I feel super uncool about not knowing what the heck Five Nights at Freddy’s is. And I feel even worse that this Popeyes Freddy Fazbear Deluxe Box promotes Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.

TWO! I didn’t even know there was a ONE!

So absolutely no Five Nights at Freddy’s references in this review. Wait? Is this a movie, YouTube thing, TikTok thing, video game, or a sequel to that Tom Green movie? See, that’s how lame I am. I didn’t even look it up beforehand to make myself look cool and knowledgeable. I’m being totally transparent about my ineptitude with popular culture. Heck, I’m being so lame that I called it “popular culture” instead of “pop culture.”

Before I admit to worse things about myself, let’s discuss this fast food box. The meal comes with three pieces of signature chicken tenders topped with a savory garlic parmesan rub, warm Garlic Cheesy Bites with a marinara sauce, a Cupcake Cup, and a drink of your choice. There’s also a non-deluxe version of the box that comes with only the chicken tenders and Cheesy Bites.

Despite all the garlic that’s promised in this treasure chest of golden fried foods, I can’t say I taste a lot of it.

The chicken tenders had a weak garlic parmesan flavor. I really had to really focus to notice it. But for the most part, it tastes like plain Popeyes chicken tenders with the Cajun seasoning. Maybe not enough garlic parmesan rub? As for the “garlic crusted” Cheesy Bites, they tasted like standard mozzarella sticks to me. There’s a hint of garlic, but “garlic crusted” made me believe it would be more prominent.

Oh, as you can see, my Cheesy Bites were a cheesy mess. Obviously, something went wrong in the kitchen with my order, and instead of Cheesy Bites, I got Cheesy Wads (feel free to use that fast food companies). But whatever happened didn’t affect their flavor. Besides, it came with a side of marinara, which masked the breading’s seasoning, making them taste even more like standard mozzarella sticks.

The meal’s most colorful part was the Cupcake Cup, a moist strawberry-flavored cake topped with sweet pink icing, which would’ve been great to promote the Barbie movie. The cake is chilled, and it’s probably the highlight of the Freddy Fazbear Deluxe Box. Despite the thick layer of icing, I didn’t find the dessert overly sweet. The strawberry flavor in the dense cake was artificial, but still quite delicious. However, my wife thought it was too artificial.

To recap, the Cheesy Bites were mid, the chicken tenders had an underwhelming garlic parmesan flavor, and I can really only recommend the Cupcake Cup. So while not as lame as I am, Popeyes’ Freddy Fazbear Deluxe Box was disappointing.

Purchased Price: $16.99*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Garlic Cheesy Bites – 620 calories, 50 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 120 milligrams of cholesterol, 1120 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of protein. 3Pc Garlic Parmesan Classic Tenders – 390 calories, 20 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 1590 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 34 grams of protein. Cupcake Cup – 370 calories, 12 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat (that can’t be right), 0 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

Popeyes has probably come up with more ways to present fried chicken than the number of letters in Louisiana. There’s the Signature Fried Chicken, chicken wings, boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, and several others I’ve missed. The latest addition is Chicken Dippers, which are thin strips of all-white breast meat that’s hand-battered and breaded with Popeyes’ signature Louisiana herbs and spices. It’s served with your choice of dipping sauce, but the chain wants you to try its new Signature Sauce.

When my order arrived in its sleeve, its presentation made me wonder if this was Popeyes’ attempt to offer a competitor to Burger King’s Chicken Fries. Some of the thin, long strips were curvy, while others were straight. The Chicken Dippers also somewhat remind me of the chain’s Rip’n Chicken (R.I.P.), but not rip’able.

Sans sauce, the breaded poultry has the same Popeyes flavor that we all know and love, and it’s tasty enough that I could eat these without dipping them into anything. Also, there was a good amount of Dippers in the sleeve. However, their crunch was underwhelming. Maybe mine were made wrong? There were crunchy moments, but I remember the chain’s tenders being more crunch-tastic.

However, I came away more impressed with Popeyes’ new Signature Sauce. According to the chain’s website, it’s “inspired by New Orleans food culture” and that it “packs a kick of heat, a hint of sweet, and our signature Cajun spices.” It’s like a concentration of what goes into the batter of Popeyes’ chicken. It amps up all those spices and makes these Chicken Dippers, which are already tasty, even tastier. And if you’re concerned about spiciness, the sauce has a little fire, although I’d consider it more of a smoldering.

Speaking of heat, unlike some of Popeyes’ other options, there isn’t a spicy version of this limited time offering.

Popeyes Chicken Dippers are just Popeyes chicken in a different format, but it’s a format that’s more shareable than the chain’s tenders. While I don’t think you’ll feel any FOMO with the thin chicken strips, the Signature Sauce is something you shouldn’t miss. Fortunately, it’s a permanent addition, so you’ll have plenty of time to try it, and you can do so with whatever fried chicken du jour Popeyes offers at the time.

Purchased Price: $5.99*
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Chicken Dippers), 10 out of 10 (Signature Sauce)
Nutrition Facts: 540 calories, 24 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 125 milligrams of cholesterol, 1950 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 33 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

Popeyes is back in the wrap game, and it’s not the only non-Taco Bell fast food chain that has recently made a massive order for flour tortillas. So it appears 2025 might be the Return of the Wrap… the Chicken Wrap. Besides these new Popeyes Chicken Wraps, McDonald’s will soon be re-releasing its Snack Wraps featuring its McCrispy Strips, but that’s another review for another day.

Let’s focus on these menu additions from the chicken chain, which feature Popeyes’ hand-breaded and battered Cajun-marinated chicken tender, topped with crisp lettuce, shredded cheese, and two barrel-cured pickle slices, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla with your choice of mayo, spicy mayo, or honey mustard spread. You can also get the wraps with blackened chicken tenders if your heart so desires and you order them online.

I ended up getting the classic version with mayo and honey mustard. However, after trying both, I wish I had gotten the spicy version because perhaps the sauce’s heat would’ve excited my taste buds as they didn’t come away impressed with these flour tortilla-cloaked offerings. I’m not sure if I’ve had too many Popeyes’ Chicken Sandwiches or if I expected a euphoria similar to what I experience every time I eat the chain’s classic sandwich, but these wraps tasted ho-hum to me, which I find odd because I do enjoy the chain’s tenders.

I wonder if it’s the warm tortilla that makes all the other ingredients taste a bit flat. Because despite being applied liberally, the condiments were barely noticeable, especially the honey mustard, and the cheese’s flavor was nonexistent. With the chicken sandwich, the bun does add a bit of sweetness and is part of the taste experience, but the flour tortilla here may mute the flavors.

Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure about that because the crunchy pickles do come through with the bites that have them. I also noticed the lettuce’s wilted flavor after it sat in a tortilla sauna for several minutes.

Finally, there’s the chicken tender, which had that familiar Popeyes taste but was overly salty. Yes, you can’t spell “you’re a fast fool for eating fast food” without “salty.” However, it was particularly noticeable with these wraps because the condiments were unable to counteract the saltiness.

While I’m not sure whether it was the flour tortilla that made these wraps taste the way they did, nothing about their flavor encouraged me to finish either one. Of course, your experience may vary. And if it does, please share your thoughts in the comments.

While they’re not very flavorful, I did find these new chicken wraps to be substantial with their long, meaty chicken strips. And, of course, Popeyes’ signature crunch is there. There’s enough to them that they could be a snack or a light meal. However, I’m not sure I want to eat them again as a snack or a light meal.

Purchased Price: $4.49*
Rating: 6 out of 10 (both)
Nutrition Facts: Honey Mustard – 661 calories, 31 grams of fat, 13 grams of sugar, 1 gram of trans fat, 64 milligrams of cholesterol, 2203 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 26 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.

When life gives you cucumbers, you hesitate for a second; maybe you snicker a bit, but then, you make pickles.

Well, what if life gives you both? It appears life had an encounter with the mad scientists over in Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and they decided to kill two hypothetical birds this time and grace the world with something so weird, so wild, so reckless, I had to try it.

Life comes at you fast.

Yeah, that’s right, it’s time for the main event. I know you’ve read all about Popeyes’ new pickle menu, but this is the one you’ve been waiting for. Fried pickles?! Snooze! Pickle wings? Fickle things! A pickle-glazed chicken sandwich? Surely, they jest! It’s all about the pick de resistance. The pick o’ the litter – the Pickle… Lemonade?

So, uh, yeah, this wasn’t great. It’s exactly what you think it is, but… it coulda been worse.

On one hand, it’s vile, and I hate it; on the other hand, it’s fun and mildly drinkable. I’m torn, and I’ll explain why.

Popeyes nails the ratio. It’s a perfect blend of lemon and pickle flavors if that’s your thing. It tastes like “Country Brine Lemonade.” Since pickle juice is such a dominant flavor, it’s probably 75-25 lemonade, but they seem balanced.

Somehow, it transformed from lemon to pickle mid-sip. The initial taste is a mildly sweet lemonade that transitions into a soft pickle flavor. Honestly, I can tell the base lemonade is probably cloyingly sweet from the flavor and the sugar content, and this might have even made it more palatable. The lemonade itself reminded me of Lemonheads before the pickle burst in.

Diluted pickle dominated the smell, but it wasn’t like taking a huff of a jar; it was like Pickle Brine Lite. I guess you can say the experience goes pickle–lemon–pickle, with just a weird amalgamation of both left to linger in the aftertaste.

If you like bread and butter pickles or sweet relish, this really isn’t that bad. Sure, it’s a strange delivery system for those flavors, but the profile is pretty similar. If I had to give a CliffsNote review, I’d just say it tasted like a chunk-less sweet relish. “Mmmmmm, chunk-less sweet relish.”

I truly didn’t hate it, but I didn’t finish it either. It wore out its welcome after about five sips, and at that point, my sandwich was long gone, so I had nothing to cut the sweet and sour with.

It’s not salty either. If you handed this to me and said it was just an “-ade” made from some exotic South American fruit I wasn’t aware of, I’d feel cultured and think it was kinda good.

So, it’s bad… but it’s kinda good for a few sips. It’s worth trying just to say you did. You might even like it. You can even get it frozen, and it pairs well with Popeyes’ Chicken Sandwich, which definitely still hits.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Medium
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 380 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 67 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.