Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will open near the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus on State Street in late March or April, according to Amyn Ali, who is franchising the restaurant with two partners.
The new restaurant will be located at 668 State Street, next to UW Credit Union and the former Paul's Books, directly across from Starbucks and just steps from the UW-Madison campus.
Popeyes, known for its New Orleans-style fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits, has an untapped market among Madison students, according to Ali.
Other Popeyes in the Madison area are at least a 10-minute drive from campus, located on Fish Hatchery Road, Odana Road, East Washington Avenue and the nearby village of DeForest.
The State Street location will be unique in its focus on young student consumers, and the restaurant hopes to streamline ordering through in-store kiosks, the Popeyes app and third-party delivery services.
The location was originally set to open by the end of February or early March, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. However, Ali told The Daily Cardinal the opening has been delayed, saying that the “scope of work” and construction requirements for the location had changed.
Ella Hanley is the associate news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She has written breaking, city, state and campus news. Follow her on Twitter at @ellamhanley.
