Popeyes

About Popeyes

Popeyes is an American multinational chain of fried chicken restaurants formed in 1972 in New Orleans and headquartered in Miami. It is currently a subsidiary of Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International and has almost 4,000 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide. Popeyes UK, which is backed here by TDR Capital, launched in the UK in 2021, with a first site opening in November of that year, in Westfield Stratford. It has since grown to more than 120 sites here.

In October 2024, Propel revealed that Popeyes UK was on track to deliver sales of £100m-plus in FY24. Chief financial officer Drew Taylor said: “The company's revenue growth underscores the effectiveness of its business roll out strategy across the UK. We are building momentum to significantly expand our footprint, catering to a diverse customer base and offering quality food for every part of the day. During the financial year new investment came from TDR Capital, which joins us on our mission as we expand nationwide. This partnership allows us to continue the fantastic momentum we have built up across the UK and to accelerate our restaurant openings programme.”

2024 also saw Popeyes open its first travel hub location, its first ‘park and serve’ drive-thru location, its first AI-powered drive-thru and make its Northern Ireland debut. It also rolled out its first breakfast menu and festive menu and launched a new delivery app. In June 2026, Popeyes made its Ireland debut with a launch in Dublin.

That same month, the company signed a franchise agreement which will see Applegreen invest €6m to deliver a pipeline of Popeyes restaurants in roadside locations over the next four years. Tom Byng, chief development officer at Popeyes UK and Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Applegreen as we roll out new restaurants across the Republic of Ireland. The partnership will allow us to reach more customers on the move and marks an exciting milestone in our journey.”

In August 2026, Popeyes said it is to expand its presence in Ireland with a second opening in Dublin and a further launch under its franchise agreement with Applegreen. It will open at the Liffey Valley shopping centre and in the Dundrum Town Centre complex, and with at Applegreen Naas Ball in Kildare.

Why franchise with Popeyes

• ✓Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is looking for international franchise partners globally. The company said markets should have the potential to accommodate at least 50 restaurants. The minimum net worth requirement is approximately £850,000 per restaurant franchise, which must be available in liquid cash or alternatives such as stocks, bonds or inventory.
• ✓The initial franchise fee for starting a Popeyes franchise in the UK is £36,050 for in-line and free-standing restaurants. For delivery restaurants, this fee might differ. Beyond the initial franchise fee, franchise owners must manage ongoing costs which include a 5% royalty on gross sales and a 4% fee for advertising. A certain amount of liquid assets are required to join the network and any third party funding required must be arranged and guaranteed by the franchisee.
• ✓Franchisees are expected to contribute a certain amount of their income from their business to this fund in order for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to maintain and keep up to date its extensive range of marketing materials. Restaurants work well in a range of settings, including freestanding locations, shopping malls, airports, and university campuses. The company must approve the site selected to open a restaurant before any building or fit-out work can take place.
• ✓The company awards franchises on an area development basis. As a result, prospective franchisees must be experienced in running multi-site restaurants, as well as being familiar with retail development in their chosen market. All members of a franchisee’s management team must complete the Popeyes management certification programme, which gives individuals a thorough grounding in all aspects of the business and covers topics such as food preparation, equipment, food safety and sanitation, inventory, service, management controls and functions, operations compliance, safety and security.
• ✓Based in the US, the programme lasts for between four and six weeks. Initial and ongoing support is provided both locally by one of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen’s experienced regional leaders and via the company’s global service centre in Atlanta, Georgia. Assistance is available with launching the business, finding suitable restaurant locations, design and fit-out of restaurants, establishing a reliable supply chain, developing menus, promoting the brand, operations and ongoing training requirements.
• ✓A regional leader is the main point of contact when it comes to discussing training, operations and marketing issues, as well as answering any questions about the business and its development. Franchisees are given access to the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen password protected web portal, where they can view training videos, contact details and the company’s comprehensive operations manual whenever they need to.
• ✓Management tools relevant to the business are also available on the site. The franchisor supplies every franchisee with a list of authorised suppliers and distributors from which they can purchase all products. This ensures brand continuity across the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchise network. The company helps franchisees to source as many products as possible locally, as long as they meet its specifications.