How Popeye's Got Sued For Not Having Its Fried Chicken Sandwich (And What Happened After)

It's no secret that restaurant fried chicken always tastes better than what you make at home. So, when a craving strikes for some fried cluck, many turn to a nearby drive-thru rather than their own stovetop. For some people, though, satisfying that hunger can go a bit too far. Case in point: A Tennessee man named Craig Barr once sued Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen when he couldn't get his hands on a popular chicken sandwich the chain was promoting.

At the time, the debut of the sandwich had sparked a viral social media war with rival Chick-fil-A and subsequently generated a lot of hot media buzz, so lots of people were eager to try it. But none were so eager as Barr, it seems, who told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, "I can't get happy; I have this sandwich on my mind. I can't think straight. It just consumes you."

In his lawsuit, filed August 28, 2019, Craig Barr sought $5,000 in damages from Popeyes, citing false advertising and deceptive business practices. His suit alleged that he wasted time making multiple trips to Popeyes only to be told there were no sandwiches available. The suit additionally claimed Barr's car sustained $1,500 in rim and tire damage in a Popeyes parking lot during his hot food pursuit, and that he was humiliated when his friends laughed at him over the whole sandwich-seeking ordeal.

Craig Barr's lawsuit further stated that an alleged Popeyes employee cheated him out of money, promising to give him a chicken sandwich but never delivering it. When his first attempts to obtain the coveted Popeyes snack failed, Barr reportedly answered an ad on Craigslist in an effort to get ahold of one. The Craigslist poster claimed a friend ran the fryer at a local Popeyes and could supply a sandwich from a secret ingredient stash in the restaurant's freezer. The fee for the back-alley sammie deal totaled $20 plus the cost of the sandwich. After paying the money, though, Barr said the promised sandwich was never produced.

The frenzy over Popeyes' chicken sandwich got pretty crazy nationwide, and the item sold out in locations across the country. There were reports that someone even put one of the elusive snacks up for sale on eBay for $7,000. Barr's lawsuit was definitely among the happenings that got the most media attention, though — and while a trial date for him was set for January 2022, it's unclear whether the case ever proceeded or was quietly dropped.

For anyone who encounters a similar shortage in the future, you could always try making your own crunchy, sticky, spicy fried chicken sandwiches. If you don't feel like cooking, however, an alternative food choice might be preferable to taking legal action. Popeyes is among the fried chicken chains that also have fish sandwiches. Just sayin'.