When on the Jersey Turnpike, Eat at Popeyes
Stay away from Roy Rogers' fried chicken. Far away.
Last weekend I had the unfortunate experience of eating at a rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike. While the obvious thing to do when having to make a decision between Nathan's, Arthur Treacher's, and Roy Rogers is to go hungry, I chose Roy Rogers. "It's fried chicken—how bad could it be?" I asked myself. Pretty bad, considering that I vowed to never eat at Roy Rogers again after that experience.
If only there had been a Popeyes instead of Roy Rogers—then my New Jersey Turnpike meal would've been less loathsome. Paula Marantz Cohen of Drexel University's online journal The Smart Set discovered that Popeyes makes some "damned good" food for a fast food joint. Even if you you're not looking for New Jersey Turnpike rest stop eating tips, it's worth reading her amusing essay to feel the pain that comes with failing to find palatable food on the road.
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20 Comments:
"Love that chicken From Popeyes" The red beans are amazing for fast food.
NO_Pam at 6:09PM on 08/09/08
This is the closest I could find to the original commercial.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DrIAhWP7cA
In 1984, after living upeast for a year,I found a Popeye's in Philadelphia. I ran in, jumped up and down,and sang the jingle. I am amazed no one called the cops. It was a taste of home.
NO_Pam at 6:28PM on 08/09/08
I was excited when I moved to Cleveland years ago and found out there were several Popeye's restaurants as well.
It's the fried chicken I grew up on from the 1970s onward, since we hated KFC, as it was too salty (my mother loathed it for that reason as well) -- and Church's was meh.
We rarely ate deep fried food but once every few months, and this was it. We'd order spicy dark meat for my father and I, and my mother ordered the regular white meat.
Ahh the memories.
Cassaendra at 7:08PM on 08/09/08
My mom rarely indulged us in fast food trips but all of that changed in the 8th grade when Popeye's came to town. We tried it one weekend and Popeye's spicy fried chicken became my mom's best friend, invited into the house in greasy cardboard boxes on a weekly basis. It was a sad day a few years later when Popeye's closed up shop in our city. Good for the waistline but bad for the tastebuds.
The Popeye's chain has oddly come and gone several times since then around here. They can't seem to make up their minds whether they're coming or going. I rarely eat fried chicken when they do have a location open but it's fun to remember Popeye's night in the early 80's..
holdthemayo at 7:41PM on 08/09/08
I have been peeved with Popeye's since they changed the onion ring recipe, but it's still the best fried chicken around. It's the cat's favorite, too. However, it is but a shadow of its former spiciness; I guess they toned it down for the non-NOLA masses. In the old days, you could see pockets of spice in the crevices of the chicken. Yum!
But, as NO_Pam said, it's a little taste of home.
RegrettableFoodie at 8:25PM on 08/09/08
Going to Roy Rogers to eat fried chicken is like going to a steakhouse and eating a salad.
You go to RR for a burger with all the fixin's piled on high.
eschk at 8:40PM on 08/09/08
@Eschk: That reminds of when we went to Nathan's at an airport (possibly O'Hare) and my husband got a philly cheesesteak. He stared at me after the first bite. I thought, "oh no," and tasted a piece of meat and promptly spit the meat out. It was like eating dark brown shredded cardstock; hard, dry, and bland. He finished it up because he was ravenous, and the "meal" cost him $10 for a chinsy 5" long sandwich with 6-7 scraps of cards, err meat, and a soda.
I was happy with my hot dog.
Cassaendra at 11:33PM on 08/09/08
@eschk: Wuuut, my whole family used to semi-frequently eat fried chicken at Roy Rogers when I was little (and I don't think I'm the only one). Although it was so long ago I don't know if it actually tasted good. Hopefully better than the rest stop version.
roboppy at 12:33AM on 08/10/08
My first time ever trying Popeyes was in fact on the NJ Turnpike. Ever since then, no more KFC. We even had a birthday party once where most of the food was from Popeyes. Pretty good stuff for being fast food.
jonfoxx at 8:31AM on 08/10/08
Popeyes is good stuff.
Definitely one of my own favorites, not just for chicken, but fries and o-rings too!
FastFoodCritic at 9:09AM on 08/10/08
Popeyes is good stuff.
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Oops, I forgot to add the necessary disclaimer... "for fast food". :)
FastFoodCritic at 9:12AM on 08/10/08
Mmm.... Popeye's..... Of course, I havn't had some since I was pregnant and couldn't care less about eating an entire days worth of calories in one sitting. Their red-beans and rice... I have no idea what the heck they use in that (I suspect it involves lard and lots of it), but that is some good fast food.
onespicymama at 11:31AM on 08/10/08
I've had terrific Roy Rogers fried chicken but it probably went downhill after Hardee's bought them out.
Popeye's can be great or not so good, in my experience they tend to hire very unenthusiastic employees.
redfish at 12:13PM on 08/10/08
The guy who does topsecretrecipes.com cloned the RBR using 1/4 C. pork fat. Them are good beans, but for that occasional treat of fried chicken, nothing beats the big, juicy and hot pieces at Church's in Texas. You need to try it again, Cassaendra. What baffles me is that KFC stays in business. They offer the worst fast food in any category in my opinion.
lambowner at 3:52PM on 08/10/08
No_Pam, where in Philly is there a Popeye's?!?! I moved here a couple years ago, and have yet to find the joy that is Popeye's in the city of brotherly love!!!
I remember that as a child Roy Rogers was one of the only fast food joints that were "good quality" (as if there is such a thing when it comes to true fast food joints). But, I recently made the same mistake and had some Roy Rogers fried chicken on the NJ turnpike!!! Yeah, that was a pretty traumatic experience!!
Nomiom at 8:42PM on 08/10/08
onespicymama said -- Their red-beans and rice... I have no idea what the heck they use in that (I suspect it involves lard and lots of it)
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Cured pork fat, seasoned with brown sugar and natural smoke flavors. :)
FastFoodCritic at 9:50PM on 08/10/08
If you're lucky enough to get to a good Popeye's, it's OK, but the one nearest me has overcooked the chicken on every visit, and my one experience with their onion rings was an opportunity to discover what the outside of the onion...the part you normally throw away...tastes like battered and deep-fried.
Tonecat at 12:20AM on 08/11/08
I'm telling you, there's like 3-5 Cracker Barrels on Jersey Turnpike, totally yummy and better than fast food by miles :)
feistyfoodie at 12:54PM on 08/11/08
For maximum enjoyment, you should try making a carmel biscuit w/ a Popeye's delicious buttery biscuit. It's exactly what it sounds like and is completely disgusting and awesome.
zackola at 10:54PM on 08/11/08
Ok. You've made me want to do it. I live 5-10 minutes away from a Popeye's. I've never eaten there, but have always wondered. I will have to try it out...
Butrflygirly at 11:59AM on 08/14/08