​Popeyes’ First UK Location Has Been Revealed

The first UK location for American fried chicken chain Popeyes has been revealed, with more sites set to be announced soon.

Founded in New Orleans in Louisiana back in 1972, the chain has become famous for its fried chicken and biscuits (the doughy, flaky kind, not the ones Brits like to dunk in their tea).

It currently has 3,400 restaurants across 25 countries, but is now making its debut in the UK with a first site in east London.

Due to open in November 2021, the Popeyes branch will be located in Westfield Stratford City, having taken over a 1,531sq ft unit in the popular shopping centre.

The brand is also expected to announce further sites in the UK imminently.

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Tom Crowley, CEO of Popeyes UK, commented: "It's fantastic to be opening our first UK location, following the months of anticipation and buzz that the news of our arrival generated.

"Our vision for our UK launch is ambitious and bold, and we felt a shared sense of purpose with Westfield Stratford City when we were on the hunt for our first restaurant.

"We are confident that they are the perfect partner to help us kick-start our entry into the UK market.

"All our locations will be carefully chosen, in communities that echo the Louisianan spirit synonymous with Popeyes. We're looking forward to unveiling our next sites in due course, and revealing more about our expansion into new locations in 2022 and beyond."

While the full menu for Popeyes UK has not yet been confirmed, staple items over in the States include the signature fried chicken, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders and sides like biscuits, coleslaw, Cajun fries, mashed potatoes with gravy and red beans with rice.

According to Popeyes, its chicken is 'locally sourced and freshly prepared', marinated for 'at least 12 hours in bold Louisiana seasonings, hand battered and breaded, then slow cooked to perfection using a proprietary frying process'.

Kate Orwin, leasing director UK, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: "We're delighted that Popeyes will be opening its first UK store at Westfield Stratford City.

"Chicken is beloved across all ages and we're sure that it will be another destination where families, friends, and groups can enjoy delicious meals.

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"Westfield centres continue to attract the best and most exciting brands that our customers want, and Popeyes will be another incredible addition to our diverse food and drink offering at the centre."

Tom Byng, chief development officer at Popeyes UK, added: "The pandemic has accelerated changing consumer habits, and this has closely informed our UK real estate strategy.

"Our ambition is to lead with responsible, sustainable practices at the heart of all we do, and leave a legacy of jobs creation in each community that we open up in.

"This is a major milestone for the brand and we are excited to announce further acquisitions in the run-up to our November opening."

Topics: Food, UK News, News, Chicken

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman