Popeyes x Hot Ones Is the Spiciest Collab of the Year

Summer may finally be cooling down, but one Louisiana-based chain hasn’t stopped turning up the heat. 

Popeyes is teaming up with the popular Hot Ones series for a “first-of-its-kind menu collaboration.” Yes, that’s right — it’s your chance to try a lineup of ultra-spicy wing sauces. This four-item limited lineup is available on menus nationwide today, according to a company announcement shared with Food & Wine. The lineup ranges from gentle heat in the Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers to a sampling of The Last Dab, which contains three strains of Pepper X — Smokin’ Ed Currie’s Guinness World Record-breaking chile pepper. 

That one hits a whopping 2.693 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), far surpassing your average Sriracha (which measures around 1,000 units). The menu also features garlicky Sizzlin’ Sriracha Dippers and a Smokin’ Rojo sandwich (both mild to medium), along with Darin’ Dab Ghost Wings for the brave ones out there. 

It only stays available while supplies last — making it a hot commodity, if you will. Popeyes is offering the entire bundle for $17, with à la carte add-ons of The Last Dab for $1. Double rewards points are also up for grabs from September 22–28 with every Hot Ones app or online purchase. 

Need a demonstration? Emmy-winning actor, singer, and two-time Hot Ones alum Keke Palmer is tackling this tasting on a special episode of “Hot Ones.” During her last appearance, fan-favorite Palmer remained remarkably composed through the final rounds, so we have no doubt she’ll crush this one. 

Over the years, Hot Ones has partnered with chains like Firehouse Subs and Panda Express to bring all that heat to viewers at home. (The brand is notably strategic about food collaborations, as Ad Age reports that it’s only tackled six partnerships as of April 2025.) But for the Popeyes development team, this collaboration felt especially intuitive. 

“Together, we crafted a menu that mirrors the Hot Ones journey,” Popeyes vice president of culinary innovation Amy Alarcon tells Food & Wine. “This collaboration is more than just food. It’s an experience that sits at the intersection of flavor, fire, and pop culture.” 

Haven’t seen Hot Ones on your social feed? Allow us to break it down: It’s a celebrity interview series that puts well-known figures in the hot seat, quite literally. 

The YouTube series launched in March 2015, quickly gaining traction and tapping celebrities like Gordon Ramsay, Viola Davis, NSYNC, and Shaquille O’Neal to taste-test incrementally spicy wings. Episodes are released every Thursday at 11 a.m., just in time for your mid-week TV slump, with recent appearances by actor Patrick Schwarzenegger and former New York Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. As of publication, First We Feast’s YouTube channel has 15 million subscribers. 

Producers have just announced the season 28 lineup of hot sauces, featuring creative profiles like Dawson’s Hot Sauce’s toasty Coffee Date and Chimichurri Habanero from Neil’s Real Deal. As for the upcoming menu lineup, Popeyes is asking folks to post their attempts — successful or otherwise — to truly step into the spotlight. 

We’ll keep our personal attempts off-camera, thanks.