Popeyes to open 20 new branches including drive-thrus – is one coming near you?

FAST-FOOD chain Popeyes plans to open 20 new branches in the UK next year.

During early 2023, the first new branches will pop up in Rotherham, Cardiff and Glasgow.

Popeyes will also open more restaurants in Reading, Croydon and Cambridge.

The chain launched in the UK last year with the first store opening in Westfield shopping centre in Stratford.

Since then, it’s also opened more takeaway-only branches in various London districts, including Bermondsey, Maida Vale and Whitechapel.

Overall, the 20 new branches will bring the total number of UK restaurants to 31 by the end of 2023.

Popeyes told The Sun it can’t provide a full list of new locations yet.

In order to find out where your nearest restaurant is, you should use the restaurant locator tool on the Popeyes website.

It’ll help you keep an eye on any new locations too.

On top of new store branches, the chain said it’s also launching “a raft”; of drive-thru locations.

The first is likely to be in Rotherham at Parkgate Shopping Park, but Popeyes hasn’t confirmed how many are in the pipeline.

Tom Crowley, chief executive officer at Popeyes UK, said: “We’re working at pace currently on opening our Liverpool, Brighton and Leicester branches before the end of the year – but we always have one eye on the future and are looking forward to continuing sharing our expansion plans.”;

The latest move follows the successful launch of the restaurant opening a store in Oxford which had a queue of hungry customers waiting in line from 5am on opening day.

In March 2021, Popeyes stated it planned to open 350 UK restaurants over the next 10 years.

The company is owned by Restaurant Brands International (RBI) which also owns Burger King.

In other fast-food news, Nando’s is offering “free”; chicken to customers who buy a meal selected by one of three England football players.

Entrants have until Friday to order a meal via the website during lunchtime before posting their purchase to social media.

Winners will receive a £30 gift card for Nando’s – the equivalent of two meals with two sides each.