Popeyes sued for $1.5M over alleged foreign object in chicken

Two customers in Houston, Texas, have filed a lawsuit seeking more than $1.5 million against Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, its parent company Restaurant Brands International, and franchise operator AAMANA Businesses. The plaintiffs, Justin Howard and Danielle McKinnon, allege they discovered a “condom-like” foreign object inside a piece of fried chicken purchased on July 25.

The lawsuit, filed in Harris County District Court, claims the incident caused nausea, physical pain, and significant emotional distress. The couple further alleges that restaurant employees laughed at them when they attempted to complain and that management initially only offered to replace the food rather than addressing the safety concern.

Popeyes has disputed the central claim, stating that an internal review of video footage found no evidence to support the allegation. However, the company described the incident as unacceptable, noting that the franchise issued a refund and closed the restaurant early for employee retraining as a precaution.