Raw sewage in bathroom briefly shuts down Popeyes restaurant
Bart Bedsole
Raw sewage in the bathroom contributed to a failing score for a popular fried chicken restaurant in Fountain last week.
On July 18 at the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen along Hwy 85/87 near Center Valley Drive, the health inspector found 10 violations, including:
Raw chicken, cut lettuce, and cut cabbage were out of temperature, possibly due to the cooler door being left open
There was a large number of flies
There was an excessive amount of fumes or smoke in the kitchen area
Raw sewage was coming up from the drain in the men’s bathroom
A health department spokesperson confirmed that the restaurant was briefly shut down due to the sewage problem, but it reopened a short time later after a plumber showed up to fix it.
KRDO13 visited the restaurant on Monday to ask about the violations.
The manager on duty, Exavier Diaz, didn’t have specific knowledge of the issue, but told KRDO13 that the building was old, and the owner was in the process of removing and rebuilding the pipes.
When we asked about the flies in the kitchen, Diaz said a seal on the back door is broken, and is also in the process of being repaired.
Aside from the structural issues, however, Diaz said he believes the kitchen is extremely clean, and said customers should feel safe eating there.
This location, however, was far from the only Popeyes to fail an inspection in recent months.
KRDO13 sorted through months of inspection reports and found that five Popeyes in El Paso County have failed at least one health inspection since the beginning of the year, with at least two failing twice in 2025.
Popeyes – 2839 E. Fountain
Popeyes – 7480 Austin Bluffs
Popeyes – 3450 Austin Bluffs
Popeyes – 3815 E Pikes Peak
Popeyes – 6666 Camden
KRDO13 reached out to the Popeyes corporate office, but no one responded to comment on the frequent failures.
The Popeyes in Fountain passed its re-inspection on July 28.
OTHER FAILING SCORES:
Pikes Poke Bowl – 9290 Highland Rdg Hts – 13 violations
Mama Poke – 3502 Hartsel Dr – 12 violations
Cheba Hut – 5697 Barnes Road – 11 violations
HIGH SCORES
Paris Crepe – 1027 S Tejon
Jack in the Box – 6314 Hwy 85/87
Firehouse Subs – 7543 N Academy Blvd
Sushi O Sushi – 3643 Star Ranch Rd
Rocha’s Mexican Fast Food – 1534 S Nevada Ave
Wendy’s – 13481 Bass Pro
El Preson Bar Grill and Billiards – 908 N Circle Dr
Edible Arrangements – 7541 N Academy Blvd
The Brass Tap – 13271 Bass Pro
Swirly Cow Frozen Yogurt – 11605 Meridian Market View
Noodles & Company – 5844 Barnes Rd
The location on Barnes is the busiest Noodles & Company in the city of Colorado Springs.
The chain that began in the Denver area is currently headquartered in Broomfield, with more than 60 locations throughout Colorado, more than any other state.
While the classic mac and cheese option remains a top favorite, the restaurant also offers noodles with an Asian or Mediterranean flavor.
Area Manager Kyla Pryse said the variety of options makes it appealing to nearly everyone.
“Honestly, everybody loves to come here as a family or friends, and they get to pick. There’s something for everybody,” she says.
Pryse also explained that Colorado Springs is a test market for new dishes, giving local diners a chance to try them out before anyone else.
“It’s really cool because the team gets to test all the new dishes. Sometimes they’ll bring in fresh new ingredients and we get to play with that, and then we get to serve it to our guests every day,” she says.
Some of the dishes might be rolled out nationally afterward, while others may be discontinued.
The recent high score wasn’t a fluke either.
The Barnes location had a perfect score in November of 2023 and just two violations in October of 2022.
Click here for all the most recent health inspection results in El Paso County.