The US fried chicken chain that caused 18-hour queues when it first launched in Scotland has announced the opening date for its new Glasgow restaurant.

Popeyes has said the doors will open at its Sauchiehall Street restaurant on Friday, July 5.

Tom Crowley, chief executive at Popeyes UK, told The Herald: "In just 30 months, our remarkable Popeyes UK team have already opened 49 top-tier restaurants and we're now looking forward to celebrating the big ‘50’ with our Glasgow Sauchiehall Street opening.

"Popeyes is the fastest-growing chicken QSR brand in the UK, with a 125% year-on-year growth from May 2023 to May 2024. The sustained demand for Popeyes®️ in the UK is incredible, but not unexpected. We've seen overnight queues for almost every opening since our UK launch in 2021, with fried chicken fans turning up to queue over 24 hours before the opening of new Popeyes restaurants. 

"Our expansion into Scotland has been a significant part of this growth, which we look forward to continuing as we open more new restaurants across the country."

Popeyes has now revealed its Sauchiehall Street opening datePopeyes has now revealed its Sauchiehall Street opening date (Image: Popeyes)

Popeyes, the "home of Famous Louisiana Chicken", opening on Sauchiehall Street marks the brand’s 17 opening this year, and the 50 store opening in the UK since first landing in November 2021.

Popeyes UK said it is "set to pull out all the stops for the big 5-0" and showcase its Southern hospitality as it brings its taste of New Orleans.

The brand has teamed up with Glasgow’s customised trainer experts, Boxfresh, to create limited-edition pairs of kicks – branded in Popeyes’ iconic orange, teal, and white – which will be up for grabs to win on opening day.

Glasgow nail salon Naf! is also joining the Popeyes party, "creating sets of custom Popeyes artificial nails which fans in the queue will also be in with a chance of winning".


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Alongside Popeyes’ signature prize of free Chicken Sandwiches for a year for the first three customers in the queue, the first 50 customers in the Sauchiehall St queue will receive one free Chicken Sandwich and also be in with a chance of winning exclusive money-can’t-buy Popeyes merchandise - including Popeyes bucket hats and T-shirts, as well as the custom Popeyes® trainers and Naf! nail sets, the firm said

Guests hoping to visit on launch day are advised to get down quickly to beat the queue of chicken fans. "Round-the-block" queues have become synonymous with Popeyes UK restaurant launches, with diners all over the country having previously queued from as early as 25 hours before opening.

Customers queued for 18.5 hours to get their hands on the famous Louisiana Chicken Sandwich at Popeyes’ first Scottish launch in Barrhead in September 2023.

Popeyes saw "one of the most successful openings to-date out of 4,000 restaurants globally" when it opened its first restaurant north of the border last year, and the brand predicts that the launch of the second Glasgow venue, and third in Scotland, will be equally as popular. 

The new Glasgow restaurant will also be the first Popeyes restaurant in the UK to stay open until midnight from opening day, ensuring that the full menu will be available late into the evening.

Popeyes will be situated at 108-110 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, and will seat up to 80 people for dine-in, with takeaway also available.

Chicken fans in Glasgow will get to experience Popeyes "world-famous shatter crunch" for themselves once they get their hands on the mouth-watering menu, including the iconic Popeyes Chicken Sandwich and original Southern biscuits and gravy", the firm said.

Popeyes will also be serving up its breakfast menu featuring British breakfast classics with a New Orleans twist, such as the Big Cajun breakfast roll, cajun Hash Browns and indulgent Nutella-topped buttermilk biscuits. Breakfast will be available until 11am each day and will even include a Bacon Roll Meal for just £1.99, comprising a Bacon Roll, Hash Brown and a drink.