Sneak Peek Before Opening of Binghamton “Popeyes”

Dozens of workers were undergoing training as the final preparations were being made for the opening of the Southern Tier's first Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant.

Supervisors with stopwatches were busy on Sunday instructing new employees on how they'll handle the first customers at the business on Binghamton's West Side.

The fryers were fired up on Saturday and test batches of chicken were being cooked over the weekend as training drills intensified.

Shahid Imran, who is supervising the launch of the restaurant at 162 Main Street, said the opening was planned for Tuesday, December 22.

Some equipment and technical glitches delayed the opening by a week but Imran said the operation will be ready for the expected crush of curious customers who want to get a first taste of Popeyes "Southern fried chicken."

Imran said the restaurant's refrigerators are filled with 7,000 pounds of chicken and another 5,000 pounds is to be delivered on Tuesday.

Based on the opening of a Popeyes restaurant in Wilkes-Barre about a year ago, Imran predicted the Binghamton restaurant might sell as much as 3,000 pounds of chicken in its first day of operation.

AR Restaurant Group, which is launching the Binghamton unit, is expected to open additional Popeyes restaurants in Ithaca and Big Flats next year.

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