Just over a year ago we here at Time Out covered the news that legendarily juicy American chicken shop brand Chick-fil-A would be opening restaurants in the UK. The chain operates more than 3,000 sites in the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico – and its UK restaurants will be its only ones outside North America.

And now we know exactly where Chick-fil-A’s first five UK restaurants will be. They’ll all open across the next two years, and be part of a plan to invest more than $100 million (£75.43 million) into its UK market over the next decade.

So, without further ado, the new Chick-fil-A branches in the UK will be in… Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool and London. We know that’s only four cities – we assume one of ’em will get more than one outpost of the fried chicken chain.

As yet, none of these future Chick-fil-As have opening dates or specific locations. In fact, the brand is still accepting ‘expressions of interest for individuals who are interested in becoming an independent Chick-fil-A franchise Owner-Operator in the UK’. In other words, it may still be looking for people to run UK franchises.

Devoted Chick-fil-A fans will know that these upcoming branches aren’t the first time the chain has tried to break into the British market. Back in 2019 it opened in Reading, though that restaurant was shut down LGBTQ+ campaigners. A second opened in Aviemore in Scotland, though that also only ran for three months until January 2020. Activists objected to the chain’s founders’ support for Christian groups opposed to same-sex marriage – though Chick-fil-A has apparently since cut funding to those groups.

You can find out more about Chick-fil-A’s controversies here.

American fast food in the UK

Chick-fil-A isn’t the only US food chain with its eyes on the UK. Popeyes is currently expanding across the country, as is Carl’s Jr and Dave’s Hot Chicken.

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