Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen — Restaurant in Indianapolis

I went to the Popeyes on Madison Avenue drive-through on Monday, July 19, 2021 and ordered a Classic Chicken sandwich and one small coleslaw. The order girl on the drive-through intercom was okay, polite, but didn't seem to know how to do her job and had to have someone else take my order. When I got to the pickup window a Manager suddenly took over as there was NO ONE there at the drive-through window! (This Manager was very unfriendly!) I paid for my order and they gave me what I ordered but they never gave me or offered me a receipt or even asked if I wanted one. But the WORST part of this experience was when I got home and started eating the Popeyes classic chicken sandwich 10 minutes later. After I got half-way through the sandwich I suddenly came down with the most severe stomach pain!! Which I had NOT had ANY stomach pain or any other kind of pain at all before eating this Popeyes sandwich! The stomach pain was severe and constant, never letting up for even a second. I then stopped eating the Popeyes sandwich and laid down for 8 hours. (This was the first thing I had eaten all day - there is NOTHING else that could have caused this!) About 12 hours after I ate it the stomach pain slowly, gradually began to decrease and slowly fade away. By the next day it had mostly faded away and I felt mostly back to normal...once the sandwich had left my stomach. This was a clear-cut case of FOOD POISONING!! The Popeyes classic chicken sandwich caused it. I am sure it was not the cole slaw which was fine. When I was at the Pick-Up window I saw in the background that they only had ONE cook and she was just standing there doing nothing and looking confused. Clearly the staff at this Popeyes are not properly trained and very lax about sanitation practices...or maybe they just don't care. But I am certain my sandwich was tainted with Salmonella or some other food poisoning bacteria. My symptoms were classic food poisoning symptoms!! The sad part is I actually DO love the Popeyes classic chicken sandwich! But I don't want it to poison me and put me in excruciating, severe stomach pain for 12 hours!!! I'll have to find a different Popeyes to go to now. I will NEVER go back to the one on Madison Avenue. They have ruined it for me.

*UPDATE: (December, 2021) I have went back to this Popeyes three times since I got the bad order and the manager apologized to me profusely and said I should have informed him, and also every chicken sandwich I have gotten since has been fine, no problems. So my bad experience was a one time thing and I decided to give them...

What I experienced at the Popeyes location 2902 Madison Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225 on April 8, 2025, was beyond unacceptable—it was outrageous. As a previously loyal customer, I am both disgusted and deeply disappointed by the complete lack of professionalism, cleanliness, and basic food safety standards at your 2902 Madison Ave location. To begin, the staff was shockingly rude, sluggish, and unbothered. I was informed in the drive-thru that it would be a five-minute wait for fresh spicy chicken, so I opted to come inside. Once there, I placed my order for a two-piece spicy white meal with red beans, fries, an apple pie, and a drink. I waited more than 15 minutes without a single update, only to be served cold, visibly old food. The behavior of the cashier was completely unsanitary and frankly disturbing. She repeatedly scratched her face, tossed her long multicolored braids with her bare hands, and continued handling food—without washing her hands even once. This is a blatant health violation and a danger to your customers. When I received my order, the wing was dry and overcooked, while the breast was soggy and undercooked to the point of being raw. I immediately brought it to the cashier, expecting a swift and respectful correction. Instead, I was told I’d need to pay for another piece of chicken. Let me be crystal clear: asking a customer to pay for food that was inedible and undercooked is outrageous. When I asked to speak with someone else, I was told, “Whoever you speak to is going to say the same thing.” This dismissive, antagonistic response is appalling. Only after another staff member intervened did the cashier reluctantly provide a replacement, but by then, the damage had been done. I left the establishment and went elsewhere for dinner. This location is a disaster. The staff is untrained, incompetent, careless, and disrespectful. They move at a glacial pace, do not prioritize basic hygiene, and show zero interest in customer service. The environment is unclean, the food handling practices are dangerous, and the management is clearly nonexistent. I have given this location far too many chances, and every time I’ve walked away frustrated. But this visit was the final straw. Popeyes should be embarrassed to have its name on this establishment. I demand that upper management take immediate action: retrain the entire staff, enforce strict cleanliness and food safety standards, and install competent management. This location is currently a public health risk and a disgrace...

I'm not sure if it's just a location thing, or if Popeyes is like this all over Indy. But I paid for food that was hard as a brick, and also was appalled at how much I paid for such food. I ordered the 11 piece for 14.99 and substituted the chicken for Strips, then got the $25 sandwich deal. The sandwiches were awesome! But the Strips were terrible. First off they were hard and barely edible, and secondly I felt really ripped off by the size of the strips! They were micro sized, and I want to clarify I'll never go to Popeyes again. It used to be one of my top choices to eat out for chicken. But I'll settle making my own at home and save the money! This was so bad I wanted a refund upon first thought, but figured it wouldn't happen. Popeye's Chicken I really hope someone reads this in management and decides to reach out! Whoever served those hard and micro-sized tenders should've had the consciousness to speak up and say "Let's drop some fresh tenders". I ordered alot for me and my family. But I guess we're living in the days where prices are inflated and we as customers should just turn the other cheek. Let's see where this goes. Ball's in your court Popeyes!

Update:

Popeye's has not reached out! Great customer service and great response on some feedback that'll hurt business. Whose your public relations associate? Who oversees social media for this business? Serious questions for a...