All I wanted was some chicken!

Apparently I wasn't the only one with the Popeyes idea. In fact, everyone and their brother decided to go get some chicken today. I was soooo looking forward to my chicken, too. I stopped by on the way home from work and this is what I ran into...

I know, the picture stinks (taken with my crappy cell phone camera), but it tells a bit of the story. The line was so long outside - cars wrapped all the way around the building - and not moving that I went inside. What was I greeted with when I entered? More than 30 people in line already. The line wrapped all the way around the seating area and back out into the front toward the door again. How nuts am I? I got in line. I WANTED MY CHICKEN!!! Well, that lasted about 10 minutes or so until I finally gave up. I only gave up when I heard the girl behind the counter telling someone that "it was going to be 12 minutes." I didn't know what "it" was, but if she was telling him that, and he was more than 30 people in front of me, with another two dozen or more waiting in cars outside, there was no way I was going to get food before midnight.

Yup, the line beat me.

But, I wasn't going down without a fight! After we punted and I whipped up some toasted cheese sandwiches for the kids and a Wifey put together a quick quiche for us, then tubby and bedtimes, I had to run out to Target. Then, as I was leaving there what do you think I saw, just across the parking lot? Why, it was none other than the Popeyes that had beaten me earlier. I thought, seeing as how it was almost 9:30, that I shouldn't have any trouble grabbing some chicken to save for lunch tomorrow. Oh, was I wrong. When I got there, at 9:30 mind you, there were still cars lined up around the building but only a few people on line inside. Applauding myself for not being as lazy as the mopes waiting in their cars, I parked and walked to the door - only to find it locked with a 16-year-old girl standing guard. When I asked what was up she told me that had run out of chicken.

Um, I'm sorry, can you repeat that?

Popeyes ran out of chicken. A CHICKEN JOINT RAN OUT OF CHICKEN!!!!! And I was pissed. I wasn't mad at all earlier, I appreciated the popularity of their event so how could I be mad? I was a little ticked that they hadn't had the foresight to bring in another fryer or whatever they needed to keep up but to actually run out of the one food you serve? That was just stupid. And I let them know it. I went onto their web site and sent the following:

I visited the restaurant for your PayDay event and had a horrible experience. At about 5:15pm I saw a line of cars around the building waiting for the drive through so I went inside. As I got in line there were 32 people in line ahead of me. I waited for just under 15 minutes and the line did not move at all. We heard the workers at the counter saying they were waiting for chicken to cook! I couldn't believe that there wasn't ample prepared chicken ready for the crowd you knew you'd get for this event. I left after that. Then, I was out again this evening and I visited the same store at 9:30 only to find the door locked with a worker telling us that they were out of chicken. I tried twice today to visit your store, and neither time were you ready to receive me. I pass your restaurant every day going to and from work, but my experience today doesn't make me want to return in the future.

Yup, I had practically sworn off of their food before this, but their smartly planned event got me back in the door. After this? I doubt I'll be back. It's like they say - let 'em know with your wallet right?

Looking forward to the next Ben and Jerry's free cone day.

.