<P> On June 17, 2014, Popeyes announced it had re-acquired full control of its seasonings, recipes, and other proprietary food preparation techniques from Diversified Foods & Seasonings, which remained under the control of Al Copeland and his estate after the creditor sale of Popeyes to AFC . Popeyes had continued to license the seasonings, recipes, and techniques from DF&S for a yearly' spice royalty', before buying them outright for $43 million . DFS remains the main supplier for Popeyes until at least 2029 . </P> <P> As of 2017, Popeyes has over 2,600 restaurants worldwide according to its website . </P> <P> Alvin C. Copeland claimed he named the stores after the fictional detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in the movie The French Connection and not the comic strip and cartoon character Popeye the Sailor . </P> <P> The name is spelled "Popeyes" without the apostrophe used by other restaurant chains such as McDonald's and Hardee's . Copeland claimed facetiously that he was "too poor" to afford an apostrophe . The chain later acquired rights to use Popeye the Sailor for marketing . The company's early brand became deeply tied to the cartoon star with its sponsorship of the Popeye & Pals children's show in New Orleans, and the character appeared on items from packaging to racing boats . In late November 2006, AFC announced the mutual termination of their licensing contract with King Features Syndicate, effectively ending their association with the Popeye characters . </P>

Where did the name popeyes chicken come from