The fast-food chain's new collab lets you pretend you're a celebrity across the table from Sean Evans.
There is no pop culture phenomenon quite like Hot Ones. Ten years ago, the YouTube talk show launched, and host Sean Evans has been alarming celebrities with probing questions and burning-hot wings ever since. In that decade, the show has amassed a cult following of more than 15 million subscribers and endless merch and internet memes.
It was really only a matter of time before a fast-food chain linked up with Hot Ones, and that’s exactly what Popeyes has done with its new Popeyes x Hot Ones menu. The menu is now available for a limited time, and I bravely tried everything.
What’s on the new Popeyes x Hot Ones menu?
The new menu has four items. As a nod to the hit YouTube series, the offerings are available in ascending order of spice level:
- Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers: These Chicken Dippers are said to be mild. They are marinated in pickled garlic Sriracha and served with a Last Dab Ranch dip cup and a fiery Sriracha sachet.
- Smokin’ Rojo Sandwich: This is the chain’s iconic fried chicken sandwich topped with a medium-spicy Hot Ones Los Calientes Rojo spread, complete with the chain’s signature brioche bun and tangy pickle slices.
- Darin’ Dab Ghost Wings: Popeyes’ classic chicken wings (available either bone-in or boneless) are dusted with a “very hot” ghost pepper dry rub. The wings are served with a Last Dab Ranch dip cup.
- The Last Dab: Iconic to the Hot Ones brand, the Last Dab sauce sachet (different from the ranch cup) lets serious heat seekers add a final “extremely hot” dab to their wings.
Is the Popeyes Hot Ones menu actually spicy?
Far too often in recent years, fast-food chains have launched limited-edition spicy menu items that fail to bring the heat. I’m happy to report that this was not the case here.
To stay true to the Hot Ones ethos, I began my tasting of the Popeyes Hot Ones menu with the most mild item: the Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers. I did not receive Sriracha with my order, sadly, so I dipped the chicken instead into the Last Dab Ranch dip. This dip caught me off guard—it was tangy and creamy as any good ranch should be, but it packed a bounty of heat that lingered on my tongue. Still, as spicy as it was, it was not heat just for heat’s sake—it kept bringing me back for more.
Next, I tried the Smokin’ Rojo Sandwich, which was a bit of a letdown. After experiencing the spicy ranch dip, the heat coming from the Los Calientes Rojo spread felt much more mild and was overwhelmingly smoky, a flavor profile I don’t personally enjoy. Still, the chain’s chicken sandwich is beloved for a reason, so I can’t complain too much!
Then, it was time for the Darin’ Dab Ghost Wings. The heat on the wings themselves comes from the dry rub. Most of the dry rub on my order had been knocked off the breading and sank to the bottom of the box, so I found the wings to be surprisingly tolerable.
Finally, it was time for the ultimate test: The Last Dab sauce. I fully went for it, feeling brave after two “rounds” that were less spicy than I had expected. I chose the wing with the most visible dry rub and squirted a large dose of the dab sauce on top.
At first, I was underwhelmed—and then the heat crept up on me, and I wished that my mouth could exit my body for a couple of minutes while my eyes watered and my throat tickled. Indeed, The Last Dab lived up to its hype.
All things considered, I was impressed by the Popeyes x Hot Ones menu and grateful that nobody was asking me questions while a camera captured my every move. The Last Dab Ranch is one heck of a dip, and The Last Dab hot sauce is, indeed, not for the weak.
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