Chick-fil-A Returns to the UK with Northern Ireland Openings
Posted by Emma on 17th Jan 2025
Chick-fil-A, the renowned US-based fast food chain, is returning to the UK market with two new restaurant openings in Northern Ireland. In partnership with Applegreen, a motorway service area operator, Chick-fil-A will launch its first outlet at the Lisburn South service area on the M1 later this month. A second location will follow at Templepatrick on the M2 in March.
This move marks the beginning of Chick-fil-A’s UK re-entry strategy after a hiatus of over five years. The partnership leverages Applegreen’s experience with the chain, successfully operating 14 Chick-fil-A restaurants across motorway service areas in the United States.
“We are delighted to bring Chick-fil-A to Northern Ireland with this new partnership agreement,” said Caroline Cherington, Regional Operations Director for Applegreen Northern Ireland. “Having successfully operated Chick-fil-A restaurants in the United States for several years, we know how much customers love their high-quality food, and we’re excited to introduce this brand to a new audience.”
This expansion comes on the heels of a 2023 announcement by Chick-fil-A to establish a foothold in the UK, with plans to open five restaurants in London, Leeds, Liverpool, and Belfast between 2025 and 2026. However, this isn’t the chain’s first attempt to enter the UK market.
In 2019, Chick-fil-A opened a location in Reading’s Oracle shopping centre, only for it to close after six months following controversy over the company’s historic donations to anti-LGBT+ organisations. Similar challenges arose at its Aviemore site in the Scottish Highlands, which shut down shortly.
In recent years, the chain has made significant changes to its philanthropic policies, focusing on education, homelessness, and hunger. Joanna Symonds, Head of UK Operations at Chick-fil-A, expressed the brand’s commitment to making a positive impact in the UK. “From our earliest days, we’ve worked to influence the places we call home positively, and this will be the same for our stores in the UK,” she said.
Founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A has grown into the third-largest quick-service restaurant chain in the United States, operating more than 3,000 outlets across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Known for its signature fried chicken sandwiches and commitment to customer service, the company remains family-owned and privately held. It also upholds its longstanding tradition of closing on Sundays, a policy that will also apply to its UK locations.
With an initial investment of $100 million (£80 million) to establish its UK operations over the next decade, Chick-fil-A is positioning itself as a serious contender in the competitive fast food market. The new Northern Ireland locations are expected to create 70 jobs, boosting Applegreen’s regional workforce to 351 employees.