It’s almost here — the chicken sandwich that launched a thousand cry-face emojis. The one the U.S. went crazy for last summer. The one that sold out in stores. The one that caused one frustrated guy to sue the company for damages because he couldn’t get a sandwich. IT’S ALMOST HERE. And for the early birds, it comes with a free gift.

WHEN CAN I SANDWICH!

POPEYES opens its flagship Shanghai store on Friday, May 15.

WHERE CAN I SANDWICH!

The intersection of Huaihai Zhong Lu (淮海中路) and Chengdu Nan Lu (成都南路). The exact address is at the bottom of this post.

HOW CAN I SANDWICH FOR LESS!

We have details on discount vouchers. 30% off, to be precise. 65% on opening day! But we’ll come back to that.

HOW CAN I GET THIS FREE GIFT?

The first 100 customers on May 15 get swag. Shops opens at 10am. Start queueing! POPEYES is already in the region, with stores in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and more, but this first store is the launching pad for a major roll-out. Over the next ten years, POPEYES plans to take chicken sandwiches and Louisiana sides across mainland China. 1,500 stores in the next decade. Plans already in place for Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing and more in Shanghai. A chicken sandwich for every man, woman and hungry little kid in China. They have a dream! And they’ll probably get there, judging by their experience with 3,300 locations in 25 other countries. They're also owned by TFI-TAB, which runs Burger King China. POPEYES’ distinguishing factor, its thing, is that it was born in Louisiana. It takes its cues from Cajun and creole cuisine. Its fried chicken (that sandwich is less than a year old; it was all fried chicken before that) is marinated for at least 12 hours, seasoned with cayenne pepper, dehydrated garlic and paprika, among other herbs and spices. That’s where the kick comes from. For Shanghai, of course, they got fancy with the first store. Look how on-trend these color combinations are. So, um, back to the sandwich you’re going to be coming here to eat. It’s a thick cut of boneless buttermilk fried chicken, pickles and mayonnaise between brioche buns. It makes a loud crunch when you bite into it. Outside, extra crispy. Inside, extra moist. There’s also a spicy version, which adds heat in the chicken’s crust and in its mayonnaise.

WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO SANDWICH!

. Dark meat only, because they found out during market testing what all of us in China know already — dark meat is the best meat. So there’s no chicken breasts at POPEYES in China, only buttermilk-marinated thighs. There are side dishes. Cajun fries, which are like regular fries but better. Mashed potatoes with gravy. Red beans and rice. There are buttermilk biscuits. But for DESSERT. More market testing, more finding out that what people want is not a round carb puck but a slender biscuit stick… to eat with an ice cream sundae. (It’s not that sweet, so we ate the biscuits with the fried chicken instead.)

THE VOUCHERS

Okay, okay, the vouchers already. Here’s how to get them. Open this link in WeChat and enter the POPEYES China Mini Program to get a digital coupon for 30% off your order until midnight on June 14, 2020. But here's the thing: if you use it on opening day, that coupon gets you 65% off! To claim the voucher, you have to open the Mini Program and get the e-coupon before midnight on Thursday, May 14. Be sure to show the cashier the coupon before placing your order so the discount goes through successfully. Only one e-coupon per WeChat ID. POPEYES opens at 10am on Friday, May 15. 566 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Chengdu Nan Lu. About TFI - TAB Foods Investments POPEYES China region franchise is owned by TFI - TAB Foods Investments, a major shareholder of Burger King China. TFI is the leading quick-service food operator in Turkey and China, with more than 2,500 restaurants and over 55,000 employees. As a new brand here in mainland China, POPEYES will apply the proven management methodology from the industry giants – TFI, aiming to achieve success in the competitive Chinese market.