Appearing Friday on radio station Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, 2020 presidential candidate and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg confessed he is oblivious to the fast-food craze of Popeyes’ new chicken sandwich.
On August 12th, Popeyes introduced the sandwich and sold out nationwide nearly two weeks later, fueling a flurry of memes about its perceived competition with Chick-Fil-A. In a statement, the fast-food chain said it “aggressively” forecasted demand through the month of September but sold out nonetheless. The craze culminated with one Houston man allegedly pulling a gun on Popeyes store employees due to the shortage. Another man in Tennessee man recently filed a civil summons against Popeyes for false advertising, claiming the chain purposely overhyped the sandwich and then to failed to meet up to the demand.
Buttigieg may have not tried Popeyes’ latest sandwich, but he did praise rival restaurant Chick-Fil-A’s chicken despite his disagreement with management’s stance on same-sex marriage.
A partial transcript is as follows:
CO-HOST CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: [The] Popeyes chicken sandwich, you had it yet?
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: [Laughter] Say again?
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: You have the Popeyes chicken sandwich?
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: No, not in a while.
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: No! the new one.
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: No, what is it?
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: Oh, you haven’t had it?
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: No, most of my meals are in vehicles. What’s so special about it? A different kind of sauce?
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: I haven’t had it yet, but it’s driving people crazy all over social media.
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: Alright, I’ll try it.
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: You never seen it?
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: No
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD: I’m sure your team has seen the Popeyes chicken sandwich.
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG: Yeah, why wasn’t I briefed on this?