Avid fans and first-time visitors alike flocked to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants on Wednesday, April 22, for ‘Popeyes Pay Day.’ This national one-day promotion featured eight pieces of Popeyes signature Bonafide chicken for only $4.99.

Lines wrapped around the restaurants, and drive-thru traffic spilled into the streets as customers gathered to enjoy this incredible deal. In some cities, customers started arriving at 8:30 a.m. to be the first to take advantage of the ‘Pay Day’ offer. Restaurants in several cities like Chicago and Detroit received extra support from local police to direct traffic and manage heightened congestion throughout the day.

“These days, many people are feeling like the month outlasts the paycheck,” says Cheryl Bachelder, CEO, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. “At Popeyes, we’re determined to give our guests more for their money — that’s why we created ‘Pay Day.’ It was our way of saying thank you.”

From coast to coast, Popeyes fans cashed in, with restaurants exceeding average daily sales and customer counts. Initial estimates indicate that Popeyes restaurants sold more than three times their daily average chicken volume.

In fact, Popeyes chicken suppliers are working today to boost inventories for the brand’s current April promotion of two pieces of Bonafide chicken and a biscuit for $1.99 and 9 pieces of mixed chicken or tenders for $7.99.

“The ‘Pay Day’ offer was a huge success,” Bachelder says. “We really hit a sweet spot with consumers and received an overwhelming response.”