%, with execs blaming a menu change for the slump.
“As part of our efforts to streamline operations and refocus on our core menu, we made a deliberate decision to scale back our wings offering,” Restaurant Brands CEO Joshua Kobza said on a Thursday earnings call.
“Satisfaction with our core chicken is the highest it’s been on record, and we’re seeing encouraging signs in our traffic trends, which have strengthened sequentially,” he added.
The chain recently reintroduced wings to some fanfare, with the menu item becoming a popular “mukbang” feature.
Options initially included five flavors, like garlic parmesan, ghost pepper, “signature hot” and honey BBQ.
But Popeyes quietly scaled back the offerings last quarter, drawing some gripes from customers.
“Wasn’t there a bunch more different flavors before?” one Reddit user wrote earlier this month.
“I’m having an existential crisis over here because I feel like the app is gaslighting me.”
Another customer recounted dismay at recently learning the signature hot wings were being discontinued.
“What a loss for those who like a little heat,” the person wrote. “I guess on the plus side, I won’t be consuming a thousand plus calories on their wings anymore.”
Last quarter, Burger King was a bright spot for Restaurant Brands. The chain had same-store sales growth of 8.4% in the US.
Overall, the parent company $2.53 billion in revenue, slightly lower than the. $2.54 billion that was expected. Share of the company slipped on the news 2% Thursday morning.
Still, Popeyes pointed to growing international sales in the UK, India and, slowly, in China.
“We see it in the long lines and the amazing guest reviews and feedback when we enter, and we’re going to continue hitting the gas on Popeyes International,” said Sami Siddiqui, the company’s CFO.
In 2024, Restaurant Brands acquired Popeyes China at a value of $15 million and called the country one of the “most compelling long-term market opportunities.”
Earlier this year, McDonald’s announced it would try hand-breaded tenders, cuing off Popeyes’ approach to food prep. One market analyst said the move was “doomed for failure,” according to MarketWatch.
The Post has sought comment from Popeyes.
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