Chick-Fil-A Announces Return To UK After 2019 Pop-Up Protests

If you consider yourself a culinary traveler, it may be time to begin plotting your next epicurean adventure — and set the course for the U.K. While Chick-fil-A is a staple in the United States as the third largest quick service chain, this marks a major step toward international dominance in non-North American markets.

Chick-fil-A announced via a press release that the chain will lead with four cities (Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) with five locations. However, the long-term strategy will include a major rollout over the course of 10 years and will clock in at a cool $100 million investment (that's an awful lot of pimento dip). And while this news may be significant in terms of this larger international strategy, it's not Chick-fil-A's first foray into the U.K. 

A pilot program was met with consumer backlash over the company's donations to anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations, which was significant enough to prevent its lease extension at the Reading, England location. The latest news appears to signal a renewed effort to gain traction and begin a larger expansion process.

Although no mention has been made in the official press release regarding this particular issue (which sparked controversy in the U.S. as well, compelling Chick-fil-A to discontinue donations to anti-LGBTQIA+ groups back in 2019), the company is touting a number of community-oriented initiatives, including intentions to create around 400 jobs and invite entrepreneurial-minded U.K. residents to participate in an Owner-Operator business model. On the food front, Chick-fil-A is also asserting a commitment to locally sourced poultry and free-range eggs.

Currently, Chick-fil-A is serving the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada through more than 3,000 restaurants. And while the chain intends to have the first U.K. locations up and running within two years, the company made it known in 2023 that they also plan to explore expansion into Asia and Europe. It remains to be seen whether Chick-fil-A will tailor its recipes and menu to suit its international customers the way other chains tend to do (see McDonald's fries around the world for evidence), or whether its values will align with U.K. customers this time around. But it seems as if there will soon be more chances for our neighbors across the pond to get their hands on banana pudding milkshakes or those famous biscuit sandwiches once again.