A fast-food chain whose chicken sandwich enchanted the USA has now set its sights on the UK.

Popeyes announced on Tuesday that it will launch in the UK later this year. As part of a European expansion plan, the company plans to open hundreds of restaurants in the coming years, with the first restaurant set to open in late 2021.

Founded in New Orleans in 1972, the company is known for its Louisiana-style menu, which includes spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and other regional dishes.

Popeyes made a splash in 2019 with the introduction of its chicken sandwich, part of the so-called “chicken sandwich war” with competitors like Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s. The new menu item sparked online hype and became a meme on Twitter (TWTR), leading to long lines, shortages, and even opinion pieces from newspapers like the New Yorker.

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Popeye’s famous “Southern Style” Chicken Sandwich is served with mayo (regular or spicy), thick-sliced ​​pickles, a buttery brioche bun, and a chicken breast seasoned with Popeye’s traditional buttermilk batter.

Shortages and a stampede for the sandwich led to fights, death threats and an incident in which a cashier was threatened at gunpoint.

The attention helped drive record sales and boost the share price of Popeyes’ parent company Restaurant Brands International (QSR), which also owns Burger King and Tim Hortons. Popeyes will enter the UK market as part of a deal between its owner – PLK Europe GmbH, Ring International Holdings (RIH) – and Popeyes UK co-founder Elias Diaz Sese.

David Shear, RBI International President, said: “Our launch in the UK will build on other successful international expansions in Spain, Switzerland, China, the Philippines and most recently Sri Lanka.

“We are confident that our guests in the UK will love their Popeyes chicken and we are excited to offer an alternative product to a large international market that we believe is ripe for a revolution.”

The launch is expected to lead to major investments in talent and digital innovation and create new jobs, including “critical operational roles in construction, supply chain and distribution,” Popeyes UK said.

““We are delighted to launch Popeyes, a brand that has brought celebratory moments to guests around the world, and we believe this is more important now than ever,” said Elias Diaz Sese, co-founder of Popeyes UK.

“It allows us to contribute to the country in difficult times by creating hundreds of career opportunities. We truly aspire to become a reference employer for generous talent through care, service and support of the neighborhoods in which we operate.”

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The UK will be the brand’s eleventh country in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, which already has more than 350 Popeyes restaurants. Popeye’s opened in Spain in 2019 and Switzerland in 2020. The company currently owns over 3,400 restaurants in 29 countries.

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“We are extremely proud to bring this beloved brand to the UK,” said Andreas Hacker, CEO of RIH in Scandinavia and the UK.

“We want to become the first choice for chicken in the country by serving our guests fresh, locally sourced chicken and providing them with the legendary taste and joy of Popeyes through a comprehensive experience in-store and online.”

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