Popeyes
The Louisiana fried-chicken chain whose 2019 sandwich pushed it past KFC in American sales, now over 3,000 US restaurants.
19 figures on Popeyes, drawn from 3 Modern MBA case studies.
The figures
US dollars10
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2016 | $1,388K | 1st of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2015 | $1,367K | 2nd of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2014 | $1,294K | 3rd of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2013 | $1,215K | 4th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2012 | $1,182K | 5th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2011 | $1,100K | 6th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2010 | $1,041K | 7th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2009 | $1,003K | 8th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Average annual gross sales per restaurant · 2008 | $980K | 9th of 9 · top $1,388K | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Non-refundable upfront payment required to operate | $50,000 | 1st of 8 · top $50,000 | Why Crumbl won't last |
Percentages8
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-level operating margins, 2018 | 23% | 4th of 6 · top 30% | Why Crumbl won't last |
| Restaurant operating margin by brand · 2015 | 23% | 1st of 5 · top 23% | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Restaurant operating margin by brand · 2013 | 22% | 2nd of 5 · top 23% | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Restaurant operating margin by brand · 2014 | 22% | 2nd of 5 · top 23% | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Restaurant operating margin by brand · 2012 | 20% | 4th of 5 · top 23% | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Restaurant operating margin by brand · 2011 | 19% | 5th of 5 · top 23% | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
| Percentage of sales paid to the franchisor as royalties and marketing fees | 11.0% | 3rd of 8 · top 12.5% | Why Crumbl won't last |
| Store-level operating margin by restaurant chain in 2022 | 8% | 11th of 13 · top 24% | Why Taco Bell got so expensive |
Durations1
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Months a restaurant must be open before it counts as comparable | 17 mo | 4th of 11 · top 24 mo | Why the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so good |
Case studies covering Popeyes
Case study — Food & beverageWhy Taco Bell got so expensiveThe most profitable chain in fast food is being squeezed hardest, and the reason is KFC and Pizza Hut.11 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy the Popeyes chicken sandwich was so goodThe sandwich came from a decade of R&D discipline its new owners inherited and did not build. That is the problem.14 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy Crumbl won't lastMrs. Fields had its decade too. Crumbl store margins fell from 30% to 10% while corporate went from $4M to $152M.15 min read