The World's Best Thanksgiving Turkey Is Back In 2022

We here at The Takeout are established fans of Popeyes' Cajun-Style Turkey, and judging by the annual demand for it, countless people across the country feel the same way. Well, for everyone looking to avoid cooking this year, time to share the good news: The Cajun turkey is back for Thanksgiving 2022, and the pre-seasoned, pre-cooked, flash-fried, and flash-frozen bird is available for preorder starting today. Yet while in the past you had to place orders by phone or in person and then come pick up the turkey once it was ready, it's now available for online order and home delivery via thecajunfix.popeyes.com.

No hemming and hawing over a turkey at the grocery store, hauling it in your cart, then lugging it into your home. Instead, it'll be delivered frozen to all states except to customers in Alaska and Hawaii (hey, at least it's beautiful where you live).

Calling it "that easy" is a bit of an overstatement, as there's still some kitchen labor involved. Since Popeyes Cajun-Style Turkeys come to you frozen, you're still going to need to thaw it out over the course of 48-72 hours (or maybe longer!). Once it's thawed, you'll pop it into the oven for two hours (which is much shorter than cooking a raw turkey). That's considerably less work than a classic Thanksgiving turkey, which often requires basting and/or brining, plus temp checks for food safety.

And, of course, convenience comes with a price tag. Fast food usually has its reputation for being affordable, but Popeyes Cajun-Style turkey this year comes to $94.99. That being said, one turkey feeds eight to 12 people, according to the website, so if you're feeding the minimum of eight people, that's around $12 per person (and less the more people you feed).

The American Farm Bureau Federation says that turkey prices are currently at record levels for multiple reasons, including bird flu outbreaks, higher demand, inflation, and other various strains on US food systems. A whole young bird from 8-16 pounds went for $1.72 per pound in early September of this year; last year it went for $1.44 per pound. Fresh boneless and skinless turkey breasts got hit even harder: Last September they went for $3.16 per pound, and this year they hit a record $6.70 per pound.

Prices for Popeyes' Cajun-Style Turkey varied from $39.99 to upwards of $50 last year, depending on the location. Yet while it has essentially doubled in price this year, that $94.99 figure includes shipping fees, and shipping frozen food is never a cheap endeavor.

If you want an almost-guaranteed-to-be-great turkey from Popeyes, you'll be able to get one without leaving your house this year. And even if you opt for an essentially premade turkey this Thanksgiving, you can still get creative with the homemade sides.