Post Malone Vs. Migos: The Fried Chicken Wars Have New Beef
The fight over fried chicken has moved over to the music world. In response to the now-viral debate over who makes the best fried chicken in America, Post Malone and Migos have entered the fray, thanks to some clever — and competitive — campaigns from Postmates and Uber Eats.
Shots were first fired by Migos, who teamed up with Uber Eats and Popeyes last week on a special “Migos Menu,” inspired by the group’s well-documented love for the fried chicken chain. The trio referenced the Louisiana Kitchen in their song, “Stir Fry” (sample lyric: “Trap n—a with the chickens like Popeye’s”) and reportedly have the chain’s chicken tenders and biscuits listed on their tour rider. When the Popeyes fried chicken sandwich sold out across the country over the summer, Quavo posted on Instagram about selling one for $1,000 (sample response: “I’ll give you a stack for one sandwich if you deliver it”).
“We’ve been down with Popeyes from the beginning,” says Quavo, “so when Uber Eats and Popeyes hooked us up with our own menu, it was a no brainer.”
The “Migos Menu” features four options, one named after each member, along with the “Tour Rider” meal, which features 20 tenders, mashed potatoes, fries, biscuits and a gallon of lemonade. The items are available exclusively through Uber Eats until January 2nd.
Post Malone, in the meantime, is shilling for Howlin Ray’s, the hole-in-the-wall fried chicken joint in L.A.’s Chinatown that still gets lines out the door for its spicy chicken sandwich. The restaurant has created the extra spicy “Ghost Malone” sandwich, that includes chicken, pickles, and ghost pepper-jack cheese (said to be three times as hot as Habaneros). The sandwich is only available through Postmates in Los Angeles from December 12th through the 14th.
Malone is no stranger to peculiar partnerships (see: his deals with Budweiser and Crocs). “I tend to only collab with brands and companies that I actually enjoy,” says Postmates Malone, who claims in a press release that he’s been eating Howlin Ray’s since he first came to Los Angeles in 2015 (the restaurant actually opened in 2016, but spicy foods occasionally cause memory loss). “When we first started talking about my own sandwich, I couldn’t believe it and the name just came to me right away.”
The “Ghost Malone” is Howlin Ray’s take on a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Looking for a little more fire? Hotheads can also order the restaurant’s “Howlin Plus” chicken wings, which are so spicy, they come with a pair of gloves to prevent accidental spice-to-skin contact.
Postmates says the Post Malone chicken collab will only be available between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and while the delivery app has opened up a new kitchen just to make the sandwiches, the hot sandos are expected to sell out early. As for stories of Popeyes chicken sandwich selling out across the country, the guys in Migos aren’t fazed. “When it’s part of your own menu,” Quavo says, “you never run out.”