Popeyes and the viral interview series Hot Ones have teamed up for a limited-time menu that launched Sept. 15, bringing the show’s signature sauces and a range of heat levels to the fast-food chain’s offerings.
The Popeyes x Hot Ones lineup includes four creations that scale from mild to extremely hot, headlined by The Last Dab — the show’s most intense sauce — offered in a sachet customers can add to any order for $1. Menu items include Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers, Smokin’ Rojo Sandwich, Darin’ Dab Ghost Wings and a bundle option priced at $16.99 at participating locations.
The Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers are the mild entry: pickled garlic sriracha-marinated chicken dippers served with a buttermilk ranch dip cup and a Hot Ones Sriracha sachet. The Smokin’ Rojo Sandwich features a crispy chicken fillet with Hot Ones’ Los Calientes Rojo spread and pickles on a toasted brioche bun. The Darin’ Dab Ghost Wings come bone-in or boneless, dusted with a ghost pepper dry rub and paired with a Last Dab Ranch cup. The Last Dab itself is available as an extra for spice-seeking guests.
"When you think of bold flavors and serious heat, Popeyes is right up there with Hot Ones. Bringing our worlds together for this limited-time menu, we’ve created something that’s going to test spice lovers in the most delicious way possible," Hot Ones host Sean Evans said in a written statement. "Popeyes has built a cult following around bold, craveable flavors, so bringing our heat to their wings just made sense."
Popeyes Chief Marketing Officer Bart LaCount framed the collaboration as both a product and a cultural moment, saying the partnership "was a natural fit. They’re a cultural phenomenon known for pushing boundaries, and at Popeyes, we’ve built our brand on doing the same with bold flavor experiences. This limited-time menu is more than a product launch, it’s a cultural moment. By bringing the viral spice challenge straight to our guests’ tables, we’re blurring the line between entertainment and food."
The restaurant chain said the offering makes Popeyes the first and only wing brand to be highlighted on Hot Ones. The tie-in extends beyond the menu: Popeyes will join Hot Ones for a reunion episode of the series featuring previous guests, including actress and singer Keke Palmer, who will sample the new items on camera.
Hot Ones, produced by First We Feast and hosted by Evans, gained attention for placing celebrities through a staged gauntlet of increasingly hot hot sauces while asking interview questions. The Last Dab, at the top of that heat scale, has been used to challenge guests ranging from pop stars to actors and reality personalities.
The collaboration arrives amid a wider trend of quick-service chains teaming with media properties and internet personalities to create limited-time menu items aimed at social-media buzz and experiential marketing. By packaging the Hot Ones brand with Popeyes’ established spicy menu identity, the companies are targeting customers who seek both novelty and the social cachet of completing a spice challenge.
The limited-time menu is available while supplies last at participating Popeyes locations. Customers interested in amplifying the heat can add The Last Dab sachet for $1 or opt for the multi-item Popeyes x Hot Ones bundle for $16.99 where available.
