ATLANTA, Nov. 8, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- For most of us, Thanksgiving is a day of family, friends and working over a hot stove. Popeyes(R) Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCE), is offering a less grueling alternative to the latter -- flavorful and fully cooked Cajun Turkeys available at participating Popeyes restaurants now through the holiday season. In addition, Popeyes restaurants across the country are taking the opportunity to spread the Thanksgiving spirit in their respective cities.
"At Popeyes, it's all about giving back to our communities," said Popeyes Executive Chef Billy Jacob. "Thanksgiving is a perfect time to do a little extra, to do what we can to help those less fortunate and to do what we do best -- feed people flavorful food."
Popeyes restaurants in Houston are celebrating the holidays by feeding Thanksgiving dinner to the men and women of the Houston Fire Department. Donating hundreds of Cajun Turkeys and a variety of side dishes to the 99 active fire stations in the Houston area, Popeyes hope to spice up Thanksgiving for those firefighters who are protecting the city rather than spending the day with their families.
Atlanta Popeyes locations are joining in the spirit of giving by raising money for Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, a year-round human service organization which feeds more than 35,000 homeless each year through four annual holiday dinners in addition to providing daily food basket donations, an on-the-job training center and micro grants to stop evictions and utility cutoffs. Atlanta Popeyes restaurants will donate $.50 for every two-piece chicken combo paired with a hot cinnamon apple pie and $1 for every 12-piece chicken family meal sold through Nov. 21.
Dallas-Ft. Worth and Kansas City Popeyes restaurants are also giving thanks in their communities. Kansas City Popeyes and the Salvation Army are providing full Thanksgiving meals -- complete with Cajun Turkeys -- to more than 70 less fortunate families. Partnering with the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, one of the nation's leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions and learning disorders, Dallas-Ft. Worth area Popeyes will give away 40 easy-to-prepare Cajun Turkeys to families with children receiving treatment.
Perfect for family gatherings, holiday dinners, tailgating parties or any special event, Popeyes Cajun Turkeys are fully cooked whole turkeys deeply marinated with a Cajun spice blend that is injected into the bird to bring the flavor to the bone. Then they are slow roasted and flash fried, creating a unique crispy coating. This special technique locks in all the flavor and moistness that most turkeys lose during the cooking process.
"At Popeyes we know that quick and easy food can still mean quality cuisine," continued Jacob. "We developed the recipe for our Cajun Turkey in 1997 after the Southern Louisiana tradition expanded from the bayous to mainstream America. The national interest in Cajun turkeys has grown tremendously, and they have become a regular feature on our menu during the holiday season. Popeyes Cajun Turkeys are both full of flavor and an easy time-saver for the busy home cook. It's simple -- just heat and eat!"
Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world's second-largest quick-service chicken concept based on number of units. Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes had 1,816 locations as of Sept. 5, 2004, in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 21 other countries. Visit Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' Web site at www.popeyes.com.
Popeyes is a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc., the franchisor and operator of 4,109 restaurants, bakeries and cafes as of Sept. 5, 2004, in the United States, Puerto Rico and 38 foreign countries under the brand names Popeyes(R) Chicken & Biscuits, Church's Chicken(TM) and Cinnabon(R), and the franchisor of Seattle's Best Coffee(R) in Hawaii, on military bases and internationally. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(R) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC Enterprises can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.afce.com.
The Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=341