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Popeyes Plots to Become Global Power

An afterthought until its fried chicken sandwich went viral in 2019, Popeyes is confronting KFC’s supremacy, including its U.K. debut this year.

Illustration: Jordan Speer
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Some 18 months after its chicken sandwich went viral, fast-food chain Popeyes is on a mission to take over the world.

It may not work, of course. Its parent, Restaurant Brands International Inc., has a spotty overseas record, at best. But the ambition alone underscores just how startling a transformation the once-sleepy brand has undergone since the summer of 2019, when the launch of a seemingly ordinary sandwich—a piece of fried meat with pickles and mayo—ignited a frenzy that sparked long lines, sellouts and even fisticuffs all across America.