Fine Dining - Popeyes Review feat. Sierra Katow (Stand-Up Comedian, TV Chef Fantasy League) [Part Two]

Episode Date: July 31, 2024

We eat the chicken sandwich that caused chaos upon launch! Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen makes it clear that you're not supposed eat it there. But I powered through with my guest, stand-up comedian Sierra Katow Popeyes goes overboard on the signage in the store, outside the restaurant, and on the door What's Going On Over There with the complete silence inside the establishment? The chicken sandwich: is it really that good? Sierra opens up about a stressful Denny's experience What we ate: Strawberry Lemonade Sweet Tea Biscuits Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Cole Slaw Signature Fried Chicken Honey Lemon Pepper Wings Spicy Chicken Sandwich Apple Pie "Fine" Dining is now on video! Head on over to my YouTube to watch this episode! Music by: James McEnelly (@Ramshackle_Music) Theme Song by: Kyle Schieffer (@JazzyJellyfish) Segment Transitions Voiced by: Sandy Rose "Fine" Dining is on Patreon! Get an extra episode every month (Out later today, my July exclusive episode covers one of my absolute favorite food court spots: Sarku Japan. Joined by my friend Michael Slater, hear me dive into a pool of "Yummy Yummy Sauce!"), extended Yelp from Strangers segments every other week, merch discounts, download access to our music including the 7 singles from our Olive Garden musical, and more! Patreon Producers: Joyce Van, & Sue Ornelas   Get the 5 Survival Tips for Casual Dining at www.finediningpodcast.com!   Send in your Popeyes stories at [e-mail].   Follow the show on TikTok and Instagram @finediningpodcast Follow Sierra on Instagram and TikTok @sierrakatow   Let me know where I should go next by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, PodcastAddict, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. I read every one!   Next week on "Fine" Dining: Houston's Restaurant History [Part One]! From the That Was Wild! podcast, host Adam Macias joins me for a fancy birthday lunch at one of the nicer chains out there. Hear the history of Houston's and Hillstone. Ever work at Houston's? Send your stories to [e-mail].

On this week's delicious episode of the fine dining podcast, you just see a dude with actual Popeye the sailor man proportions, like giant for God. What's happening back there? They're experimenting. Well, you can sue them now for all their work and then own them. No one's going to Popeyes. Be like, oh, man, I love that vibe. Hello and welcome back to the fine dining podcast, the search for the most mediocre restaurants in America. I'm your host Michael Ornelas and I am here searching for which chain restaurant is the most average of all of the ones out there. And I'm trying to reclaim the word mid because I myself am mid people throw it around as

an insult and I am insulted by that. So I'm going to all these restaurants that like, you know, they're not the best places out there but they're reliable and I love them. Yeah, convenient. They're convenient. They exist. And they come with a lot of nostalgia. This week we went to Popeyes

and I got to go with standup comedian, Sierra Cato. She has a brand new comedy special, Funt, available on demand on Apple TV, on Amazon, on her website, sierracotto.com. You can see it if you're watching on YouTube. These things will be on screen for your eyes to feast upon. Sierra, welcome back to the Fine Dining Podcast. Thank you for having me back.

You wore the exact same thing as last week. Yeah, I made sure not to wash it, so I think we're pretty much in the same position. Yeah, it's wild. to the Fine Dining podcast. Thank you for having me back. You wore the exact same thing as last week. Yeah, I made sure not to wash it, so I think we're pretty much in the same position. Yeah, it's wild. So if it's your first time watching the show, this is a review episode, it's part two. So last week we covered the history

and Yelp reviews, this week we're gonna talk about our experience eating at Popeyes, eating in, which Popeyes is a to-go food. I guess so. Let's be real. We learned that the hard way. We learned that. So we're gonna talk about it and break it down based on three criteria.

We're gonna talk about it based on its atmosphere. Based on its service. And based on its food. Mmm, yum. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna jump on into that. But if you want more fine dining,

out today, my Sarku Japan Patreon episode. Sarku Japan is a teriyaki chicken food court spot that I grew up with and love and I'm super excited to bring you an episode on it so you can check that out at my Patreon. But otherwise, fine dining party of two, our table is finally ready. So we're going jump on in... Theme Song! Butter and bread, these walls have growth signs Knit-knack, cowboy hat, good luck hat Autograph guitar, some crap from your city Behold the tchotchke of mediocrity Fine dining It's just fine dining, fine dining Two letters on the sign are shining

Neon flickering, irregular timing Identify the perfect fine She's proud of ten Fine dining This is so clearly a spot. Like I said in the intro, I don't think this is conducive to dining in. No. To the point that I would say there is very little effort put into the idea of the dining experience.

Yeah, I feel like they were a little surprised that we were dining in. Yeah, I think they were like, oh, we don't have this in a minute. Okay, what do we do here? We have seats, but they're for waiting. Yeah, it's sort of a decor situation. No, yeah, I would say other pop- yeah, it's just such a small, you know, seating area. So there's obviously not much.

Maybe 10 tables, a lot of them for just two. Yes, and it's surrounded by windows. So in a hot summer day like it is today, it's like, you know, kind of greenhouse. You're in the fryer. You're in the fryer. A bit, yeah, you're eating fried chicken and getting fried yourself. Yeah, I took some pictures.

Now, one of the things before I even walked in that I noticed that I thought was interesting was there were a lot of signs. Sure. Obviously there's the big poll that says Popeyes, you know, the big logo, standard fast food. Gotta do it. Orange. Then, you know, you get the sticky big vinyl posters

on the window telling you of specials inside. Go ahead, standard fare. You're allowed to do it. They all do it. All the fast food places have this. Then there's picket signs on their tiny, two foot by five foot stretch of lawn where the big sign stands out.

They had four picket signs. Game time is wings time. Order it online. Add a sip of summer. Redeem your favorite food for free. Like just. Oh yeah. I did not see those. You're right. They're all different things. There's a QR code on one of them. With no busy. Yeah. Very busy. There's no consideration of, Hey, maybe less is more. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe we can focus on one thing. This is more is more. This is like, you know when a kid gets really excited about a thing and then they just kind

of yell at you about it for a while and tell you every piece of information they know? That was me as a kid with Goosebumps books and Pokemon and like pro wrestling. And then as an adult, it is still that to do. And Pokemon. Oh yes, Pokemon for sure. And like pro wrestling. Okay. And then as an adult, it is still that with pro wrestling and Pokemon. Right, yeah, yeah. Just keep going. But. I mean, semi-related to that analogy. I took a test recently online that told me that I might be autistic and to look further

into it. No, for sure. And I was like, that tracks. You're like, yeah, yeah, maybe this is my version of science. I just talk in detail. It works. It works. Okay, it works in some scenarios, but for Popeyes, yeah, it was a little hard to figure out what was going on. Yeah. And like what I should be reading and like a lot of the signs were so unnecessary.

Yeah. And it was like, there's so many of them that I was like, I'm focusing on none of them now. Oh, yeah, yeah, it's like a noise. Yeah. And keep in mind, this is all still outside the restaurant. Oh, yeah, yeah. We haven't even talked about inside. We haven't even walked in yet.

And there are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten signs on the door. What are we? Oh, my goodness. Yeah, you, like, honestly, I think I blew past that and just thought they were third party advertisements. But they're all for Popeyes. It looks like only one. One of them is we deliver with food-ja.

Okay, but still Popeyes. I guess still related at least to Popeyes. Yeah, there's like a now hiring, there's no smoking, which like you have to put that. Sure. So you know, and like you get a few, your hours, but this is too many. 10 signs.

On a small square of door. And then you go inside and the restaurant itself, the interior, I mean, the interior behind the counter, littered with more signs. And I did find it very funny that one of their signs had the word hate on it which is just not a thing you see like it's not in the corporate language the word hate it was hate that we're running short we might be running low on some of your favorite fixins but we're working

hard to stock up thanks for understanding understanding. This is very low resolution. You know what? Now that, because we did comment on this when we were there. And then when in last week's episode, we talked about like how they had stabbings and stuff because they didn't have a public chicken sandwich. I'm like, maybe that sign is for that. And it's like, if we like match their hate and we say,

like we get it. Fight hate with hate. Yeah, yeah, we get that you hate us. Like maybe that'll help. So maybe that's what that sign is. Cause I was, we get that. You hate us. Like maybe that'll help. So maybe that's what that sign is. Cause I was really like, that sign's doing nothing. Like why is that there?

But now that I know the history of how much they've had to deal with like angry customers. Look, we hate you too. Yeah, yeah, you hate us. Hey, well we beat you to the punch by saying, we are hateable. Yeah, yeah. That's funny.

But yeah, just the overall number of signs, a little overwhelming. And I'm gonna go so far as to say, it's worthy of an award. I'm gonna give it this week's, This Is Way Too Much Award. Oh! This is Way Too Much!

Wow, what an honor. They're doing too much. They are doing too much. And I think it's to the point where like, I don't even know where to look and then there's sort of a sense of oh this is new oh wait that's new wait what you know there's a lot of like new things are like selling like oh this is the chilled lemonade iced tea thing yeah and they've got like five words to describe just like this is sweet tea it was it's like watching porn in the year

2003 it's just all those pop-up ads. Yes, it's very pop-up ads. It's just like, I'm just trying to hit X so that I can look at the boobs. Popeye is the boobs. Right, right, give me the boobs sandwich. I need that. And, sorry mom and dad who are listening.

Oh yeah, not that. I was looking at that stuff at that age. Good to come clean now that you're in your 30s. Yeah, and it's just like, oh, I think I got a virus from the amount of Popeye's signs. It was just way too much. Way too much.

Yeah, it seems like it's working against their own cause, which is to sell stuff. To sell you stuff. Yeah, sandwiches. What they really caused was just, I dissociated. Yeah. There was like, I mean, I guess for ready to get into it, no music. Oh, yeah. Let's talk about that.

So, I met you for the very first time a minute and a half before we walked through the doors. In the parking lot. So, like, we haven't had a conversation before. No. We haven't developed a rapport, a friendship, a relationship, like anything. And now we are thrust into the lobby

where there is silence. Yeah, no music, no ambiance. And we are left to discuss what we want. Me, explain to you the premise of this show in a little bit more detail. Which was great. And agree on what we want to order. You know, you don't seem like you're a very picky eater. You're just kind of like order whatever.

Yeah, I was kind of like, yeah, you take the reins, buddy. I don't know. But yeah, I mean, and then there were other customers there who were kind of standing around because I think they were, you know, I mean, and then there were other customers there who were kind of standing around because I think they were, you know, wisely maybe, yeah, we're doing some to go here.

You could have heard a grasshopper fart in there. Yeah, it was very strange. Because I think, yeah, and I couldn't put my finger on it initially because I was just like, oh, maybe it's the fact that, you know, these other strangers are kind of standing around waiting for their food and I feel- Why do I, I felt so uncomfortable and awkward.

Yeah. And then you were like, Oh, cause like no music. And I was like, Oh, I didn't even clock that. But of course. But there's also like the I'm second guessing myself with the ordering process because like I say a thing and then I just kind of like look back to you and I'm like, is that okay? I totally like, I was like, Hey bud, you know to dry. I was like, hey bud, you know. Yeah. But like, I was like, am I ordering too much food?

I don't know how much variety you want to try. Are you comfortable sharing food with people? Because not everyone is. So it's just like all these things that like. It was a lot at once. Yeah. If there was just like a little jazz, just a little New Orleans jazz, I felt like I could have taken a second and just like us chatted

right for you know just a little short conversation like yeah what do we want but no you just feel like you're put so on the spot it's silent and it makes me wonder our questions here what like there's no music it's peculiar and so it makes me wonder what's going on over there? Sierra what is going on over there? Why are they just sticking us in an environment with no music? So I heard about this. I think what happened is they had you know, as we discussedabbings, some shootings, there were some problems. Anger issues across America over there. They've got hate written behind them. Yeah, they had to put it on the side. They're setting a mood.

And now they're like, it was the music. The music was instilling in people anger, hunger, anger. And now they'd realize after multiple trials, multiple live experiments on unsuspecting subjects like ourselves, that no music actually is the best because then everybody's so like. You're too awkward to start shit. Yeah, like you're not comfortable enough

to just like clock someone in the face. Yeah, it's like your mom took away your PlayStation because it's like you're playing too much GTA. Right. It's leading to, you know... True violence and Grand Theft Auto on the streets. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As video games do. Right, but then sometimes when you take away the video game,

then where do you put that violence? But no, I think, yeah, so they discovered just complete dead silence means everybody's so confused. I'm not going to stab someone if I feel kind of ashamed and embarrassed. I'm not gonna stab someone if I feel kind of ashamed and embarrassed. Right.

I'm not reaching for my knife when I'm just like, I don't feel comfortable in my own body. Exactly. I think, yeah, that's when you realize like, hey, what am I doing? I should probably throw this knife away. I should probably surrender my unlicensed gun to the authorities.

So I think on a macro scale, what you're saying is if we just get rid of music, if we cancel music, world peace is attainable. Yeah, I realize that's counterintuitive. It's counterintuitive, because normally music is good. And then you celebrate by singing Kumbaya and just a mass shooting of us.

Yeah, and then, oh my God, we all lose it again. Yeah. Yeah, but I think, listen, I mean, take it up with the Popeye's science department or whatever. Look, they've been doing the work. They've been, yeah, they've been working in a, you know, double blind controlled experiment. And this was the outcome. So we're now subjects of that. Yeah. And I mean, when you've lived in a world where you were being sold your own food from the guy who used to own it, and you've like been a victim of mistreatment, I can understand them throwing all this money at trying to solve the violence issue.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. They were betrayed by their own father. They were a victim for so long. Yeah, truly. I think we figured it out. I think that is in fact what's going on over there. What is going on over there? Yeah, there wasn't a lot else to talk about

with the atmosphere, but we were the only ones in there for a little bit, and the lack of music definitely accentuated it. And I almost felt sympathetic for the employees, which we'll talk about more in service, but I'm just like, they have to go through a shift with no music. Yeah, that's horrible. But people did start filling in, and a few people ate in,

a few people would order and then wait for their food, and then I think there were some people coming to pick up to-go orders. Right, right. Stuff like that. I'm gonna be honest though, when I'm thinking about all the restaurants I've been to,

I'm not recommending anyone subject themselves to this dine-in experience. Yeah, I see. Which isn't to say it's miserable, but there's no focus on making it enjoyable. Yeah, it's definitely kind of more, I wonder if it's, you know, a little discouraging, it's like kind of discouraging because it was small, so I wonder if it's a little bit like,

listen, if you have to eat here, that's fine, we have seats, but we're not here to, you know, let you set up shop. Yeah, they also don't have a bathroom. No, right, so that makes it tough to stay there for hours on top of the no music. here to let you set up shop. Yeah. They also don't have a bathroom. No. Right. So that makes it tough to stay there for hours on top of the no music. So I'm not going to like, I hated this or anything like that, which is usually the criteria I need to give something two thumbs down.

I think I'm going to be like ever so merciful and just give it a one thumbs down that is very it a one thumbs down that is very close to two thumbs down, but you know, it was clean. Yeah. No, no, nothing went down. There wasn't no fights erupted, no stabbings, no. Right, thank God.

No one brandished a gun. Thanks to the no music. Thanks to the no music. So yeah, one thumb down. Yeah, I am also gonna do one thumbs down. I think I'm a little closer to no thumbs at all or middle only because I'm like, it was very clean and then good parking.

There were parking spots available. The manager wasn't fixing his car at that time. I'm thinking also just for like fast food, places like that, the bar can be, I'm kind of gritting on a curve a little bit. I see. Okay. Yeah.

Cool, well that's it for the atmosphere. Let's talk about the service. Service. There was one guy. One guy. I mean, there were people behind, but you don't really see them. It's honestly so busy up there with all the signage One guy. I mean, there were people behind, but you don't really see them.

It's honestly so busy up there with all the signage that I didn't clock where that slit was where the kitchen is. Oh, I know. Where does sign start and space start? Yeah. Which it might have been like a concealing tactic of like, don't look back here. Please read these signs. Hey, hey, hey.

You just see a dude with actual Popeye the Sailor Man proportions, like giant forearms. Oh God, what's happening back there? They're experimenting on them. Just injecting them with like fryer grease and stuff. Ooh, yeah, it could happen. So it was just this guy, and I don't know if he was a teenager. I don't think he was, but he definitely had like a very youthful timidity to him. Sure, yeah, yeah.

Youthful, yeah, seeming like to, you know, more responsibility it seemed. Yeah, yeah, maybe. Yeah, I mean, he was the one to hold down the fort. All interactions with people. In silence. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, no distracting music. Yeah, I wonder if he, you know, who made the call on the no music, you know,

if it could have been that he doesn't like it because he's out there, you know, he's like, hey, I'm in charge out here, so no music today. I just wanna be alone with my thoughts. I know. Please. Yeah. Food came out quick. He was receptive. He wasn't rude. I have nothing to say really about the service.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, it was minimal interaction because it's really just ordering and then receiving food like and then I also noticed there were quite a few it was dead for a bit but then when lunch hit a little bit there are more people coming in and being a little more you know wanting interaction oh mine's to go you know I'm that one and there were it seemed like he was handling it yeah even though there were quite a few people so so that was cool. Yeah.

But like, so when I think of a positive service experience, I think of, you know, chain restaurants, they have a leg up. Sure. They come to your table. They're talking with you. They develop a rapport. And I do have fast food experiences where they develop a rapport with me

and there is a little bit of banter. There was none of that. So I'm not gonna go thumbs up on this, but I also have nothing negative to say about the guy. So I think this is just thumbs right in the middle for me. This is about as neutral of a service experience as you can get. Yeah, I would probably do like one thumb up because I'm like, it seemed like pretty maybe sometimes you don't want too much interaction

because you're like, I'm just trying to get my food and go, you know, which is sometimes what I like a little bit. Sometimes if somebody's talking to me too much, I get like, oh yeah, what do you do? What's the weather today? You have a nice lunch too. I mean, ah, fuck. So I do hate it when they say a thing

that's specific to just you, like enjoy your meal, you too. You too, oh shit. If you work in a customer facing job, just always say something where it's applicable for them to say you YouTube, back to you. It's a mercy. It's just sometimes, so I'm just, you know, me and interactions with strangers,

it's always something weird going on. Not their fault at all. So yeah, for that reason, maybe I'm a little more like, that's my style, but. Are you the type that when you get like a Lyft or an Uber, you want them to be silent? Oh, I mean, I do chat with them, but I would say overall, I'm probably not great at it.

I sometimes maybe do the thing where I'm like, what question do I ask next? So there's a little anxiety. But you're not bothered by it, right? No, I'm not bothered by it. I just think it's just, I'm gonna be maybe self-conscious about it. Sure, sure.

So it might bring us a tad more social anxiety, of course. Yeah, yeah. But no, I shouldn't do it, I used to drive for Lyft and I was like I really get uncomfortable at silent rides Sure, you want to have a little yeah I think if there's a good medium there especially because you're really in the same box for and there is a vulnerability to letting someone in Your car. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you're at the mercy and you're operating the thing I'm just like I do kind of want to like feel you out. Yeah, yeah, and make sure they're not like gonna do something crazy. You know, that's a very good point.

And vice versa, there's like, okay, you know, you're at the, as a passenger, you're like, okay, you're not gonna drive us off a cliff? Well, that's great. But I mean, there's a little more unknown from the driver's side, of course, because you're like, literally, it's your car. Yeah.

So anyways, that's, yeah. No thumbs for service on me, one thumb up for you. Hell yeah. Easy enough. Food. Yum, yummy. This is their selling point. You're going to Popeyes for food.

No one's going to Popeyes to be like, oh man, I love that vibe. Right, right, right. I love to just chat it up with random people. So we got a bit of a sampling. We got their signature chicken. We got their new wings. We got the sandwich. And then a few sides, coleslaw, mashed potatoes with gravy, apple pie for dessert. And I will start with my drink. I got the frozen lemonade. It was a strawberry lemonade.

Thought it was a little too sweet, and I guess I expected it to impress me, and it just, it didn't taste special. Maybe it's just like, instead of a strawberry, I would prefer like a raspberry lemonade, and it was just the berry itself didn't impress me. I don't know, but it just, it may not be, but it tasted this way, a little on the artificial side.

Oh, sure. So. I can see that. And then the texture of like the frozen lemonade, it was like, you know, you know, when you get like crushed ice. Oh, too much of that. Yeah, it was like a mix of like crushed ice with the thing.

So it didn't feel like it had this cohesive like texture of knowing what it wanted to be. It's not quite an icy, but it's not quite just like a solid or, you know, liquid beverage with ice. So it just kind of existed in this weird purgatory. So I'm going to give it a five out of 10. You're not missing anything if you don't order it,

but you're not going to like be disgusted if you do. It looked really good from the outside. I feel like they maybe focused on that too much. Yeah. Now you got a drink that was normally like, I don't cover the drinks, but sweet tea is a thing of the South. And when you're a Popeyes and you're a Louisiana kitchen and someone gets the sweet tea, I do want to hear about it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I got the sweet tea, which I think on the,

of all the signage was like cane sugar, sweetened tea or something, like a lot of words, but basically just sweet tea. And yeah, when I go to like, truthfully I'll get the sweet tea too, so it's kind of nice to compare them. But I think what I realized I did wrong, it's kind of self-serve, so I think I probably should have put more ice in it. I just like fully was like,

it's probably gonna be cold or there's, I don't know what I was thinking, but it was actually room temp. So it's like a slightly lukewarm sweet tea. Yeah, a little lukewarm, or just not iced. And so I would recommend getting the ice with it. It was sweet. And I know that sweet tea is a certain thing.

I've had it in the South before as well, and it's always gonna run sweeter than like what people out here in California think of iced tea. But I kind of would recommend doing a little, I actually did top off a little bit with the unsweetened tea, which you can do because they're both self-serve. So I guess you can just, you know, make it the ratio you want. Yeah.

So I think I would recommend going a little harder in the unsweetened to balance it. I think also like a 70 30 maybe. Yeah. Yeah. And it would have been helped. I think if I had ice in it too. So that, so that was my own fault. If I were to rate it, I mean, I think I would probably go like, yes, like 7.5, eight out of 10.

Cause you know, it is like, you're getting what you expect and it's just nice that they have it and you can kind of pair it with whatever, right? Yeah. Okay, so. The tea pairing. We'll go with our sides. Coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy. I mean, this is just a styrofoam or like paper cup

full of potatoes. It has a lid on it that looks sweaty. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sitting in there for enough to condense. Presentationally, not a sexy dish. No. No, but, you know, I like potatoes just fine. It tastes like an instant.

You know, it doesn't taste like they're hand mashing and back or anything like that. It's just that it's a little too, watery is the wrong word, but it's not thick enough. It doesn't have that body, that volume to it, I feel. The gravy's fine. Overall though, it's kind of a whatever thing. Six out of 10, I'd say, on the mashed potatoes. So it's kind of a whatever thing.

Six out of 10, I'd say, on the mashed potatoes. But that's against every food I've ever had. So like, you know. And if five is right in the middle, it's a little better than average. Cool. But yeah, you tasted it, right? I didn't taste that one actually. I only stuck to the coleslaw.

You stuck to the coleslaw, which. But I glanced at it and I said, that's mashed potatoes. That I can't identify. Which is. Which is good. That is good. If you looked at it, you're like, what is that? Yeah, what you get?

Ew. Yeah. The coleslaw looked very wet. Soupy. It looked very mayo heavy. Yeah. And I'm the kind of guy who I'm like, I really like just kind of a light amount of mayo

on a coleslaw. I like a more solid than liquid coleslaw. And so this was, I was surprised I had a little bit more heft when I tasted it than I expected it to, but it was still a little too mayo-y for me. I just went five and a half out of 10. It's coleslaw, it still tasted just fine. It was a consistency thing for me that,

had it felt more maybe real or substantive, it could have gained an extra point maybe, but five and a half out of 10 as it stands. Yeah, I agree. I think maybe the issue was like, it was mayo heavy, but it was honestly like watery. I think it was more, could be just water from whatever. The veggies themselves, the veggies were kind of cut small too.

So I think that makes it more soupy. But anyway, I think I'm more in the like four range, four, five. Like the low end of average. Yeah, which is like, and coleslaw is hard, but I think it was kind of a little less than I thought. When you say it's hard, like it's hard to make good. Yeah, and I think like, you know, what's a great coleslaw?

I don't even know if I, I don't even know if the best coleslaw would score a 10, you know, in my, in my book. So, so maybe it's just because of that. It has a cap. Yeah. Oh, and then the forgotten side. But how could you forget it's the best of the three, the biscuits. You're at a Southern joint, biscuits are gonna be a thing.

I went to Cracker Barrel not that long ago and I actually thought their biscuits were, I gave them a 10 out of 10. Oh wow. I don't know if I should have, but you know, sometimes. No, that's great. Yeah, you're feeling generous. Sometimes you're just into it, you know. Hell yeah No, that's great. Yeah. You're feeling generous. Sometimes you're just into it.

You know, you just feel it. This didn't hit that bar, but it, these were pleasant, especially for something that's probably pretty processed. Yeah. I was surprised. It had like a good mixture of like, there was like a saltiness to it that, uh, was like just the right amount. Somewhere between fluffy and hard, but not hard in a stale way.

Hard in like a. Substantive way. And yeah, I mean, it was working for me well enough. I didn't put anything on it. Like I didn't butter it. They don't, they didn't give butter. Usually I would maybe put like a honey or something. Uh, and I just was too lazy to stand up and get honey, but I don't think I heard it.

I thought that the biscuit was, it was good on its own. I went eight and a half. Cool, yeah. Out of 10. No, yeah, I also really liked it. I think they're kind of a nice size too. Not too big, kind of a nice addition and. They're enough to literally be a side.

Yes, yes, yes. Like they don't dominate. It doesn't have to take up the whole meal. Yeah, great point. Felt buttery, yeah, definitely that good texture when I kind of broke it apart. So yeah, I'm like, I think eight for sure. It was a pleasant surprise

because I kind of forgot that they serve that. Yeah, I literally forgot too and I'm like, wait, this is like one of the things that they're known for. Yeah, makes sense. And like, gosh, biscuits and chicken, like great combo. So you kind of have to have that. But yeah, I would expect, cause I just know how difficult those are to make

and how everybody says, oh, there's only one good way to do it. And it takes all day, da da da. People are too precious about the methodology. And you know, I didn't grow up with anyone who knew how to make biscuits. So my palette for biscuits is not necessarily the same as somebody who maybe does know

what homemade biscuits are like. Yeah, I mean, I'm just in the camp of good is good. Yeah. I've had homemade biscuits that sucked. Sure. So like, you know. Yeah. Yeah.

Take that, Auntie. No, thanks. They know who they are. Yeah, yeah. All right, so next we'll go with Popeyes introduced wings. Not that long ago, which honestly kind of surprises me. That they didn't have it longer? That they didn't have it.

I mean, you can order a wing as part of like, oh, I want like three pieces. I'll get a wing, a breast, and a thigh, but like just getting chicken wings in the traditional sense is kind of a new thing. And they had like six or so different sauces that they would be tossed in that you could choose from. And we got the honey lemon pepper wings. These, I'll let you give the comparison that you.

Oh, that at the time that I said. At the time. Yeah, I felt like they kind of had a orange chicken element to them because the lemon. They were too sweet. It was weird, yeah. Cause I think when I picked it, cause I picked the, oh, let's try the honey lemon pepper.

And they kind of have the spiciness scale like that you would see at any kind of wings place, right? Somewhere in the middle, slightly more mild, I think. But I was just recalling like, oh, lemon pepper, like that's such a popular wing seasoning. And as a rub, I love lemon pepper. I thought it was gonna be a rub. I thought so too.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then it was more of a syrup. But it was like pick your sauce. But it was an oversight on both. I also expected a rub. Again, too many signs. They had so many signs, maybe I would have picked up on that detail. If any of them were clear.

I know, I know. I was like taking in too much information. So yeah, so I guess it was more of like a glaze syrupy kind of feel. So it made that lemon thing, it was just of like a glazed syrupy kind of feel. So it made that lemon thing. It was just like kind of what you say about the lemonade. It's like a little artificial taste. It actually reminded me, I just had some like pasta from Trader Joe's that was in this like set that I think people will know if they know Trader Joe's. It's called the Panoply of Pasta.

Have you heard of this? No. There's like five different pastas. It's kind of like a gift. So I think I got it for Christmas. And then one of the middle ones was like a yellow pasta, but like a lot of pasta is yellow. So I just threw it in and I thought it would be

like any other pasta, but it turned out to be like lemon flavored and it didn't like it because it was like, this is just tastes like artificial flavoring. Yeah, yeah. And that's kind of the same flavoring I think that was in this. Yeah, it was too sweet and the honey made it too sticky.

Yeah. And like the quality of the chicken was not on par It was too sweet and the honey made it too sticky. And like the quality of the chicken was not on par with like their normal signature classic chicken. Yeah, it was different in a way that wasn't working for me. I'm gonna go three out of 10 on these wings. I don't recommend them. Maybe we went wrong with the sauce and we just got one that was a little on the too sweet side.

Maybe if we went for a spicier, like a honey barbecue or mustard, maybe, you know, I'm willing to try them again, but these, as, as they were, they're not bringing me back. No. Yeah. I wouldn't order that specific one again. Yeah. I think I'm also a three. That seems about right. I, I kind of also, yeah, I wonder if the chicken, like they introduced the wings and they're like, we can use the kind of shittier chicken here. You know, the like more throwaways that we couldn't sell

as the signature chicken or whatever. And hey, it's a great business model. We know Popeyes, they know how to run the business. You gotta get rid of that chicken on the run. Yeah, the weird tiny, yeah, chicken on the run couldn't run very far. And so- This did feel like the chicken runs.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just the way it just, the honey dripping off. Yeah, you're like, oh, this is not gonna sit well. So yeah, I wonder if that's why that's kind of their model for the wings department is like not as great chicken, but we slather it in sauce so you can't really tell. And who cares?

You're gonna be like eating a better, watching like a game or something. So yeah, don't pay attention. Yeah, yeah, this is definitely a don't look at me. Don't look at it. Don't look So yeah, don't pay attention. Yeah, yeah. This is definitely a don't look at me. Don't look at it. Don't look at me. I'm hideous.

Yeah, yeah. Just eat me and your dark shame. Yeah, you hang your head when you eat these. That's how they're meant to be consumed. Yeah. Yeah. So then we got the signature chicken. This is just like the thing that they would use

to compete with KFC. I didn't go with the Cajun seasoned one specifically because we got the spicy version of the sandwich. And so I wanted like the, all right, what's the mild version? What's the spicier one? And yeah, this, this felt like a step up from a KFC, but it really didn't feel like that much higher of a step up. Yeah. It was juicy and crispy. The skin was actually, I thought the breading was really enjoyable. I thought it was a little too greasy, which I mean, it's fried chicken. It comes with the territory, but there still is a spectrum there.

And for me, it was, yeah, it was a little too greasy. I went six out of 10. So it's like, I'm not hating it. I would get it again, but. Yeah, it could be better. Yeah, I think I, you know, I tried it with, let's see, the honey mustard, that was good with it. I think.

Oh yeah, we had sweet heat, honey mustard, and the Mardi Gras mustard, which is like a Dijon. Okay, okay, yes. Yeah, it had like the more like chunky mustard. Okay, yeah, the seeds looking things. Yeah, so I tried this with the honey mustard, I think specifically. Yeah, it was definitely, I think the one thing,

I think I like the batter that is lighter. I tend to like that style better. The one thing I compare it to that is, you know, much better of course is canes, raisin canes. Where their chicken- Do you think raisin canes is much better? In my head ites, raising canes, um where their chicken. Do you think raising canes is much better? In my head it is but they have similar batter. I don't have a lot of love for raising canes. Okay.

I don't like hate it. That's right. I don't have much loyalty. They open one in Burbank and the line. Sure. They're big right now. Was not, I was just like this food doesn't equal this. No, no, never, never. I don't get that.

I think there's such a craze for it right now, it's very trendy, you know, because they're popping up in more locations. So people who have never had it before, like I hadn't had it, you know, growing up or anything. Yeah. It was kind of like this lore of like, ooh, let's try it out.

And they are all really nice right now because they're shiny and new. Yeah. And I do think I've had it in the right situations where I've been like very hungry and been like, oh, this just hits the spot, you know? But I would say they have comparable batter, which I kind of like, you know,

it's this kind of thinner thing and it doesn't overwhelm. It's not like so, it doesn't like hurt, you know? You want your food not to hurt. But I think this chicken was like not quite as good. And maybe it's cause you know, there's a different, you know, maybe that specific piece wasn't as good. But anyway, I still thought it was quite nice for what it was.

So I'm probably like 6.5. 6.5. Let's move on up to what I would call the star of the show. Yeah, the sandwich to die for or to kill for. The spicy chicken sandwich that has caused fights, that has caused an infrastructure change in the business model of Popeyes, that people have driven their cars off of roads for.

Yeah, wrecked their BMWs. Is it worth that? It was pretty damn good. It was pretty damn good. I will say I also. Would you kill someone? Oh man, no. All right, what were you saying?

No, listen, I get it though. I think it's, I didn't eat breakfast in anticipation and it was the first thing we ate and it was so nice. And the spicy one specifically was just the right amount of heat where I just felt like I was getting something but it wasn't overwhelming. The pickle, I almost dropped the pickle and I put it back in and I mean,

it only went on the little plate, but I was glad I put the pickle back in because it was really good with the pickle. I found it funny that they don't have knives here. And this sandwich was tender enough that with the spork, the only utensil that they have in this establishment, I was able to cut it in half by stabbing it repeatedly with a spork.

And you did it perfectly. I looked away and it was already cut. You just had a half sandwich, you're like, this looks like. I was like, looks like you had a knife, man. Maybe they don't have knives because people were stabbing each other inside of Popeyes. So then they realized we can't provide these weapons. Yeah, but a spork to the jugular.

I mean, shh, don't tell anyone. But yeah, you're right. That would be more painful. Close the stab gap. Oh, hey! That's from the special, thank you. That's a line from her special. Thank you for watching. Fun to everybody.

But yeah, I think that's a good testament to the chicken. Tender, sporkable. Yeah, and the sauce balance too. So many things are either over-sauced or under-sauced. And I thought they know the right amount to smear on the bun, on the chicken, on whatever. The chicken itself, tender, flavorful. This is great.

Fast food, not every place has an item that I would call great. Popeyes has what I would call a great chicken sandwich. Is it the best I've ever had? No. Even in the fast food or fast casual world, I would prefer like a Dave's Hut chicken. I think they're delicious.

Their seasoning combination is just more to my preference. So this isn't like a perfect thing. But I'm still gonna go nine out of 10 on the Popeyes chicken sandwich. Yeah, I think I'm a nine. Yeah, I have a nine as well. I think it's just, it's right there. I know. Yeah. I have maybe, I mean, I don't know. Like, you know, I do love a Howlin' Rays. I know they're very popular and they do the crazy thing.

I've tried them once. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I didn't love it, but I hear everyone say they're the best chicken sandwich in LA. But my one time I had them is meaningless because I was working as a, as an office PA on a movie and I was tasked with, Hey, go drive to, I think we went to the one in Pasadena, go pick up from Howlin' Rays. You know, it's going to be a late night, go, go grab for the office, like five people or whatever. you know, it's gonna be a late night, go grab for the office, like five people or whatever. And I don't know why, I mean,

maybe it's just that manly urge to be an idiot sometimes. I was like, I can do the hottest one. So I got my Howlin' Rays sandwich, Howlin'. Okay, that's like the hottest one and then you can qualify for like the even hotter one after. Okay, hell yeah. Yeah, whatever the like top one was. and then you can qualify for like the even hotter one after okay hell Yeah, yeah, whatever the the like top one was five years ago four years ago at this point. I

Was just at my desk everyone's eating their sandwich being like, oh, this is so good and I'm just like yeah This is good and I'm dying. Oh, no, I'm trying to keep the poker face. I'll be here tomorrow morning, too Right on time. So that's my howlin raise experience and I'm dying, but I'm trying to keep the poker face. I'll be here tomorrow morning too, right on time. So that's my Hall and Rays experience. And I hear they're fantastic and I want to go again. I did not get the hottest one. Yeah, well, okay. So then I hear there's an even hotter one where you have to like sign a waiver

and you have to prove that you've eaten the other one. That's what they say. That's what they say. Well, like Dave's, to order their hottest one, there's apparently a waiver. Oh, okay. But they didn't give it to me when I ordered it. Oh my God, well you can sue them now for all their work

and then own them. I did actually, there was a, there's like a hot sauce store that I like called Pepper Palace. They're, I mean they're kind of a chain, but like there's one at like Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I know there's one in like the downtown area

of like Arrowhead. They're around. I went to a Pepper Palace, and they have a, it's like an eyedropper of hot sauce, of a hot sauce extract. Oh, God. And you just put a drop, and you have to sign a waiver, and it's seven million Scoville units.

Oh, God. Which, do you know, roughly? I mean, I don't think I know the exact translation, but no, that's a lot. Yeah, like a habanero is like 300,000. Oh, go on. Which, do you know, like, roughly? I mean, I don't think I know the exact translation, but no, that's a lot. Yeah, like a habanero is like 300,000. Oh, yikes. A ghost pepper's like one million. Oh, no, no, no. So to have an extract that's seven million.

No, no, no. It was 10 minutes of... Agony. Tough. I'm crying. Ha ha ha ha ha. So you put it on something, or did you just... Yeah, I think they may have had like a little cracker or something. I don't remember what the thing is. I'm crying. So you put on something or did you just?

Yeah, I think they may have had like a little cracker or something. I don't I don't remember what the thing like the hot chip challenge or whatever. Yeah, I like doing that like spice stuff because like everyone I've had, I'm like, yeah, I can handle it. And it's I think there is something to like the. The challenge nature of it. I don't understand challenge eating from a quantity standpoint, like, like the challenge nature of it. I don't understand challenge eating from a quantity standpoint, like the hot dog eating contest or like,

yeah, eat a six pound pizza by yourself in 30 minutes. I'm like, why? Right, right, that's not worth it. I don't get it. But the heat, I do actually, I understand the psychology of why you might venture into that. It's putting yourself through a test.

Yeah, yeah, you really test your limits. I mean, that's the whole thing, like your brain thinks you're on fire, so then you kind of get some euphoria from it. Yeah. Yeah, no, there is very much like a crystallizing moment at some point through that where you're like, I'm watching myself from above me. My brain is like giving me some soothing chemicals so that I don't think I'm gonna die.

No, much respect. I think if you did go for a more mild howl and raise, yeah, you would enjoy it. Well, I don't know. I think I would too. Anyways, Popeyes was not that hot. It wasn't that hot, yeah. And I think that makes sense.

They're so widespread. But it was delicious. But yeah, it added the right amount of kick to kind of like give you something. And then of course we close it off with a little tasty dessert. We got the apple pie, like the little pocket apple pie thing

that McDonald's just used to do better. McDonald's kind of changed. Did they change theirs? Well, cause like, I know that they used to be like, the like concealed all around, like this one was. Right. And then at some point, McDonald's put like a lattice crisscross in there so it can breathe, I guess.

And so it cools off a little bit and the pie filling starts to be more of like a jelly than a pie filling. Oh, okay. And you're not into that. And then as like, as we've gotten older, as time has passed and like food innovations have like, happened in a way where we can now put faker food in things. Oh, yeah. You can taste that like, oh, this has changed. They're substituting stuff.

I mean, I feel like the lattice to me, when I heard you say that, I was like, oh, less dough. You know, they can like save. Yeah. But whatever they were I was like, Oh, less dough. You know, they can like save. Yeah. But whatever they were doing from like 99 to like, Oh, four was peak McDonald's apple pie. This didn't measure up to that, but I did like the, the full cinnamon sugar coating around it. I wouldn't say that I had it when it was at the peak of its warmth. So I'm not going to knock it for that, but tasty,

not a standout compared to others in its category like the classic McDonald's. But even McDonald's doesn't measure up to classic McDonald's. I mean, I go seven out of 10 delightful bite. Happy I had it. But not, you know, not crazy. Yeah, I so I, you know, maybe I'm going to come off a little pretentious because I've been watching lots of Top Chef and those types of shows.

But one thing, even though I liked the sentiment of adding the cinnamon sugar coating, it kind of made it hard to eat because then it's like you're touching that with your fingers and then you're touching other things. We're in a Popeyes with no bathroom. It can't be the best. So you're thinking of the sensory experience.

And I mean, I guess you're going in with fried chicken, so you're touching fried stuff anyway, but this is not a place you go to walk out with clean hands. No. Yeah. And that I mean, specifically, too, it's just like it's just right on your fingers because it's not really like I feel like what I would have liked. Better fit just had a regular, you know, pastry. Solid. Yeah. But then on the inside, you know, there was cinnamon sugar in there. Yeah. With the apples or whatever. But on the outside, there was cinnamon sugar in there. Those flavors mixed in. Yeah, with the apples or whatever,

but on the outside I was like, I don't know if it's adding much, and then I'm just like, it's all just falling off kind of as I'm picking it up. So I think I'm more into like five out of 10. You know, it's like simple, but maybe not my favorite setup. Harmless, didn't impress, didn't disappoint.

Yeah. Yeah. Like could have maybe harder to eat than I would have wanted it to be. Yeah, I'm more of a flavor above all else type. I don't think of the century. It's totally valid too. And I honestly hadn't thought of it

until I started watching Top Chef and that's like a thing they judge on. And I'm like, yeah. Like I've had burgers that I loved, but like they're in a pile on my plate by the end of it, but I still think they're delicious. So I have no problem calling them great. But then you take someone there and they're like, this is falling apart.

Yeah, yeah. How do I eat this? And it's just like, I don't know. It's still tasty though. Right, right. Yeah. Ideally, you can scoop it up and have a bite that keeps it all together. Yeah. No, for sure. I think- I'm also the type that'll lift a plate and just fork the things in my- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good method.

I have no dignity. No, no, and that food does not require it. So that's good. So when I'm putting everything together for Popeyes, the food, if I just had the chicken sandwich, this is getting a positive score, but there's so many things in here that are mediocre, which as I've stated, mediocre does not mean bad.

Mediocre means baseline. It is food, you will leave satiated, you're not gonna be mad, but you may not be like, yeah, that was the best thing I could have had right now. I'm gonna go thumbs in the middle on the food for Popeyes. Cool, cool. Yeah, no, I think I'm for Popeyes food.

Yeah, I think the food was the best element of the three categories. So I'm like one thumbs up. You're one thumb up. And the strong performers are strong. Sure. And then it's a bunch of average. Sure, sure, yeah, and a lot of signage

to confuse you about it. A couple disappointments, but you know, it's a bunch of average. Sure, sure, yeah, and a lot of signage to confuse you. A couple disappointments, but you know, it's fine. So yeah, so we gotta put all this together into a number so that we can give Popeyes a score so that it can go up on the tchotchke of mediocrity behind me, that scale of every restaurant I've ever been to and see where it falls. But before we can do that,

Sierra, you're a first timer on this podcast. You haven't done what I've done. You haven't been to, this is like, what, 80-ish restaurants? Yeah. It's a lot. It's a lot. My system is calibrated, yours is not. So we gotta take a second and we gotta stop by the calibration station

So to to properly Calibrate your scale to to get off at the calibration station, we need to know what is your zero out of 10 dining experience, what is your 10 out of 10 dining experience, so that you can take those both into consideration when you give Popeyes a number. So, would you rather start with the good

or start with the bad? I'll start with the good. You know, it's a little, I would say what you would expect. I am thinking of all restaurants and, you know, do love to go to some really fancy places for special occasions, you know? So we went to this restaurant in the Sahara in Las Vegas. I don't even know what the restaurant itself was called.

Yeah, yeah. I don't know, it was in that hotel. Sure. Yeah, it was just like, I think Spanish style tasting menu, got a bunch of little cool molecular gastronomy type things going on, great cocktails to pair with it. The stuff that I would call conceptually bullshit, where it's just like, OK, but it tastes amazing.

Exactly. I think I was also pretty skeptical where it's like, look, if it looks cool Doesn't matter. I want to make sure I'm full right and also getting something delicious But I think it checked all those boxes and you know They do that very carefully where you're supposed to you know you get little pieces at a time But like after however many courses even though one course could be like one bite You know it's like you're supposed to be full. Yeah. By the end. And I was so, yeah.

Did everything hit with you? I mean, I'm sure there were some things that I like don't remember and therefore we're not as memorable, but like it's probably one of my most memorable meals. And I think when you're spending that much money, you know, I think there's totally an argument to be made of like, and then you just eat it. So what, you know, but I think that because I remember it so well, I'm like, that was super worth it because it's just like a really special memory. Like I always, things I can eat and then compare to it.

Oh, like, ooh, what if I tried that? Because I remember I liked that ingredient. So I think it opened up a world of food to me that I really still draw from. Yes. And what I also like about that being your answer for it being your 10 is I think it highlights the fact that, I mean, it's the entire gimmick for my show

of like, look, we could have just gotten Popeyes to go and talked about the food. Sure. But I think that a restaurant should offer an experience. Yeah, yeah, yes. So, you know. It's the full, like, you know, it's the service, it's the atmosphere.

There was music, let's just say. It's even the signage. Like the font that you choose to use, that's what starts people's journey with your restaurant. You're right, it's the full thing. And I mean, that's what people are dreaming up when they're designing their restaurants, right? It's like from start to finish.

So yes, I think the food on its own wouldn't be my favorite or it would stick out, but it's the whole the whole package. Yeah. All right. So now let's hear that zero. OK, so this one is where I think it just is a childhood memory of like stress. So I think that doesn't help.

Like I think I were an adult who could handle it a little bit more like maybe I would be fine with this place. But essentially it was a Denny's we went to as a family when we were younger. And it was just really like, it was like a hectic day. And again, this is the sort of thing where- Outside factors, like even before you got to the Denny's, it was a hectic day or Denny's made it hectic? No, Denny's, I think I'm just, I was just thinking Denny's was hectic.

And yeah, I'm sure it was a hectic day because like, you know, life, childhood. Tell me about it. Am I right? Yeah. But it sticks out because I remember we got like a couple, you know, we probably had fine meal for the most part, but there was like, maybe we ordered milkshakes

or something exciting. And as a kid, that was like a big deal. Oh my God, we're getting milkshakes. And everybody was fine service-wise, but I think our waitress, she was maybe new and a little nervous or something. So when she brought out the milkshake, and again, hectic Denny, so she's probably super

overwhelmed and this is like not a knock at her or whoever was working there. I think it was just like crazy. So she like brought out the milkshakes and then like accidentally like threw it at us or dropped it and then they bounce. And it's like it's the cool old fashioned milkshake was like in the middle thing. So it's like a lot of milkshake, I guess. Loud, loud, ding, ding, ding, ding. I know. Yeah. Like slot machine situation like milkshake.

And we were like laughing because it was so ridiculous and it was fine. But we were like, oh, OK. Yeah. You know, like, I guess she'll bring on another one or whatever. Did she drop it on you or on the table or on the floor? I mean, it got on everybody, but I don't think it was directly at us. It was like on the table first.

It wasn't like a sitcom moment where it's like, whoa. Whoa, yeah. And then it just, yeah. Oh, yes, that would have been. It wasn't like a Nickelodeon. Better, yeah, sliming situation. Yeah, I know, I know. That's a classic.

Yeah, it was more of like a bounce, like kind of whatever. And she was like, oh no, so sorry, I know, I know. That's a classic. Yeah, it was more of like a balanced, like kind of whatever. And she was like, oh no, so sorry. You know, obviously very overwhelmed and we're like, oh, it's okay, it's okay. I think we were kind of laughing. And she left and then I guess we cleaned up, you know, with paper towels or whatever.

And then she didn't come back and then we like didn't know what to do. Like she went to the store to get cigarettes? I don't know what happened. No, kind of. And then the manager like came out and started yelling at us like. I didn't know what to do. Like ever? Like she went to the store to get cigarettes? I didn't know what happened. No, kind of. And then the manager came out and started yelling at us. We...

We... We... We... Just victim blaming. I think she had had a really hard day and that was the final straw, right? Which I would also feel the same way. I'm like, oh my God, this is just so much, right?

But I think the manager might've interpreted it as we got mad at her and made her cry. So then he was yelling at us like, what do you guys want from us? And we're like, oh, we just wanted our dino nuggets. And who do you want it? Can we get another milkshake if that's possible? But it was just like, kind of, okay, miscommunication.

There was also like so many people that I think he was in a rush. Like, you guys make this easier on me by either leaving or like, yeah, what do you want? So there was, yeah, there was sort of like a miscommunication. A frenetic energy. Yeah, immediately the villains in the situation. So I think we just got like nuggets to go.

And that was it. But we kind of got like ousted. And it's like a childhood, like formative core memory for you. Well, yeah, and I definitely was like excited because Denny's was kind of like a fun place to go. You know, for a kid, it's like big bright yellow, playful sign, red font. Yeah, red font. Oh my God. Yeah. Warm colors, no blue chicken. You get nuggets and maybe a milkshake. Maybe because I didn't get the milkshake, it was sad because I was such a sweet tooth. But yes, I'd say that's my zero.

All right. Between those two experiences lies Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen from today, the specific experience we had, no music, a good sandwich. Yeah, delicious. Good biscuits. A lukewarm sweet tea. Too much signage. All of this put together, you have to assign Popeyes a number.

Final rating. This is interesting because I think I am probably waiting atmosphere a little bit more than I should be. Right. But I think I'm going to say 4.33. I don't think that's unfair. It's a little low, but it's a fast food place. They are just not the dining experience of a chain restaurant or a mom and pop,

like a diner. Put me in a diner and you already start with two extra points. I just, I love the vibe of a diner so much. I'm a little bit higher than you and I think it's the strength of the chicken sandwich. And I really did like the mosaic tiling and those colorful light fixtures and stuff.

And it was clean. Still, this wasn't impressive. I'm not recommending anyone eat inside of Popeyes. But I'm gonna go 4.71. Not too much higher. Sure. But enough to, we both have our own differing thoughts. Totally.

But what is clear is that this belongs in that four to five range. So when you put our scores together, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen goes up on the tchotchke of mediocrity at two point at two one hundredths of a point higher than your zero Denny's a four point five two Two. That feels fair. Yeah, it really does. I mean, it's in good company in that kind of zone.

I feel it. Yeah, that's just kind of I feel like we nailed it. I was feeling a little scared about the four point three three, but I'm kind of like looking at the board. I'm like, yeah. And I also I think I was thinking to no bathroom. Yeah, that could be that's a tough sell. Today was fine. But on another day could be rough. Like Popeyes isn't the place where you go and you have bowel security. No. Chicken on the run? No.

Chicken on the run is not a place where you're like, I know for certain I'm not going to need the restroom here. Right. And it's a toss up. It's tough. Like, you know, there's not a lot of places around nearby maybe to knock on the door and ask for mercy. Yeah.

So yeah, it's definitely playing with fire. But I love that for the staff. They don't have to clean a bathroom or protect a bathroom, which is a lot of work. All right, well, because it wasn't a 5.00, it means that next week I gotta go somewhere else. And to- So sorry about that. No, no worries. Look, the search goes on.

Search goes on. This is my lot in life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, no good deed. And hey, occasionally I get like nicer places. I mean, there's some nicer chains. You never know. I don't think so. I don, there's some nicer chains. You never know. I don't know what this bowl is gonna offer me. Oh.

But we gotta go into the You Must bowl to see where I am gonna go. So excited for you. Next week. I'm gonna draw and we'll see what I'm doing. Okay, there you go. All right, next week on the Fine Dining Podcast, I will be going to I Probably should have started that sentence when I like already had the thing kind of unfurled fix it in post

No, we're gonna we're gonna live in this Houston's restaurant. Oh, wow. I've heard of that. It actually is one of the nicer places I could go Oh. Houston's restaurant. It's kind of had a resurgence lately. I feel like it's kind of the hot spot to go. I hear a lot of celebrities go. Do you really hear that? Kind of. Oh. Or like, yeah, I feel like it's just in the zeitgeist more.

I'll be going for lunch on a Thursday, so. Oh, that's when all the celebrities will be there. See you. Say hi to George Clooney for me. Sierra, thanks so much for joining me. Thank you for having me on, Michael. Popeyes. Thanks for putting yourself through the experience of not just Popeyes, but my podcast. No, it was a delight. I loved it. And Popeyes was just an added bonus. But yeah,

I'm glad I could be a part of this ever-growing journey. Journey. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead and tell people where they can find you and whatever you want them to check out. So yeah, you can find me online. I'm at Sierra Cato, K-A-T-O-W on Instagram, where I post for shows and stuff.

I have a new special out, hour long special called Funt, F-U-N-T, if you Google Sierra Cato Funt. It'll be streaming on Amazon Prime when this is out. If you like that, you can also watch, I have an episode coming out on PBS. It's a show called The Roots of Comedy hosted by hilarious comedian Jesus Trejo, where he goes around and talks to different comedians

in their hometowns, asks them what they do, like where they get their comedy from. So mine was Los Angeles, I'm from out here. It's streaming on PBS app. It's on PBS channel, came out already, but if you go onto p PBS.org, it will be there. And also I have a fun Top Chef slash Master Chef podcast that I do with a couple friends called TV Chef Fantasy League. It comes out, you know, once a week. You can find that at TV Chef

Fantasy League, Instagram. Awesome. Well, we didn't find the most mediocre restaurant in America, so you can follow me more on my journey as I continue to look on Instagram and TikTok at Fine Dining Podcast. You can email me any thoughts you have, hate mail, fan mail, neutral mail. Yes. FineDiningPodcast.gmail.com.

Visit the website, get on my mailing list, check out my Patreon, got Sarku Japan's episode dropping today, it's already available. And yeah, we didn't find the most mediocre restaurant in America. The search does in fact continue. We'll see you next time. Have a fine day. The search continues. We still need the perfect file.

The search continues. Like and subscribe. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues. The search continues, the search continues. Like and subscribe, the search continues.

Our journey did not conclude. The mother-eating search continues. Write us an iTunes review. And hey, while you're at it, why don't you go ahead and make it five stars come on follow us on tick tock the same on Instagram all the socials at fine dining podcast we have a website find dining podcast dot com buy our t-shirts then put them on and don't forget you can always suggest where we go next? OKAY! We're going to find it!

Mediocrity! The search continues! See you next week! Cough cough cough cough cough cough! Heard my throat a little. Have a fine day!