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Winter Park Popeye's — anchor of the Orlando Ave 'Chicken Strip' — closes

By Alex Galbraith on Tue, Nov 22, 2022 at 2:05 pm

Photo via Popeyes/Facebook

Winter Park's Orlando Avenue Popeye's has closed permanently, pushed out of the so-called "Chicken Strip" that it helped to create.

The Popeye's at the corner of S. Orlando Ave and W. Fairbanks Ave. was an old-timer amid a rush of trendy fast food chicken chains. Drunks, chefs and the broke and hungry still knew that it served some of the best cheap chicken in town, but it couldn't keep up with newcomers like Guy Fieri's Chicken Guy!, PDQ and the nearby opening of Chick'nCone. Rumor has it that the lease ended and Popeye's ownership were seeking a move closer to UCF.

Overall, Popeye's is a member of the old guard of fast food places. These concepts are being crowded out by newer, hipper and more expensive chains as they continue to flood into the area.

Slideshow

All of the fast food chains that have come to Orlando in 2022

JollibeeIt seemed like the cultishly beloved Filipino fast food chain would open in October. Sadly, that's not true. Fans are still holding their breath for this chain's fried chicken and spaghetti.

Chick'nCone501 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park The global chain specializing in handheld waffles stuffed with fried chicken, opened in the old George's Gourmet Cookies space.

Dave's Hot Chicken557 N Alafaya Trail Suite 110The first Florida outpost of this Nashville-style hot chicken restaurant opened at Waterford Lakes Town Center this year.

Bojangles101 S Oregon Ave, Sanford, (407) 320-1897Bojangles returned to Central Florida with a Sanford location that broke sales records. That pent-up demand is enough proof for the Carolina chain, who are planning 15 total stores in the Orlando metro.

The Bagel Shop211 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter ParkThis Boston-based New York-style bagel company (roll with it) opened up its first Central Florida location in Winter Park.

CrunCheese Korean Hot Dog465 N Alafaya Trail Suite 465, (321) 477-8813These cheesy Korean-style hotdogs landed at Orlando's Waterford Lakes Town Center.

Chicken Guy!818 S Orlando Ave, Winter Park, (407) 498-3880Chicken Guy! already had an Orlando-area location. It's Winter Park opening was a blessing for any of us who didn't want to head all the way out to Disney Springs, however.

Click to View 22 slides

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