Popeye's Stratford becomes US fried chicken giant's best performer globally

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US fried chicken brand Popeyes’ Westfield Stratford site is the company’s highest taking venue globally, the company has revealed.

Launched in the east London shopping centre in November last year, the restaurant is now the best performing of all the brand’s 3,600 plus restaurants across the world, it says.

The brand, which this year celebrates 50 years since its first restaurant opened in New Orleans, is continuing its move into Essex, with a new site in Romford set to join its soon-to-open Chelmsford restaurant. The company is also expected to open a drive thru restaurant in the county this year.

The 72-cover Romford restaurant will be the company’s second standalone operation in the UK alongside its Chelmsford site, which will open its doors on 11 June.

“It is our mission to get our famous Louisiana Chicken in the hands of chicken lovers across the UK so we will always try and open multiple restaurants in certain locations,” says Tom Crowley, CEO at Popeyes UK.

“Opening both Chelmsford and Romford together allows many people in Essex to experience a real taste of our Southern US Hospitality. We are also looking for a Drive Thru location in Essex which we hope to have news on in the coming months.

“We have ambitious plans for the UK and continue to work hard to bring our famous brand to more parts of the country.”

Popeyes UK, the master franchisee for the United Kingdom, aims to open hundreds of sites over the next decade across shopping malls, high streets and drive thru locations.

While the company’s permanent presence in the capital is still limited, it has launched delivery kitchens with Deliveroo Editions in Battersea, Whitechapel and Maida Vale with a further one due to open in Bermondsey next month.