Whether you grew up in New Orleans or you are fond of visiting the famously Dionysian city on a regular basis, you know your morning cup of coffee is always missing something if it's all you're having.
Because in NOLA, we're used to that café au lait coming with a side of something unique to that corner of the South.
If you're intrigued, we can't blame you.
If you've never experienced the leisurely bliss of sipping your coffee on a bright spring morning in the open air while jazz musicians play lazy melodies on trumpet and sax a few feet away, then you don't know why this dessert is such a special addition to Popeyes' (RBI) new menu.
I'm talking about a morning at Café Du' Monde, of course, which is something people outside Louisiana really should experience.
And as for the dessert it's famous for, let me tell you about the joy of a freshly fried batch of beignets.
If you're wondering what the heck a beignet is, let us enlighten you: It's a fried square of dough that is hollow on the inside, perfectly chewy on the outside, and traditionally dusted with powdered sugar.
Popeyes
Dessert at Popeyes is About to Get a Lot Better
If you're a regular Popeyes patron, you already know that no one goes there looking for a great dessert.
Cinnamon apple pie and chocolate chip cookies are the two staples, but they feel like a missed opportunity for a chain that capitalizes on the complexity of Cajun flavors.
Can we get some bread pudding or something, Popeyes?
Starting today, Popeyes will offer Wild Berry beignets at select locations.
These will retail for $1.99 for a pack of three, $3.99 for six and $7.49 for 12. While we're guessing they're probably going to be smaller than the traditional Café Du Monde variety (those are as big as your palm!), they certainly seem like they'll scratch the itch for the perennial dessert classic.
This is not the first phase of testing for beignets, either. Popeyes launched a limited run of chocolate ones in late 2020, which was a resounding success according to Popeyes President Sami Siddiqui.
Are Desserts Part of a New Strategy for Popeyes?
After the absolute madness of the chicken sandwich launch, which boosted Popeyes' earnings to an insane $400k per restaurant at one point, the chain is under pressure to come up with innovative new offerings.
In the past its offered more thematic desserts such as Mardi Gras Cheesecake and Mississippi Mudcake. But those have come and gone since limited edition offerings from fast food chains tend to drive higher sales.
Bringing back the beignets is a smart move on Popeyes' part, especially when you consider a fiercely devoted sector of its Louisiana-based customers grew up eating its chicken.
If it sees success with the beignets, we might just see more fun desserts pop up on its menu or become regular menu items.
Because a restaurant that offers respectably spicy, well-flavored chicken and savory sides should the very least should offer a better dessert than a sad, soulless chocolate chip cookie
