Saturday, February 15, 2025
HomeNewsChick-fil-A Donates £25,000 To Belfast Charity Ahead Of Restaurant Opening

Chick-fil-A Donates £25,000 To Belfast Charity Ahead Of Restaurant Opening

Chick-fil-A, Inc., the third largest quick service restaurant (QSR) company in the United States, today announced a £25,000 donation to Belfast charity, The People’s Kitchen, to celebrate the opening of its first UK restaurant.

Belfast will mark the first UK location for the restaurant brand, which is set to open on 30 January at Applegreen Lisburn Services. The restaurant will be licensed and operated in partnership with Applegreen.  

The local charity partnership will introduce Chick-fil-A’s Shared Table™ programme to Belfast, an initiative that aims to fight food insecurity and reduce food waste by pairing Chick-fil-A® restaurants with local nonprofits that use their surplus food to feed those in need.

This partnership marks the first in the UK as part of Chick-fil-A’s agreement with Neighbourly, an organisation that helps connect businesses with charities to make a positive impact in local communities. 

“Supporting the communities our restaurants serve is at the core of our business, and addressing hunger and food insecurity is one of the best ways that we can help make a positive impact,” said Brent Fielder, VP, Global Impact at Chick-fil-A, Inc. “We are delighted to partner with The People’s Kitchen in Belfast as part of our Shared Table™ programme. Through providing a safe and welcoming environment to those in need, the charity aligns with our Global Impact pillars of caring for people and communities.”  

The People’s Kitchen is a volunteer-run charity that supports people experiencing homelessness, addiction and food poverty. The charity provides over 1,000 meals served and 500 food parcels per week to local people in need across the city, with a focus on outreach in the community and on the street.

The People’s Kitchen Programme Coordinator, Cllr Paul McCusker, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Chick-fil-A for this generous donation, which will make a real difference to the lives of those we support across Belfast. The funding will allow us to provide even more meals to individuals and families who are struggling with hunger, homelessness, and food insecurity. Partnerships like this are vital in helping us continue our outreach work and ensuring that no one in our community goes without a hot meal or a helping hand when they need it most.”

“We’re delighted to partner with Chick-fil-A as they make their entry into the UK market, starting with this meaningful initiative in Belfast,” said Steve Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer for Neighbourly. “This collaboration exemplifies how businesses can make a real difference in local communities from day one of their operations. Through Neighbourly’s platform, we’ll help Chick-fil-A build lasting relationships with local charity partners across the UK, ensuring their surplus food reaches those who need it most.”

Last year, the Shared Table™ programme helped create more than 7 million meals from surplus food donated by participating Chick-fil-A restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada.   

To celebrate each new restaurant opening in the UK, Chick-fil-A Inc. donates £25,000 to a local non-profit organisation within the restaurant’s community to create a positive local impact. 

“We are excited to bring Chick-fil-A to Belfast with the opening of our Applegreen licensed location, marking a key milestone in our expansion into the UK,” said Joanna Symonds, Head of UK Operations for Chick-fil-A, Inc. “From day one, we’ve strived to positively impact each and every community in which we operate, and we look forward to continuing that tradition.”

The brand plans to open five restaurants, both licensed and locally owned and operated models, across the UK in the first two years. Other locations will include London, Leeds and Liverpool. 

Join our mailing list

Sign up to receive the latest news, opinion and blog entries from Business Eye

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Most Read

- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -