A bizarre break-in at a North Carolina Popeyes has added another chapter to what is becoming an unexpectedly strange run of restaurant crime stories in 2026. Police in Greensboro are investigating a burglary at a local Popeyes location on Gate City Boulevard after someone allegedly entered the restaurant before dawn, prepared food in the kitchen, and then left with stolen items.
The Greensboro Police Department told ABC11 that the incident occurred around 5 a.m. on May 21. Investigators have not publicly explained how the suspect got inside, but they say the person spent enough time in the restaurant to cook shrimp, fries, and biscuits before taking additional food items and leaving the scene.
While Popeyes is best known for its fried chicken, police say the suspect apparently headed straight for the shrimp. The department even leaned into the absurdity on social media, posting a message directed at the suspect: "Popeyes and GPD would like you to rate your food experience by contacting us."
As news of the break-in spread, social media users flooded the comments with jokes and questions, with a few outlets dubbing the suspect “The Biscuit Bandit.”
The Popeyes case comes just months after another North Carolina restaurant break-in made national headlines. In February, police in Kinston arrested a former Little Caesars employee who allegedly entered the business after hours and began operating it himself.
According to police, 41-year-old Jonathon Hackett unlawfully entered the restaurant, prepared pizzas, sold them to customers, and kept the proceeds. Authorities later said he returned to the business a second time, leading to a confrontation with employees and his eventual arrest on multiple felony charges.
Unlike the Little Caesars incident, there is currently no indication that the Popeyes suspect sold food to customers. Investigators say the person simply loved that chicken (or, more accurately, that shrimp) enough to make some for himself.
Police have not announced any arrests in the Greensboro case, and the investigation remains active. For now, authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward as they work to identify the person behind one of the year's most unusual restaurant burglaries.
