JB Presents: Top Tier

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You are listening to Top Tier. I'm your host, Jordan McCray. I find things and I rank them. We are live. You are listening to Top Tier. And we are live coming to you from the bottom floor in Greenspun Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the campus of the beautiful University of Nevada, Las Vegas, you are listening to Top Tier. My name is Jordan and I am your guest and I am joined by Jess B. Thank you all for listening. So basically for those of you guys who do not know, what we do on this show is I take a category of things every week and I decide to rank those things. I like to go by tiers because to me it's just a lot easier and it makes more sense. And we always start off with our bottom tier, the things that we don't like, we don't want it, and it just wasn't that good. Then we have our middle tier things. These can be good. Situationally, usually, you know, we like these things, we just don't love them. They didn't knock our socks off. And lastly, we have top tier, the name of the show, of course. And these are the things that we absolutely love. We die for these and they're just amazing, you know?

0:01:17
You get it?

0:01:18
Oh, bet.

0:01:19
Yeah. So I am super excited for this episode because today, do you want to guess what we're

0:01:24
doing?

0:01:25
What are we doing? We are doing fast food places.

0:01:28
What? Yes.

0:01:29
All right. So I just want to announce some parameters that we have for this episode. So fast food places, it has to have a drive-thru.

0:01:36
Okay.

0:01:37
Right. So we're not doing like quick service establishments. So you're not going to find a Chick-fil-A or any sandwich place on this list. And then also, we are on the West Coast. So we're going to be doing pretty popular West Coast brands. So you're not going to find things that you would find in the south and on the East Coast. So you're ready to get started. Okay, let's go. Let's do it. All right, we're gonna start with our bottom tier as always. And the first item that I have on the bottom tier is going to be Taco Bell.

0:02:04
Oh yeah, definitely. I totally agree, Taco Bell is bottom. Taco Bell's like,

0:02:11
oh what do we want? Well, what's open? Like, what's open right now? Oh, Taco Bell's open? Okay. If you ever drive by a Taco Bell past 11 o'clock, just keep going because that line is so long. Because it's like one of three things open and also it is the cheapest thing open. So that is a lot of people's go-to's, but me personally, I typically avoid Taco Bell just for the simple fact that it's not very good. Like, you know, in this economy, we're all searching for something that is cheap, but I promise you, there are a lot of things that are on the lower end of like the price spectrum that are better than Taco Bell because like Taco Bell it's like It's just the qualities that just in the trash can. Oh, and that alone is just a killer Yeah, Taco Bell. It's the menu is okay How can we have these five ingredients done up a different way and call it something else and charge a little bit more and it's all gonna taste the same. And you know like talk about it kind of does have its highlights you know like I'm a Mexican pizza fan. Yeah. Love the Mexican pizza. I think the Doritos Locos Tacos. It's seasonal. I think it's gone now but it was back for a little bit and everybody kind of went crazy. Like the Doritos Locos Tacos you know that was a hit but that was also very seven years ago. It's like we didn't already tried this multiple times. Yeah, I was the seven layer burrito girl. That's gone. Yeah, yeah, I'm so sorry.

0:03:49
I'm so sad.

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But yeah, like Taco Bell, do better. You need to keep the things that people actually like because why are nacho fries seasonal? Why is the Mexican pizza only showing up once in a decade? Like, come on, if you're not going to be very good, at least keep the things that we like. That's all I have to say about Taco Bell, because they are very disrespectful. Next up, we are going to be talking about Burger King. Okay, bottom tier, I don't know about that. I really enjoy Burger King, so I love a Whopper. I used to like their fries, not as much, but yeah. I don't know, I don't think it's bottom okay okay first of all I have thought that Burger King is just sus for the longest time you want to know why what happened cuz back like I think this is like a couple of years ago they were doing like 10 chicken nuggets for like a dollar oh okay yeah that's sus. That is sus. That doesn't make any sense financially. That makes no sense.

0:04:55
Yeah, I bet they were losing money for sure.

0:04:57
You know, but I'm just like, ain't no way that's real chicken. No way. And then I feel like Burger King, they just consider themselves a joke now because they know that they can't compete with certain other fast food places. So they're literally playing into like the Whopper Whopper memes. Yeah, they're giving away their sandwiches too. It's always a two for five. It's always a deal. It's definitely always a BOGO. So they know what they have. King for? You know, even if you're doing like a Bogo deal, I would much rather go to like McDonald's. Well, you go to Burger King to feel like a king. So if you want that crown, you're gonna go to Burger King. I would rather get a hat from In-N-Out. Oh, okay. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I think we said our piece on Burger King. I didn't mean to get that disrespectful with Burger King, but I felt like it was very much needed. So we're gonna move on to our last item that is in the bottom tier. And for me, it's gotta be Sonic.

0:06:08
Yeah, Sonic, I don't know. It doesn't really do it for me, so.

0:06:13
It's another place that's like cute for late nights, you know, for you and your friends that are like winding down after a late night, you know, you're like, oh, I'm really thirsty. Let's go to Sonic, you know, just chill in the car, you know, either eat some ice cream or eat one of their slurpees, you know? Yes. Their slushies.

0:06:30
Yeah.

0:06:30
Their slushies.

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With the nerds.

0:06:32
Good. So good. I think my go-to was always like a green apple something, you know, they had tons of flavors. The blue raspberry for me. Yeah. The blue raspberry is also fire. But like the thing about Sonic that just like really made it very bottom tier for volunteer for me is that the actual food items on their menu are so incredibly random. It's just a spectrum. You can get chicken tenders, you can get mozzarella sticks, you can get- A chili dog? Yeah, a chili hot dog, you know, they have burgers, they have chicken sandwiches. With Fritos and everything. Yeah, you know, like, they just decide to, like, order in the randomest stock and they're like, yeah let's throw that on a hot dog and I feel like they also don't do anything extremely well like their mozzarella sticks are cool I think I would rather go to a restaurant and get their mozzarella sticks you know yeah about that I think everything just tastes frozen yeah so those mozzarella sticks I'm thinking wait it's like probably my there was no thaw it was from the freezer straight into the fryer and you could taste it. Yeah. So yeah, I think Sonic, it hits for their drinks and like their ice cream that they have, but like I don't find, I don't know a single human being that's like, oh my gosh I'm so craving a burger from Sonic right now. Like I don't think that's really happening. And for me that's why Sonic is definitely in the bottom tier. If you're a food establishment, we gotta be there for the food. That's what's gonna hold you up at the end of the day, and it's just not doing it for me. Yeah, Sonic, you just go to see everybody in roller skates and to do that car park and hit that button. It's a cute little gimmick, but it's like, if your server falls with all of your food...

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And now you have to wait even longer for your food.

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Right!

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Right, I feel like the sense that you get to drive up and order at a menu and then you just wait, you don't move, I feel like it distorts time. I think that's the trick, because I feel like you end up waiting a really long time. I feel like it distorts the time of like, you're just gonna sit. Oh, you're time-warped! Right! You're not physically moving, you're just sitting, so it messes you up of like, wait, how long have I been waiting for my freaking tater tots? You know? All right. So that's actually going to wrap up our bottom tier. For those of you who need a reminder, our bottom tier consisted of Taco Bell, Burger King, and Sonic. Next, we are going to talk about our middle tier. And for me, mid tier is starting off with Wendy's... I don't know. What I have to say about that is I like their cheese fries. I feel like Wendy's is another one of those places that has the randomest things, but those things, they do well. Okay, have you ever had the baked potato? Like the loaded baked potato? Oh, do they still do that? Yes! I think they still do it. I personally haven't ate at Wendy's in a really long time, but like- But they're kind of like known for that, right? Right! They have like chili, you know, you get like a bowl of chili.

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Yeah, they're still serving that chili.

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Like, I feel like those are the random things that you're like, why am I getting this through a drive-thru, but it's still good. You know, I feel like for Wendy's, it works. They do it well. And you could also argue that Wendy's has one of the best combo deals in the game right now. They got the 4 for 4, you get a sandwich, a fry, some chicken nuggets, which are amazing, and a drink. Now do you like the spicy chicken nuggets over there? Yes! The spicy chicken nuggets are so good! With some barbecue sauce! Oh that's a yummy in my tummy right there. That is a yummy in my tummy. Yeah, with all these I think I'm always ordering like the number one. Like Burger King, it's the Whopper. I mean, for Wendy's, it's the Dave's Singles. So yeah, that's it. And I feel like Wendy's, it does get a little sus with the fact that their patties are square, but it's okay because I feel like they're also one of the only restaurants that does a triple stack. So you know, they have a competitive edge on it, you know? So like, you know, Wendy's, I feel like you have some stuff going for you. Your fries need some work. Your strawberry lemonades used to be good. I haven't tried them in a while, but I remember you changed the recipe and I was very mad. Jordan was big mad. But Wendy's, you know... Yeah, I like those fries though. You're in every once in a while. Wendy's, I'd be thinking about you sometimes. I'd be like, ooh, I could use a four for four or like a biggie bag where you get to just choose the sandwich, you know? Like, I be craving you on the low. Like, not out loud, but on the low.

0:11:19
Well, I like those fries. I think it's the potato skin. Like, they leave a little bit on. It's a little bit salty.

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Yeah.

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And it's super warm.

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It works.

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I think they do good.

0:11:29
Yeah, you're right, you're right.

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It does work. All right, we're gonna move on to our next item on this list. I think Jess is definitely going to disagree with me on this one. Oh, what do we have? But it's got to be Raisin Cane's for me.

0:11:40
What?

0:11:41
Yes. Raisin Cane's is my ride or die. My go-to, my number one. If there was nothing left on earth but Raisin Cane's, I'd be okay with that. Take everything away from me, I go straight down that line. She said, I trade my firstborn. As long as you construct a Raisin Canes to my house. I think they really do it for me. I love their mascot, the dog, he's so cute. I didn't even know they had a mascot. Yeah, Raisin Canes is the dog. Okay. Well, Raisin Canes, proud sponsor of UNLV, go Rebels! Um, but- No, really, like, okay- Your chicken is not good!

0:12:33
Wait, wait, wait, I have a lot to say about Raisin Cane. Okay, mid, no. Top, yes. The fries, so good.

0:12:41
The fries-

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The crinkle fries.

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The fries are good if you dip them. The fries need dip, like- Okay, are you doing ketchup, or are you doing the cane sauce? I don't like dipping with ketchup, so I do the cane sauce and some hot sauce. Okay. Yes, the Louisiana hot sauce. Yeah Yeah, we're Tabasco. My birth is definitely Tabasco. I love Tabasco. I For those of you guys who do not know I carry around my own Tabasco. I will literally buy Tenant the mini tiny little no, it's like your regular degular bottle size Yeah, the regular size, you know, because there is like an extra large size, which I thought was crazy when I first saw it but the thing is Recently, I traveled out of town and I tried to take it with me in my tote bag and it cost the skater

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the TSA! Yes, I was gonna say, how many ounces is that? You're like, ma'am, we only allow three ounces

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The thing is, he literally looked and he looked at the bottle and he was like, yeah, it's just a little too much in there I'm like, God, Jacob!

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I thought you were gonna say, you're just a little too much.

0:13:40
I'm just like, I'm proud. I love me some Tabasco sauce because every other hot sauce just doesn't taste that good to me. And I'm like, I can put Tabasco on anything. Yeah.

0:13:51
I feel that way about ketchup. Like I need ketchup.

0:13:53
Like, yeah. Drench, drench everything in ketchup. Okay. But canes.

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Yeah.

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Oh, I feel like it.

0:14:00
Okay. So for those of you guys who don't know that, I never grew up with canes. I did not try canes until I was 18 years old in my freshman year of college, because it wasn't in my hometown. Now it's in my hometown, and I've had it for a couple years now, and I'm really not impressed. It takes the model of similar to like In-N-Out, where there's only a couple things on the menu, you know, you only have so much variety, but I feel like they don't do it as good.

0:14:26
Hmm. I wonder if it's the location you're going to. Because I have noticed, like, things can vary on locations, but...

0:14:35
The chicken isn't seasoned!

0:14:37
Okay, but you have the... get a Bob. Butter on both sides toast. And you're gonna love it. And then you can dip that in the cane sauce.

0:14:47
I feel like the toast is overrated.

0:14:50
What?

0:14:51
Yes!

0:14:52
No!

0:14:53
Okay, the thing is, is like, when I think Texas toast, I think crunchy. Like I want my Texas toast to be crunchy.

0:14:59
Yes, that's it.

0:15:00
Like, I know it's kind of like the freezer brand of Texas toast and then you just bake it in the oven, but I love like crispy Texas toast that's like a little bit garlicky, you know? So like when I get this like soft, like this soft bread, you know, it's like a like half a loaf of bread and I'm just like oh this isn't even that good like I'll eat I'll go to Raisin Cane's and just get the bread when I'm like hungover or like I'm sick and I can't stomach anything else like otherwise you can miss me with the bread most times I will actually sub the bread. Call me crazy because I know.

0:15:38
I need the bread.

0:15:40
Like, I just, I can't get past, like, you need the sauce, because if you're not eating it with the sauce, there's no flavor. The fries, they're never crispy, they're usually limp. Yeah, they were, yeah. The sauce is like, it's its own distinct flavor.

0:15:54
I'm noticing a pattern here.

0:15:55
Yeah, like, I'm just over here like, what is the appeal? Like, even when you get their lemonade, their lemonade is very mid. Okay, wait, I think you're converting me. The lemonade is like, not really that sweet, you know, it's not sour, it's watery.

0:16:09
Facts, you're speaking facts right now.

0:16:13
And I'm like, out of chicken joints? I have a gripe with Raisins and Queens right now. Their chickens, what, the fingers?

0:16:21
Yeah.

0:16:22
They're like strips.

0:16:23
Yeah, okay, their strips are getting very strippy. They're very small, thin.

0:16:27
Yeah!

0:16:27
Yeah. You're for real?

0:16:29
They're cutting costs, for sure.

0:16:30
Yeah, and like, the thing is, just like, there's so many other chicken joints that I would rather go to. And canes is also not even cheap. Like, for what you get, like, it's pretty expensive, too. Like, it's filling, I'll give them that, but like, ugh, I just can't do it. I honestly, it's probably been since, like, before the New Year was the last time I had canes because I have not no not a single craving for it Hey, the student discount does hit though. Oh, are you kidding me?

0:16:58
I've been missing. Yes proud sponsor of you and I'll be

0:17:02
No Whoa, I can't believe all right. That's all I have to say. I'm raising canes. I'm sorry I just had to absolutely flame that entire like corporation, but it had to be done. Someone had to say it. All right, next up on the mid category is going to be McDonald's. And I think we all know why.

0:17:22
Yeah. So when you go to McDonald's, you know what you're

0:17:25
getting, but it's not really that great. The thing is, is McDonald's used to be clutch, but now it's expensive. What happened to the dollar menu? What happened to the one two three dollar menu there's literally like two items on it now and it sucks it's like you could get two spicy mcchickens what happened to the original mcchicken i don't want a spicy mcchicken i want the original mcchicken what happened that hash browns are like 250 now like expensive mcdonald's like you had like a grasp on the people, but you're really, you're slipping up. And they took so much off their menu. Like, like, I mean, like, you can miss me with the McRib. Like that just didn't even sound right. But you know, like the little snack wraps. What happened? Why don't you bring them back? Like so many questions that need to be answered at McDonald's. Like, yes, it's nostalgic. Yes, it's satisfying. Yes, the fries are amazing, but like, you knew what you had on the market, and now you're losing it. Yeah, they're just relying on that nostalgia, I think. You're just like, oh yeah, McDonald's, you know, good times, memories, and you swing through, but it's always no happy meals anymore. It's just sad meals. Even the happy meals are expensive. I looked at the price of the Happy Meal, I was like, dang, I feel so bad I was making my mom get those. I'm like, man, that's how expensive they were, and you get like a four-piece? I'm like, dang, that's so whack. So yeah, like, any time I go to McDonald's now, I'm never paying more than five dollars, especially since the ice cream machine be broke.

0:19:06
So what's your go-to order?

0:19:07
Two Spicy McChickens, and then I use the app and I get a free medium fry. That's a whole meal. That's a hack. 312. That's how much I pay. And you're gone.

0:19:17
Yeah, exactly.

0:19:18
I'm like, I have a whole meal that is either my dinner or my lunch. This is all you're getting, McDonald's.

0:19:22
Yeah, I'm like, anything else,

0:19:23
I'm like, nah, it's out of my budget. I'm not doing it, because it's not gonna be the quality for like $8. No way, I can't do it. All right, so that's McDonald's. Our last item on the mid-tier, it actually kind of hurts me to put this as mid, but like, in my heart, I definitely know it's mid. It's Jack in the Box. Yeah, Jack in the Box, it's there for you late, late at night, after a night of drinking,

0:19:54
and you need something quick.

0:19:56
Yeah, you need something quick, you need something that's going to be 24 hours, and you need like a lot of starch because honestly their fries go pretty hard their curly fries are really good their curly fries are pretty amazing and it's another one of those restaurants where they have the weirdest stuff but they kind of do it well like tacos I mean the tiny tacos in my opinion absolutely surpass the regular tacos like I know you could get like the two tacos for like two dollars now, but like I love those I think it's like either two or one dollar. It's between something like that But like the tiny tacos those must be good with some taco sauce on it And man, they're pretty good. And then like they also have like a teriyaki chicken bowl. They do In an egg roll but like the thing that I like about Jack in the Box the most is that they undercover have like the best breakfast because their breakfast items they have those mini pancakes they have croissant sandwiches you're getting a breakfast sandwich on a croissant and that mess is good yeah I think a lot of people forget that Jack in the Box has damn good breakfast and and it's all day.

0:21:15
Right?

0:21:16
We love an all day menu.

0:21:17
And okay, I don't mean to backtrack and talk mess about McDonald's, but like, come on, what happened to all those advertisements about all day breakfast? You show up to like half of these McDonald's locations and they're like, we don't do all day breakfast. Breakfast is like served and stopped at a crisp 10 a.m. And I'm like, dog, I just want a hash brown. I just want a hash brown like please please it's 10 30 i remember pulling up at 10 30 and being like what what ready to cry okay all right we gotta move on for those you guys that need a reminder on what we ranked as mid it was wendy's mcdonald's raisin canes and jack in the box now we finally reach the top tier what everything everybody has been waiting for tell me tell me first up we have chick-fil-a oh I don't have much to say about chick-fil-a it's kind of bland to me really yeah I feel like okay I'm not running to chick-fil-a if we're comparing chick-fil-a's chicken to raisin canes chicken I will eat chick-fil-A's chicken 99.9% of the time. Yeah, are you getting a crispy version or a grilled version? Crispy.

0:22:32
Okay.

0:22:32
Yeah, I mean, their grilled chicken isn't bad, but I'm there for the breaded chicken.

0:22:37
Yeah.

0:22:37
And I feel like their breaded chicken does have some more flavor. Usually, it comes out really juicy. I feel like canes can't even come close to the juiciness. Have you ever had the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A?

0:22:49
I have not.

0:22:50
Those tenders are good. Like, they have like their own distinct flavor and they're juicier than the nuggets. Like, I feel like Chick-fil-A's lemonade used to be better. I recall it being better when I was younger, but now it's not bad. It'll suffice.

0:23:08
Was it sweeter when you were younger?

0:23:09
I feel like it was sweeter. I feel like it was like sweeter, and now I feel like I always get so much pulp. I feel like half of it is pulp and like it kind of bothers me but you know it's okay it's okay because the thing is it's like Chick-fil-a is the champion of customer service like they will smile you to death literally I'm like it's it's kind of amazing what they do and like I feel like they have a lot of sauce options. I feel like their fries, when they are salted correctly, because they need to be salted well, but when they are salted correctly, they are some of the best in the game. Those waffle fries are good. And they have great milkshakes. Okay. Have you had their seasonal milkshakes? I have not. They have a peppermint milkshake in the winter, and then they also have a peach milkshake in the summer.

0:24:03
That sounds amazing.

0:24:05
It is so good. It's literally peaches and cream. Wow. In the summer?

0:24:10
Yes.

0:24:11
So it's coming?

0:24:11
Yes! Okay, I'm there. So yeah, that's why I like Chick-fil-A. I feel like the thing about Chick-fil-A is like, yes, it's expensive, but like, you know, you're getting the quality. You are getting the quality and that's your point at the drive-thru line scares me. The thing is, it's like, yeah, some are busier than others though. You have to go to the one that's not as busy. Like, I feel like the one in Henderson, always busy. The one that's by the strip, always busy. The one that's on the other side of Flamingo, always busy. But the one that's on this side, on Paradise and Flamingo, I usually never see a line. And that's the one closest to you and I'll be it's kind of a still I'm not going so yeah I have strong feelings about Chick-fil-a um shout out to the Chick-fil-a in Las Vegas you guys didn't hire me so I work for a different company yeah you guys missed out so yeah that's all I have to say about Chick-fil-a it wasn't meant to be but and that's okay next up we're gonna talk about in and out Okay in and out. Yes. Well, they live up to their name sometimes I Feel like you're mostly waiting for in and out Yeah, especially if you're going late at night like for in and out you have to go like before six like after six and like dinner because it doesn't stop after the dinner rush because then you just start getting the late night rush and it's like that's just the one thing you have to mentally prepare like you're just gonna wait a little bit but you know it's gonna be cool and it's gonna be affordable like you know you're gonna get a little bang for your buck I know that in and out's very west coast thing I'm a proud Cali girl you know my girl Jess yeah she you know she's a Nevada girl and we love us some in and out so what what's your in and out order um I definitely like the cheese fries, okay? Uh, I know I've said cheese fries before but I if I'm gonna get the fries, there has to be something on those fries because those fries The fries are slackin.

0:26:13
I mean, yeah, okay.

0:26:15
Thank you. Uh, I definitely I usually get my hot fries done well so that they're at least a little crispy so they have some bite to them and yeah I love me whole grilled onions whole grilled onions on my burger it's a must it's so good once I tried it I was like yeah this is a move every single time and the thing about In-N-Out is that yes the menu is super simple but there's customization like they got pickles and there's a secret menu right they got pickles they got peppers you know and stuff like that you know you can add stuff to the fries I feel like canes you don't have that yeah no you're not gonna get any customization there yeah all right so we are going to move on to our last item on the top tier because we are running out of time and for me it's Popeyes oh yes I haven't been in a long time but when I go you know that sweet heat sauce and the honey you add those together and then you dip in your chicken. The thing about Popeyes is like you know what you're getting and it's not good service. Oh it like the Popeyes is always going to be run down the drive-thru might not make any sense but the chicken is so flippin good and then hot out of the fryer. Oh, it is heavenly. Super crispy and most of their sides are pretty solid. Me, personally, I love the red beans and rice. I think it's good. And I feel like Popeyes is also one of the few places where you could get Strawberry Fanta, especially on a drive-thru. Um, I think Jack in the Box has that. Yeah, yeah, because they have the Coke machine. Yeah, but yeah, like something about Popeyes, like I just love it. I don't care if the workers don't like us and they're rude. I'm like, as long as this chicken makes it into my car, I'm okay.

0:28:11
So when you pull up to Popeyes, what's the first thing you say? Do you ask them a question, Jordan?

0:28:18
I usually try and be nice because I'm a customer service girlie, so I'm like, hey, how y'all doing?

0:28:22
Yeah.

0:28:23
I try to be nice, I try to be like, look.

0:28:24
And then you're trying to catch that chicken, right?

0:28:27
So, I'm just like, can y'all throw in a thigh and a drumstick, please? I don't really want no breast, I want a thigh. Please give me a thigh.

0:28:37
And is it fresh?

0:28:38
That's what I was looking for.

0:28:40
Oh yeah.

0:28:41
I mean, the thing is, I'll ask if I'm inside, but if I'm in the drive-thru, baby, I don't care. Baby, I just need this chicken.

0:28:48
And, oh.

0:28:49
And they have coupons, so. Yeah.

0:28:51
And you gotta get the app. Yes. That is also a must Say yeah Popeyes for me top tier. I Have to have it. So that is actually gonna wrap up this podcast. Thank you so much. Just thanks for Thank you for joining me today. I really mean it. Thank you all for listening You guys can hear me live on the air. So that's gonna wrap up this entire episode. I hope you guys have a great day.

0:29:23
Alright, good night. Bye!

0:29:25
Thank you so much for tuning into this episode. I appreciate every single one of you. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode. I appreciate every single one of you. I hope all of you guys have a great night.

Transcribed with Cockatoo