where is the inappropriate bell when you need it?

Independant Franchisee BS.

There needs to better enforcement/communication of these national promotions between Corporate and the individual franchise.

Oh, and if the promotion is a loss leader, Corporate should be coughing up the $ to make it work for the individual franchise.

@ajmccoll: Actually, I think they were trying to get something for $4.99.

So people drive 40 miles to save 4 dollars? wtf? the gas costs more than the savings. And then they buy the chicken anyway. Why would a franchise honor a promotion if people are willing to pay full price?

@ajmccoll: How is $4.99 "nothing"? Last I checked $4.99 is something, so they are trying to get something with something.

@morganlh85: @georgi55: Wow, you're both so clever. Thanks for pointing out my obvious mistake!

@xtc46: Remember, people will spend as much as it takes to save a buck.

"A bunch of customers crying 'foul'" (or fowl).....smells like some writer is getting a raise, don't'cha know!!!

It's chicken for Christ's sake. They'll get over it. It still amazes me that people will get this upset over five bucks.

@ajmccoll: Well I don't see the point of your comment. What exactly makes someone a fool for going to a store based on an ad that ran in their region and expecting to find that promotion running at their location?

I saw only one Caucasian in that clip and it didn't include Tom Lyden. I'm from MN and I wish there was more than one Popeye's. There used to be one in Saint Paul on University Street in the early 90's, now it's a bread place. I love their red beans and rice! I would prefer Popeye's over KFC, but Cub Foods has an 8 piece everyday for about $8 in their deli.

@morganlh85: The fact that that particular franchise had signs posted EVERYWHERE stating that they were not participating in the promotion, yet people were still driving up to the drive-thru and going into the store causing a fuss over it. That makes them a fool.

Those ladies screaming at the drive-thru intercom were so very pleasant

Here's a video about one Popeye's running out of chicken:

@RudeandRude: I didn't see anything inappropriate in the clip...what did I miss?

@Radi0logy: I know what you mean. Seem like a couple of classy dames. They should just go to the store and use the food stamps they've been on since they were 18 and buy some walmart chicken (which I love btw) instead.

@sasquatch28: Reminds of the Dane Cook joke. Yes, Dane Cook. I know. To be fair, he was funny, long ago. Harmful if Swallowed is hilarious.

Anyway, when he's talking about working at BK, and people say "WHOPPER! WHOPSPFOSER NO ONYIEN WHOOOPPPPERPTERPT!" Relax! We're dealing with food, not missiles here governor!

@Con Seannery '09: Illegal in 1 Giz:

So true - like trading in a relatively new car for a Prius..

Makes a lot of sense

Is there nothing left to give a shit about? Come on people - show your disapproval by not going there anymore. Oh wait, that's too inconvenient.

The day I get all pissed off because some chicken place isn't going to honor some deal is the day I want to be rocketed into the sun.

@BeataAnius:

I noticed the hat too

Probably wanted something free

Domino's was supposed to do free pasta bread bowl this afternoon. When I asked the Louisiana Domino's Twitter which local stores would be participating, they said the vast majority of franchisees chose not to participate in the promotion. But all locations were to offer a free sample if asked.

I bet that was a fun day for the employees of that store dealing with a steady stream of pissed off customers.

Remind you of Black Friday at Best Buys?

@Corporate-Shill: I have to agree with you on this one. 4.99$ is more than enough to cover ''cost'' of the chicken. Franchise would not lose any money on it.

(It's not the same as forcing franchises to give away ''Free'' stuff.)

We occasionally eat at this Popeyes, what with it being the only one around and all. All I can say is it is one weird place. They have signs all over the restaurant that basically say "we don't participate in popeye's promotions. ONE sauce per meal. WHITE MEAT EXTRA. You are on camera. CASH ONLY" It's like a TGIFridays but instead of mock-vintage signage it's all warning signs. It's really an unwelcoming environment. Luckily we only get a jones for it once a year or so.

@Corporate-Shill: There is no LEGAL way to force a franchisee to do anything, especially in terms of marketing. Though the franchisee is being stupid in pissing off how many people, and not taking advantage of the marketing dollars that are provided. Good franchisors include franchisee in the decisions like this.

@puddinhead: replying to myself, but if you pay attention to the inside shots you can see the signage insanity.

@Zain: Thanks for the video.

I noticed that most of whiny complainers were driving SUVs... I was feeling to tell them that they would have saved more money taking a bus, and then buy as much chicken as they want, on another day.

@BeataAnius: Crazy people vote for Republicans, too. Unless you want to move frm this planet, you're stuck meeting ''nuts'' in your everyday life.

@HiPwr: My best wishes to them.

@webreacher: And if they could have convinced the bus driver to go through the drive-thru and then take them directly back to their houses without stopping to pick anyone else up or drop anyone off, they would have had a nice hot meal to enjoy.

What do the idiots not understand about "at participating locations only"? It says it plain as day in the national ad buy commercials and newspaper inserts. Of course FOX 9 KMSP failed to mention that.

@ajmccoll: ok, but the commercial for the promo is running in their area, & they are the only popeye's in the region. is it too hard to understand why people are a little pissed off that they drove to the ONLY popeye's around only to be met by a handwritten sign that says, "piss off, we're a bunch of cheap motherf#ckers"?

@puddinhead: Well it IS on Lake Street...

Unrelatedly, I used to live in St. Paul, around West 7th and Snelling, and would often go to the Subway on West 7th towards the airport. One had to ring the doorbell and be buzzed in to be let in...

@I_have_something_to_say: There is that Popeyes, then the Chicago and Lake KFC. At least the Popeyes is in a location where you have less of a chance of getting carjacked on your way through the drive-thru.

@puddinhead: They didn't get rid of all of the classic wrestler autograph pictures on the wall did they?

@sasquatch28: What makes you think they are on food stamps?

@gaywolverine: That Popeyes is constantly busy, especially late night Thurs-Sat. I doubt they will lose business from this. Plus the only alternative is going further down to the shitty area of town at KFC, which closes early and is riddled with drug dealers and carjackers.

I made the mistake of living just a few blocks down from there a few years back.

I seem to be the only one smart enough to recognize both sides of the issue. Yes, obviously this is franchisee who lives and dies by his store. As another poster noted, if it's a loss leader, corporate should cough up the extra money to the franchisee if they expect participation... but if they don't, that's corporate's fault, not the franchisee's fault. If corporate wants the franchisee to participate, it's their responsibility to facilitate the communication. That's not franchisee BS, that's corporate BS.

But, on the other hand, the "participating locations only," part never says which locations are and aren't. So, people will go out, and when they find out THEN that the location isn't participating... well, you already wasted a trip out there, so of course you're not going to be happy that you didn't get what you were hoping for.

So, the franchisee has every right to not participate in what could possibly be nothing more than a huge loss for him (especially given it's the only one in Minneapolis... a lot of out of towners who will NOT come back). And the customers have every right to feel disappointed that something well promoted was not available in the only place that was even somewhat convenient to them. Although some of these bastards could find better ways to express their frustration, and make some attempts to understand the situation... argh.

@BeataAnius: So what you're saying is, in the economic hard times we face, when layoffs are happening in even the most unexpected of places, people should not be thrift?

And, great job trying to throw a political spin on this... next time I fart, I'm blaming it on the Republicans. I'll even hold a McCain hat over my ass when I do it, as proof that the two are somehow correlated... apparently. According to your logic, not mine.

@mac-phisto: "Running in their area" meaning on the local stations, or running on cable? If it's running on the local stations, maybe corporate is the one who should reevaluate their marketing tactics.

If it's on a national cable station, I think they need to make it even MORE clear so the idiots understand that the deal is only happening at participating restaurants.

Popeyes itself has such a varied menu from region to region. If you go to their site, half the time they have a special on seafood. No Midwest Popeyes I have seen has ever participated in that beyond shrimp.

@OwenKlient: The area outside of Uptown isn't exactly known for middle and upper class.

@Zachary J. Palmer: I think you should learn to read comments previous to yours before declaring yourself the smartest. All of your points have been covered already.

I'm sorry, but am I the only one who finds people getting this bent out of shape over badly done, fast-food fried chicken hilarious?

The one guy took a cab 17 miles, to save a few bucks, when he probably has a local chicken/rib place that does better chicken for a couple bucks more.

The other family drove a round trip of 20 miles to save a few bucks too.

This is ignorance, plain and simple. I can't stop laughing at this stuff. OMG, I gots no chicken! I need to yell about it! The best part:

"what do you mean you ain't no company store? This is the only Popeye's in the STATE!"

Srsly? Damn people need to buy a frydaddy and make their own.

@Zachary J. Palmer: Or maybe they should sell their SUVs. (You really have to watch promotion-day videos. Nearly every ''thrifty'' screamer was driving one.)

@HiPwr: The latter is unrealistic.

@sicknick: No, you are not. But as a resident here I do have to say that the chicken is so delicious... I must... go to there...

Hey Tom.. Crazy story indeed, huh?

Now...what's so ironic about a heart transplant doctor wowning a "chicken joint"?

It would be ironic if a PETA chairman would own a "chicken joint", not a surgeon.

Unless you're implying that they make greasy chicken which could be traced to heart disease (among all other factors) which then may be linked to heart transplants.

Very weak, though. I love the eye roll, though.

Not to mention... Usually on these commercials there's print that you can clearly read that says "At participating locations."