Some restaurants, like Taco Bell, are all about adding new items to their menus—the Cheez-It Crunchwrap is just one of more than a dozen planned for the year—but Popeyes’s fried chicken has always been its main attraction. Of course, things changed a lot at Popeyes when the chain’s fried chicken sandwich went viral soon after it came out in 2019. Still, the chain’s main dish is still fried chicken, whether it’s in a sandwich, as tenders, or as a traditional three-piece combo with sides.
Popeyes made the Flounder Fish Sandwich in 2021. It was only available for a short time that year, during Lent, a time when fast food chains often add or highlight fried fish items. Since Popeyes may have become a sandwich chain by accident a few years ago, it made sense for the company to offer more sandwiches, even if only for a short time. Since then, Popeyes has added the Flounder Fish Sandwich to its menu every year. It has even gained a vocal following of fans who regularly ask the fast food chain to keep it on the menu all the time.
Here’s what makes the Popeyes Flounder Fish Sandwich so unique that it has a cult following, along with a review written by someone who tried it during its limited 2024 release.
In 2021, Popeyes unveiled their new fish sandwich to an absolutely ravenous reception Featuring a crispy, Cajun-spiced flounder fillet, the Popeyes fish sandwich sparked lines out restaurant doors and even shortages as demand vastly outpaced supply Now over two years later in 2023, seafood fans wonder – is Popeyes’ viral fish sandwich still available to order?
The answer is thankfully yes. While not a permanent menu item, Popeyes has continued offering limited-time releases of their famous fish sandwich during peak seafood seasons like Lent. Here’s a look at the history of the sandwich, what makes it so crave-worthy, and how to get your hands on one in 2023.
The Phenomenon of the Popeyes Fish Sandwich
Popeyes first introduced their new fish sandwich in August of 2019. Featuring a crispy, breaded flounder fillet on a brioche bun with barrel cured pickles and tartar sauce, it was an immediate hit. Customers faced hour-long waits as locations quickly sold out of the sandwich. Popeyes even needed to temporarily halt the promotion until supply could meet demand.
The sandwich spawned a viral buzz and heated “Chicken Sandwich Wars” between Popeyes and competitor Chick-fil-A which had recently launched its own crispy chicken sandwich. Popeyes cheekily tweeted they couldn’t let Chick-fil-A be “the only ones with a good chicken sandwich.” The fried chicken chain had clearly met their fish sandwich match.
In 2021 and 2022, Popeyes brought the sandwich back for limited stints during Lent. Its immense popularity showed no signs of waning with patrons still eager to nab the crispy seafood sensation.
Why Fans Go Crazy for This Fried Fish
What is it exactly about the Popeyes fish sandwich that sends customers into such a frenzy? Here are some of the stand-out qualities that have made it a viral fast food rockstar
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The Fish – Popeyes uses flounder sourced from the Pacific Ocean. Flounder has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and flaky texture that fries up tender and juicy inside the crispy breading.
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The Breading – The flounder fillet is coated in a signature Louisiana-style breading that provides insane crunch yielding to soft fish inside. It’s seasoned with Cajun spices, herbs, and plenty of black pepper.
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The Bun – The fish is served on a soft, buttery toasted brioche bun. It pairs perfectly with the crispy fillet and prevents it from getting soggy.
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The Sauces – There’s both a creamy, tangy tartar sauce and spicy spread for kicking up the heat. The sauces complement the fish instead of masking its flavors.
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The Hype – Let’s not discount the power of hype here. The sandwich generated major buzz which only made people want it more. Food FOMO is real!
When and Where to Get It in 2023
The Popeyes fish sandwich has continued making limited-time appearances corresponding to peak Lenten seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Based on this pattern, the fish sandwich will likely be back for Lent 2023 which falls between February 22 – April 8, 2023. However, Popeyes has not officially confirmed these dates yet.
When it is officially announced, the easiest way to get your hands on their fish sandwich is to download the Popeyes app and enable push notifications. This will alert you right away when the sandwich drops. With high demand expected, ordering ahead online via app is also the fastest way to skip lines and ensure you snag one before they sell out.
Of course, you can always call ahead to your neighborhood Popeyes or check their social media for fish sandwich announcements. But downloading the app will provide the most immediate information.
While frustrating that it’s not permanently available, the limited-time nature has absolutely fueled hype over the Popeyes fish sandwich and kept customers eagerly anticipating its return.
Hacks to Get the Fish Sandwich Fix Year-Round
Diehard fans who can’t survive on just a seasonal fish sandwich fix alone have come up with creative hacks to replicate it any time:
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Order the Popeyes chicken sandwich and add an extra fillet. The closest thing to the fish sandwich breading.
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Buy frozen flounder or pollock fillets, bread them in seasoned cornmeal, and pan fry at home. Add tartar sauce.
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Stop by your local Popeyes and kindly request they make you a DIY fish sandwich. Some accommodating locations will do it!
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Use a fried fish like cod or tilapia on a brioche bun with tartar. Add Cajun seasoning to approximate spicy breading.
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Check seafood restaurants near you. Many added their own versions after Popeyes’ success. The wait may be shorter too!
While the allure of Popeyes’ fish sandwich is undeniably tied to its fleeting availability and internet-breaking hype, these tips will help you replicate the magic at home in a pinch.
The Verdict on Popeyes’ Fish Sandwich Availability
Popeyes clearly struck gold with their wildly popular fried fish sandwich featuring crunchy, Cajun-spiced flounder on a brioche bun. While not a permanent menu item, the sandwich does make hyped up returns for limited stints around Lent.
Downloaded the Popeyes app and enable push notifications so you’ll be the first to know the second the fish sandwich drops in your area. With some preparation, you can beat the lines and finally satisfy your fish sandwich cravings in 2023. Stay tuned until then by following Popeyes on social media for official announcements on the sandwich’s return.
What’s on Popeyes’ Flounder Fish Sandwich?
The Popeyes Flounder Fish Sandwich is made with simple ingredients, just like the restaurant chain’s regular chicken sandwich. The basis of the fish sandwich, of course, is a fried flounder filet. Each filet is soaked in what the company calls a mix of Louisiana herbs and spices before it is breaded and fried. It’s important to note that Popeyes uses the same language to talk about the spice mix that its regular fried chicken is marinated in.
Accompanying the fish filet are just three additional ingredients. On the sandwich itself are pickle slices and tartar sauce. Housing everything is the same brioche bun that the chain uses for its chicken sandwich. The Classic Flounder Fish Sandwich only comes with tartar sauce. However, Popeyes also serves a spicy version of the fish sandwich called the Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich, which has the same spicy mayo that goes into the Spicy Chicken Sandwich all year long.
How does the Flounder Fish Sandwich compare to the rest of Popeyes’ sandwich lineup?
When the Flounder Fish Sandwich comes out in 2024, Popeyes will have more sandwiches than just the Classic and Spicy ones that were on the menu when the idea was first introduced. Perhaps most notably, in 2022 Popeyes revealed the Blackened Chicken Sandwich, made with an unbreaded chicken breast filet. People can now, for an extra fee, add bacon and cheese to any chicken sandwich after the menu was changed again. This isn’t available on the Flounder Fish Sandwich—bacon and cheese can’t be added, and the breaded fish filet is the only protein choice right now.
The main difference between the Classic Flounder Fish Sandwich and the chicken-based version is how the fish and chicken are breaded. The chicken in the chicken sandwich is fried in buttermilk breading, while the flounder in the fish sandwich has what the restaurant chain calls a “crispy coating” around it. Visually, the difference between both types of breading is apparent. The chickens breading appears flour-based, while the one on the fish is more of a crumb coat.