Popeyes was founded in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi in 1972 by serial entrepreneur Al Copeland, who wanted to compete with fried chicken giant KFC. The first Popeyes restaurant initially found little success until it introduced a spicier, Cajun recipe to appeal to flavor-seeking Louisianan customers. The new recipe became a hit, and Popeyes began franchising its concept, with the first franchise opening in New Orleans four years later. Within 10 years, Popeyes had aggressively expanded throughout the United States and opened over 500 restaurants. Popeyes had become the third largest fried chicken chain, after KFC and Church’s.......

Questions

1. What are the key aspects of Popeyes’s franchise model?

2. What are the key benefits of franchising for Popeyes franchisers and franchisees? What are the drawbacks of franchising?

3. How much leeway should Popeyes offer to individual franchisees in deciding on the menu, restaurant appearance, and advertising? Should Popeyes take a centralized approach, or should it let franchisees adapt their strategy to local conditions?