Fast-food chicken sandwiches have been around for decades, and every major chain seems to have at least one always on offer. But for burger bulwarks like Burger King, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s, the chicken sammy isn’t the star. Even fried chicken chains treated the entree item as an afterthought, with Chik-fil-A sitting comfortably as the undisputed chicken sandwich champion.

Then Popeyes struck crispy, succulent gold with their 2019 sandwich. The response even caught the brand sleeping, going so viral it inspired sandwich scalpers, robbery, and quick sell-outs across the country. According to Google search trends data, consumer interest remains higher now than before Popeyes’ surprise hit.