Popeyes Celebrates its 50th Anniversary with Retro Pricing

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If you love that chicken from Popeyes, the chain is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with some very retro pricing with a modern twist.

The chicken chain was founded by entrepreneur Al Copeland on June 12, 1972 when he realized that KFC was spreading outside of Kentucky and decided to get the jump on serving chicken and sides in New Orleans. He opened a "Chicken in the Run" in Arabi, according to Popeyes' origin story, but it wasn't a hit. Folks thought the food was too bland, so Copeland closed up shop, retooled the recipe, and kicked up the heat. He reopened the restaurant with a new name, which he borrowed not from the cartoon sailor, but from Popeye Doyle, Gene Hackman's character in the 1971 film The French Connection. When asked why he didn't use an apostrophe in the name, Eater reports that Copeland liked to joke "that he was 'too poor' to afford one at the time."

Luckily with the new chicken recipe, Copeland's financial situation rapidly improved. By the mid-1970s, Copeland had a hit on his hands and began selling franchises starting with an outpost in Baton Rouge in 1976. From there, Popeyes spread across the South, the country, and even the world.

To celebrate their 50th Anniversary from June 12th to June 19th, Popeyes is thanking its guests with a special throwback offer on their signature fried chicken. Fried chicken fanatics can pick up an anniversary deal with two pieces of signature bone-in chicken for an eye-popping 59 cents (with a $5 minimum purchase). Don't grab the change jar, though, because there is a modern twist. The Popeyes deal is digital only, meaning folks have to place a mobile order and pay on the Popeyes App or on Popeyes.com. If you're wondering how they came up with the price of 59 cents, that was the price of the chicken they were serving up back in 1972. Now if they would only bring back their Cajun rice.

Happy anniversary, Popeyes. We'll definitely be celebrating.