A Popeyes restaurant in Chicago.
Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Popeyes is hoping to lure “girl dinner” enthusiasts with a menu consisting entirely of sides.
The fast-food chain’s new offering has drawn mixed reactions on Twitter.
Most users lauded Popeyes for its humor, but some said it was an uninspiring take on the trend.
The “girl dinner” trend is taking off on TikTok, and fast-food chain Popeyes is trying to cash in on it with a promotional menu.
First things first: “Girl dinner” refers to a meal made of up of multiple small side dishes, typically involving minimal cooking and designed to be enjoyed alone.
To get in on the moment, Popeyes is telling customers they can choose from a selection of six side dishes: macaroni and cheese, fries, mashed potatoes, red beans and rice, coleslaw, and biscuits. Each dish has to be ordered separately, making it exactly the same as Popeyes’ menu for side dishes, just dressed up with a fancier name.
A spokesperson from Popeyes told TODAY.com the menu was designed “with the intention to offer a delicious variety of flavors to ‘Girl Dinner’ enthusiasts.”
Twitter users are split on the fast-food chain’s new offering. Some have praised Popeyes for its ingenuity and tongue-in-cheek humor.
“I cant believe the brand girlies at @Popeyes actually successfully pitched putting ‘girl dinner’ on the mobile menu,” said one Twitter user.
“Yeah, @Popeyes adding a ‘girl dinner’ section to their app menu is genius. Give that marketing manager a raise,” tweeted another user.
“The way popeyes added a ‘girl dinner’ section to their menu and it’s all side is so FUNNY,” another Twitter user said.
Some Twitter users have criticized Popeyes for offering such an uninspiring take on the trend.
“A man in the popeyes office said ‘monetize girl dinner’ and missed the entire point,” said one Twitter user.
This is not the first time Popeyes has caught people’s attention with a whimsical take on their meal ideas.
In June 2021, Popeyes unveiled the promotional “IDK Meal,” which, as its name suggests, targets indecisive eaters. The meal pairs together a chicken sandwich and a cup of lemonade. The meal was brought back in July 2022 for a limited time.
Representatives for Popeyes’ parent company, Restaurant Brands International, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.