Claire Thompson
In 2016, Rosemary Thomas, a woman from Harlem, New York, claimed to have discovered a rat's head in her chicken meal at a local Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. restaurant. Popeyes is an American multinational chain of fried chicken restaurants, with about 3,705 restaurants worldwide as of 2021. Thomas posted pictures of the fried rat head to her Facebook profile, expressing her disgust and claiming that her daughter was traumatized by the incident. While Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that such incidents are uncommon, this is not the first time the company has faced accusations of serving deep-fried breaded rat to customers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Incident | July 2016, 25 November 2019 |
| Location | Harlem, New York |
| Woman's Name | Rosemary Thomas |
| People She Was With | Daughter, sister, and niece |
| Health Impact | Thomas' daughter was traumatized and had to be taken to urgent care |
| Thomas' Action | Posted pictures of the meal on Facebook |
| Popeye's Action | Popeye's spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski said the company is aware of the incident and that the franchise owner plans on meeting with Thomas to sort it out |
| Popeye's Response | Popeye's claimed that the object was likely chicken organ meat |
| Popeye's Inspection | Health department inspection found nothing out of the ordinary |
| Popeye's Background | Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen is an American multinational chain of fried chicken restaurants founded in 1972 in New Orleans |
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What You'll Learn
- Rosemary Thomas finds a rat head in her chicken at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Harlem, New York
- Thomas posts photos of the rat head on Facebook, expressing disgust at the restaurant's health rating
- Thomas's daughter is traumatised by the incident and requires medical attention
- Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski states that such incidents are uncommon and usually turn out to be chicken organs
- Previous claims of rats in Popeyes chicken have been made, including by Sherry Luke in Louisiana in 2016
Rosemary Thomas finds a rat head in her chicken at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Harlem, New York
On 18 September 2016, Rosemary Thomas, who was dining at a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Harlem, New York, with her daughter, sister, and niece, claimed to have found a rat's head in her chicken. She posted a four-panel image of what she alleged was a breaded and deep-fried rat's head on her Facebook profile. In her post, Thomas wrote:
> Friends and family, this is a meal Popeyes in Harlem served my daughter, my niece and sister. This is clearly a rat and they have the nerve to have a 5 rating by the department of health. My daughter is traumatized. I had to take her to urgent care last night, vomited with diarrhea all day.
Thomas's post went viral, with social media users expressing their disgust and flooding Popeyes Chicken's Facebook page. Health officials also launched an investigation into the incident.
In response to the allegations, Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that the company took such claims very seriously and that the franchise owner had reached out to Thomas to resolve the issue. Kopkowski added that the owner had ordered a health department inspection, which found no evidence of vermin or any other issues. The health department reaffirmed the location's "A" rating. Suppliers also suggested that the item in question was likely chicken organ meat. Kopkowski further mentioned that Thomas was expected to bring the chicken meal back to the restaurant for testing and authentication.
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Thomas posts photos of the rat head on Facebook, expressing disgust at the restaurant's health rating
In September 2016, Rosemary Thomas posted photos of what she claimed was a deep-fried rat's head served to her and her family at a Popeyes Chicken restaurant in Harlem, New York City. In her Facebook post, Thomas expressed disgust at the restaurant's health rating of 5 ( "A" grade) from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, suggesting that the discovery of a rat head in their food indicated poor hygiene and management.
The post included a four-panel image of the alleged rat head, with captions stating: "Friends and family, this is a meal Popeyes in Harlem served my daughter, my niece and sister. This is clearly a rat and they have the nerve to have a 5 rating by the department of health." Thomas also mentioned the traumatic impact the incident had on her daughter, who had to be taken to urgent care and experienced vomiting and diarrhea.
The post quickly gained traction, with social media users flooding Popeyes Chicken's Facebook page with outraged comments. The incident sparked an investigation by health officials and media organizations, including DNAinfo and Snopes.com. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that the company took such claims very seriously and had initiated their own investigation. She mentioned that the franchise owner had tried to contact Thomas to resolve the issue and had also contacted the health department to inspect the restaurant, which re-confirmed its "A" rating.
Kopkowski further added that the poultry supplier had been contacted, and they suggested that the item in question was likely organ meat. Thomas was expected to bring the chicken sample to the restaurant for testing and authentication, but she postponed the meeting, preventing a third-party examination of the item. Despite the health department's clean inspection and the supplier's assessment, Thomas's Facebook post fueled public outrage and raised concerns about food safety and hygiene standards in fast-food restaurants.
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Thomas's daughter is traumatised by the incident and requires medical attention
In 2016, Rosemary Thomas of Clifton Park, New Jersey, claimed to have found a rat's head in her meal at a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Harlem, New York. Thomas was dining with her daughter, sister, and niece at the time. She posted photos of the meal to Facebook, expressing disgust that the restaurant had a 5-star health rating.
Thomas's daughter was traumatized by the incident and required medical attention. Thomas wrote on Facebook that her daughter had not eaten anything the day after the incident, and that she "could only think of the rat's head after she consumed the crispy part." Thomas took her daughter to an urgent care clinic, where she was treated for stomach sickness.
Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that the company was aware of Thomas's experience and that the franchise owner planned to meet with Thomas to address the issue. Kopkowski also noted that the health department had been contacted and no unusual findings were reported. She suggested that the object in question was likely chicken organ meat, a conclusion supported by previous similar incidents at Popeyes restaurants.
The incident highlights the importance of food safety and the potential for negative psychological impacts on customers, particularly children, in the event of disturbing discoveries in their meals. It is crucial for restaurants to maintain high standards of hygiene and quality control to prevent such incidents from occurring and to protect the well-being of their patrons.
This incident also underscores the power of social media in shaping public perception and influencing a company's reputation. Thomas's Facebook post, which included graphic images of the meal, sparked widespread media attention and prompted a response from Popeyes. While Thomas's claims remain controversial, with some disputing the nature of the object in her meal, the incident underscores the potential for negative experiences to be amplified and shared rapidly through online platforms.
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Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski states that such incidents are uncommon and usually turn out to be chicken organs
In 2016, Rosemary Thomas, a woman from Harlem, New York, claimed that she discovered a rat's head in her Popeyes chicken. Thomas was dining with her sister, daughter, and niece at the time. She posted pictures of the fried head to her Facebook profile, along with a complaint about the restaurant's health rating. Thomas also stated that her daughter was traumatized by the incident and had to receive medical attention.
Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski responded to the incident, stating that such occurrences are uncommon and that the company will work with the guest to recover the product and conduct testing. Kopkowski also mentioned that the franchise owner was upset about the incident and planned to meet with Thomas as soon as possible. A health department inspection found nothing out of the ordinary, and suppliers believed that the item in question was likely chicken organ meat.
While this incident gained media attention, it is important to note that similar claims have been made against Popeyes in the past. In July of the same year, Sherry Luke from Houma, Louisiana, claimed to have found a rat inside her chicken breast and posted photos on Facebook. Despite these claims, it is uncommon for unusual items to be found in the chain's chicken, and when they are discovered, they typically turn out to be chicken organs.
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Previous claims of rats in Popeyes chicken have been made, including by Sherry Luke in Louisiana in 2016
In 2016, a woman named Rosemary Thomas claimed to have discovered a deep-fried rat head in her meal at a Popeyes in Harlem, New York City. Thomas posted photos of the alleged rat head to Facebook, expressing her disgust and the traumatic impact the incident had on her daughter, who had to be taken to urgent care. Thomas's claim sparked an investigation by the New York City Health Department, which performed a thorough investigation of the Harlem location and found no evidence of vermin, reaffirming the restaurant's "A" rating. Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that the company took the claim seriously and was in contact with the franchise owner and supplier to resolve the issue. Thomas was expected to bring the chicken meal back to the restaurant for testing, but she postponed the meeting, and the outcome of the investigation remains unclear.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in 2016, a woman named Rosemary Thomas claimed to have found a rat's head in her meal at a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Harlem, New York.
Thomas took to Facebook to complain about the incident, posting photos of the meal. She also wrote about the traumatic effect it had on her daughter, who she had to take to urgent care as the experience made her sick to her stomach.
Popeyes spokeswoman Renee Kopkowski stated that the company was aware of Thomas' experience and that the owner of the franchise planned to meet with Thomas to address the issue. Kopkowski also mentioned that a health department inspection found nothing out of the ordinary and that suppliers believed it to be chicken organ meat.
Yes, in July 2016, Sherry Luke of Houma, Louisiana, claimed to have found a rat inside her chicken breast. Popeyes responded similarly, stating that it was likely chicken organ meat.
In 2019, Popeyes introduced a new chicken sandwich, which sparked high demand and long lines at locations across the US. The sandwich also led to a viral social media campaign and free publicity worth an estimated $23 million. However, the popularity of the sandwich caused some controversies, including a man being stabbed to death during a dispute over cutting in line and a lawsuit claiming false advertising.
