Popeyes has announced they'll be opening their very first sit-down restaurant in Chelmsford, Essex.
The Louisiana fried chicken chain launched in the UK back in November 2021, opening in Westfield Stratford's food court for takeaway chicken sandwiches, biscuits and gravy and more.
The Stratford site has proved a storming success, ranking in the top ten globally for sales out of 3,600 Popeyes restaurants.
As such the company is looking to expand, bringing their 'authentic New Orleans experience' to the rest of the country.
This expansion will start in the heart of Chelmsford and the new site will be the US icon’s debut standalone restaurant in the UK, with 46 seats for hungry guests.
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The menu will feature all of the iconic items already available in Stratford, including Popeyes 12-hour marinated chicken, giving people the chance to experience that ‘shatter crunch’ for themselves.
The chicken is the key ingredient in the sandwich that broke the internet when it was first released.
Tom Crowley, CEO at Popeyes UK, said: "We’ve been blown away by the UK’s response to Popeyes, with guests queuing for hours to try it. Our legendary menu and Southern spirit have captured the capital already, and we look forward to building on that with the launch of Chelmsford.
"Chelmsford was the perfect place for our first sit-down restaurant; it’s close to London but sits at the very heart of Essex, which is such a vibrant part of the UK with a close-knit community.
"The team is really excited to open; we already know guests love the food, but now we have the opportunity to really showcase our Louisiana hospitality too."
Peter Genna, director of global culinary innovation & product development for Popeyes brand, added: "It’s exciting to be opening the first UK restaurant in Chelmsford. Popeyes UK has ambitious plans to rapidly become a British staple and to never compromise on the quality that Popeyes is famous for. We have no doubt that Chelmsford guests will love Popeyes famous Louisiana chicken."
The new Chelmsford restaurant will located at 67/68 High Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1DH.
Popeyes UK, the master franchisee for the United Kingdom, is aiming to open hundreds of sites across the next decade, and has also launched additional delivery kitchens with Deliveroo Editions in Battersea and Whitechapel which have seen huge take-up.
The expansion plans will not only make chicken fans happy, but it is also expected to generate hundreds of new jobs across the nation, spanning operational roles in construction, supply chain and distribution - as well as providing a boost to the UK hospitality sector by hiring talent to prepare and serve Popeyes products.
Guests eager to learn more about the new Chelmsford restaurant launch can visit https://www.popeyesuk.com/restaurants/chelmsford, or follow the brand on Instagram at @PopeyesUK .
