Popeyes builds on Dip'n Chick'n success

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen reintroduced its Dip’n Chick’n as a limited-time offer this week due to the product’s success during its introduction last fall.

When Dip’n Chick’n was first introduced to the quick-service chain's menu in October 2011 it was, at the time, the most successful promotion in Popeyes history, said Dick Lynch, chief marketing officer. That’s why the company decided to bring it back during fall 2012, he said.

Dip’n Chick’n is deep-fried chicken breasts that have been cut into medallions that can be easily dipped, Lynch said. For $3.99, customers get Dip’n Chick’n, Cajun fries, a biscuit and the chain’s signature blackened-ranch dipping sauce. The offer is available through Oct. 21.

Portability, Lynch noted, is a big reason why Dip’n Chick’n does so well. “Over half our business is drive thru. A huge percent of meals ordered in restaurants are ordered in cars” — and are often eaten in the vehicle, he said.

“It was a driving factor in our fourth-quarter same-store sales last year,” Lynch said of the 2011 Dip’n Chick’n rollout. Although he couldn’t say how much the product specifically impacted sales or average check increases for Popeyes' Atlanta-based parent company, AFC Enterprises Inc., he did say that the company saw an overall 5.8-percent increase in global same-store sales during the period.

Dip’n Chick’n also likely contributed to an increase in average check during the fourth quarter last year, he said. “We have found that when we promoted single-user items like Dip’n and Rip’n, our bone-in sales go up as well,” he said. “People are reminded that they love Popeyes chicken.”

Limited-time offers and promotions are a big part of Popeyes' marketing and menu strategies. Every year during Lent, Lynch said, the company has a butterfly shrimp promotion. The company also introduced Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken in February, which outdid even sales of Dip’n Chick’n, he said.

Lynch said he was unsure if Dip’n Chick’n would become an annual offering, but did say that the company has a history of bringing back popular limited-time offers.

“When you marry portability with interesting Louisiana flavors you come up with really fun LTOs like Dip’n Chick’n and Rip’n Chick’n,” he said, adding that both are part of the company’s so-called “ip’n” promotions.

Atlanta-based AFC Enterprises currently operates 40 Popeyes locations and franchises 1,597 units domestically and 412 internationally.

Contact Erin Dostal at [email protected].
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