Major US fast food chain Chick-fil-A is set to open in the UK in 2025, in a second attempt to break into the UK market.
The brand previously opened in the Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading in 2019, but announced just a week later that the lease would end after six months following protests by gay rights campaigners. LGBT+ campaigners protested and called for a boycott over the founding family’s support for Christian organisations opposed to gay rights - with a history of donating to groups it said were anti-LGBT.
The Atlanta-based chain currently has 2,800 stores across the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, and hopes to diversify to the UK in 2025. There are hopes of opening five sites within the first two years, before expanding further across the country. The new openings will create between 80 and 120 jobs, although the locations for the new restaurants have not yet been determined.
Chick-fil-A, which is known for its original chick-fil-a chicken sandwich, announced that all chicken will be sourced from the UK and Ireland.
Chief International Officer at Chick-fil-A, Anita Costello, said: “We are excited our restaurants will bring new jobs and opportunities throughout the UK.
“Serving communities is at the heart of everything we do at Chick-fil-A, and our unique local owner-operator model provides one of a kind access to entrepreneurial opportunities."
Chick-fil-A’s head of UK operations, Joanna Symonds, also mentioned: “From our earliest days we’ve worked to positively influence the places we call home and this will be the same for our stores in the UK”.
Chick-fil-A doesn’t open on Sundays in the US due to religious reasons, and the same policy is due to stand in the UK.
If you consider yourself a chicken connoisseur, you might also be interested to hear about the new Popeyes stores opening in the UK...