New Orleans-born fried chicken brand, Popeyes®, has confirmed that it will open the doors of its first restaurant in Northern Ireland on Friday 20 September at 11:00am.
Based at Lesley Forestside Shopping Centre, the world-famous chicken restaurant is gearing up to give chicken lovers a taste of Louisiana hospitality on opening day, with celebrations including food giveaways, live performances and special appearances.
The Belfast restaurant has created 90 local jobs. Since its arrival to the UK in November 2021, Popeyes® has opened more than 50 locations. The brand intends to double the size of its current estate and create more than 2000 jobs with plans for 30 new restaurants, drive-thrus and delivery kitchens in 2024 including this Belfast opening.
The first three people in the queue on Friday 20 September will win free Chicken Sandwiches for a year – and the brand is also generously doubling its usual queue giveaways, with the first 50 people in the queue winning a free Chicken Sandwich plus exclusive merch. Crowds are expected to descend on Lesley Forestside Shopping Centre as eager fans of the brand vye to be the first to get their hands on the the iconic Chicken Sandwich range, Hot Wings, Tenders, original Southern biscuits and gravy, and Cajun rice.
The Popeyes® breakfast menu will also be available from 8:00am to 11:00am from Saturday September 21st. Launched earlier this year, the menu includes breakfast classics with a New Orleans twist, such as the Big Cajun Breakfast Roll and Cajun Hash Browns.
Tom Crowley, CEO at Popeyes® UK, said, “We’re incredibly excited to have landed in Northern Ireland – a region we’ve had our eyes on for some time. The Belfast opening represents the start of our commitment to the island of Ireland – it’s only the beginning of our plans. We plan to bring the spirit of New Orleans to our opening experience and are looking forward to welcoming existing fans and those trying for the first time. Lesley Forestside Shopping Centre has great potential for our first restaurant on the island of Ireland with a great catchment area for families, students and young professionals.”
Customers can expect the best quality with all Popeyes’ chicken cooked fresh in-store. Marinaded for 12 hours in a signature blend of Louisiana herbs & spices, it is then hand-breaded and hand-battered to create that famous Popeyes Shatter-Crunch.
Meat-free and flexitarians will also be catered for with various vegan options on the menu, including the 100% plant-based vegan sandwich, and as all chicken is Halal, everyone across Northern Ireland is welcome to enjoy.
Margaret McClelland, Centre Manager at Lesley Forestside Shopping Centre, said, “There’s already been a lot of interest in Popeyes’ arrival to the Centre and we are delighted to welcome the brand as one of our newest food retailers. It’s wonderful to be the first location to host it in Northern Ireland. As Northern Irelands premium shopping destination, this is an exciting addition to our retail offering, and we are confident that it will be a favourite amongst our diverse and vibrant community.”
To keep up to date with plans for the Belfast opening follow @PopeyesUK on Instagram and TikTok.