Tennessee man sues Popeyes for running out of chicken sandwiches

The fast-food chain is being sued for selling out of its buzzed-about chicken sandwich. A Tennessee man filed a lawsuit against Popeyes this week alleging it engaged in "false advertising" and “deceptive business practices by entity to public.” Barr said he suffered rim and tire damage totaling $1,500 while driving from location to location and suffered "emotional damage" because he was humiliated when his friends laughed at him.

Craig Barr is seeking $5,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit filed in Hamilton County General Sessions Court. Barr, who is representing himself in the case, also said in court documents that he was "hustled out of $25" by a friend of a man who allegedly claimed in a Craigslist advertisement that he worked at a Popeyes location and could get sandwiches the restaurant was hiding.

The sandwich wars waged on Twitter began Aug. 19, when Chick-fil-A appeared to take a jab at the new fried chicken sandwich that Popeyes had begun offering this month. Chick-fil-A said in the tweet that its chicken sandwich was "the original." Popeyes responded via Twitter: “... y’all good?”

The two tweets set off a social media debate that captivated the internet and inspired many memes. Popeyes, Chick-fil-A and other fast-food chains traded insults on Twitter, claiming ownership of the best-tasting sandwich. Apex Marketing Group estimated the online buzz was worth $65 million in marketing for Popeyes. A court date has been set for Oct. 28.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tennessee-man-sues-popeyes-running-out-chicken-sandwiches-n1048321?
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How Popeyes Ran Out of Chicken for Its Famous Sandwiches

A social media frenzy means Popeyes quickly ran out of its new, instantly iconic chicken sandwiches. When restaurant chains contract with suppliers, they often have tight product specifications and buy a set volume, said Tom Elam, a consultant for the poultry industry. Specifications can include seasonings, coatings, and the size and thickness of the cut with very little variation, he said. In other words, there’s a glut of meat, but not all of it’s ready for Twitter sandwich fame.

Suppliers often can’t “make more of that particular product spec in a short amount of time,” he said.

So Popeyes has to replenish its stockpile of custom-made chicken for its sandwich, and the restaurant chain is currently working with suppliers to build up its inventory, spokeswoman Brooke Scher Mogan said by email. There’s currently no set date for the relaunch. Popeyes on Tuesday announced on its Twitter page that the sandwich had sold out less than a month after it was first offered nationally.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-30/popeyes-is-running-out-of-chicken-at-a-time-of-a-huge-u-s-glut?srnd=premium