Sidemen plan to open 10 restaurants across UK this year and 200 within 10 years

The Fried Chicken brand SIDES is to open ten locations in 2023, with expansion across the UK. The plans will create 100 jobs and will expand the brand’s footprint into the North of England and Scotland.

The chicken brand, which is part of the Virtual Hero Group, is set to open its first dine-in restaurant experience on the High Street this year.

Robin Mehta, CEO of SIDES said: “We are keen as a brand to keep evolving and our new high street restaurants will do that alongside furthering our reach in the UK as part of our larger growth target of 200 SIDES sites globally in the next 10 years.”

The fried chicken brand has been developed by the YouTube collective, The Sidemen.

As part of growth plans, the fried chicken brand will be opening in the UK’s leading shopping centres to accompany its existing virtual restaurants.

The flagship restaurants will be larger, with screening spaces alongside room for parties and launch events.

SIDES is part of the group behind the exploding fast-casual chain German Doner Kebab, Choppaluna, Island Poké, and XIX Vodka, a further Sidemen brand.

Josh Bradley (Zerkaa), The Sidemen, said: “The fans have been crying out for more SIDES locations, so we are excited to meet the fever pitch demand with more restaurants across the UK.

“Our first ever high street store will be a special moment for all of us and we cannot wait for everyone to try them as they will be a real celebration of the Sidemen ahead of our ten year anniversary as a group.

“We are looking forward to fans visiting these new locations and trying our evolved menu offering, including our new SIDES Hot Chicken. Our take on Nashville-style chicken which has an unparalleled flavour and heat combination, it is a must-try.”

Robin Mehta, CEO of SIDES said: “At Virtual Hero, we are responding to emerging consumer trends and are looking to build an ecosystem of the brands of the future.

“The Sidemen are representative of exciting and relevant British talent being at the forefront of new trends and the expansion of Sides shows that this collaborative concept not only works but thrives.

“The virtual locations have allowed us to rapidly reach more people across the nation but we are thrilled to expand our brick-and-mortar offering this year. The high street restaurant is a fresh concept for creating a new form of engagement for fans.

“Alongside our shopping centre locations, these additional brick-and-mortar restaurants will bring us to the focal point of communities. It will allow fans to be able to access an unrivalled Sidemen experience in their area alongside a new evolved menu offering.“

SIDES has already launched in Market Place Harrow this year, marking its third bricks-and-mortar restaurant in the UK. The restaurant at Market Place Harrow expands SIDES’ physical portfolio, as it follows its other brick-and-mortar restaurants in Wembley BOXPARK and Gravity Wandsworth.

As part of global growth, SIDES is set to add 200 physical and virtual locations to its portfolio in the next ten years.

In addition, SIDES is also available for delivery via the major food delivery platforms UberEats and Deliveroo across key locations in the UK.