A POPULAR American fast food chain has secured millions of pounds so it can open 45 new restaurants in the UK.
Popeyes, which is famous for its crispy fried chicken, already opened 33 locations across the country last year but is planning even more openings this year.
It’s one of the fastest-growing chicken restaurants in the fast food sector and already has more than 80 UK locations.
Now it has secured £43million from Barclays Corporate Banking to help it open more restaurants.
The chain’s UK chief finance officer Drew Taylor said: “Barclays are a highly supportive banking partner of Popeyes in the UK.
“The new finance facilities will enable us to build on our successful growth in the UK to date and execute our expansion strategy over the coming years, with more than 45 openings targeted in 2025 alone.”
The news will be hugely exciting for fast food fans.
Reviewers of Popeyes’ current restaurants have said it “wipes kfc and McDonald’s to the floor” and they’ve “never had a bad meal” there.
The chain opened its first UK restaurant in 2021 at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, London.
It now wants to expand its presence in cities including Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol as well as opening further locations in Manchester, Liverpool, London and Scotland.
These will include dine-in restaurants as well as drive-thru locations and delivery kitchens which will just be for takeaway orders.
Popeyes also wants to open restaurants near train stations.
Which US chains are opening more restaurants?
Popeyes is one of numerous US fast food chains expanding into the UK currently.
Chick-fil-A opened the first of five new UK restaurants back in January.
The restaurant opened inside an Applegreen service station in Lisburn, County Antrim, on the Lisburn South motorway.
It confirmed to The Sun previously it would launch in Northern Ireland, Leeds, Liverpool and London.
Wingstop also has plans to open 20 more UK sites this year.
These include dine-in restaurants in Swansea, Newcastle, Lakeside shopping centre in Essex, Streatham in south London and Cardigan Fields in Leeds.
The chicken wing restaurant opened 18 new locations last year.
Californian burger chain Carl’s Jr opened its first UK restaurant in April.
It’s planning to open 100 sites across the country over the next four years.
Family entertainment and dining centre Chuck E Cheese is reportedly planning to launch six branches across England and Scotland.
The Texas-based business has targeted Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol as possible locations.
Meanwhile Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco is set to make its UK debut soon.
The brand will be opening its first restaurant in Piccadilly Circus, London, and has said it will open more UK sites in the coming years.
