Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits Prepares for Mardi Gras

In anticipation of the busy Mardi Gras season, Popeyes® Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc., is staffing up and stocking up at its restaurants throughout New Orleans and Metairie.

"For many people, Mardi Gras and Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits are synonymous in New Orleans," said Glen Helton, Vice President of Operations for Popeyes. "Parade goers rely on Popeyes for quick, authentic Carnival food. Each year, Popeyes enacts a plan to ensure that we meet customer demand for our famous fried chicken, red beans and rice, and Popeyes Louisiana Legends dishes like Creole chicken etouffee."

Over the next two weeks, Popeyes expects to serve approximately 15 tons of red beans and rice, 2.4 million pieces of chicken and 1.2 million biscuits. But food items are not the only resource Popeyes will employ during Carnival.

"We are also hiring extra help during Mardi Gras and paying overtime to many employees who work extended hours," said Helton.

Many Popeyes locations will open at 6 a.m. on Mardi Gras Day, while the Canal Street locations will operate nearly 24 hours a day beginning the Friday before Mardi Gras through midnight on Fat Tuesday.

Popeyes is a leader in the Cajun segment of the foodservice industry and is the world's second-largest quick-service chicken concept. Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes has more than 1,578 locations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 20 other countries and achieved 2000 worldwide sales of approximately $1.2 billion.