The chicken gods have blessed us, as Chick‑fil‑A has officially confirmed a Liverpool location, with two locations having opened in Belfast earlier this year. What is more, it is not just another fast food brand coming to the UK and running it from its headquarters – Chick‑fil‑A is set to benefit local communities and small business owners (more on that later), as well as invest £82 million into the UK economy.
Up until this year, Chick‑fil‑A was only open in the US, and those of us who have visited can confirm how good it actually is. Now, the brand has expanded to the UK, with Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool and London locations.
The latest UK opening was Leeds, located at 34-35 Commercial Street (LS1 6EX) and creating between 70 and 120 local jobs. The new restaurant opened its doors on Thursday, October 23.
Known for their Original Chick‑fil‑A® Chicken Sandwich and friendly hospitality, the brand has taken ovem the US, Canada and Puerto Rico by storm, but has not been able to expand to the UK in 2019 and 2020 due to the backlash from the LGBTQ+ community, as Chick-fil-A openly supported Christian charities that are against same sex marriage. The business has stopped donating to such charities since 2019.
Chick‑fil‑A and the local communities
Anita Costello, Chief International Officer at Chick‑fil‑A, said: “Serving communities is at the heart of everything we do, and we look forward to bringing Chick‑fil‑A’s delicious food and signature hospitality to Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool and London, and continuing our long-term investment in the UK.”
“From job creation to supporting local causes, we are excited about the positive impact our first restaurants will have in the communities they serve.”
Each restaurant is able to take part in the Chick‑fil‑A Shared Table programme, donating any surplus food to local soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and non-profits in need.
What is more, every restaurant is owned by local, independent Owner-Operators, who are small business owners, not passive investors, who are responsible on how the restaurants are run on a day-to-day basis.
Joanna Symonds, Head of UK Operations, said: “We’ve always cared about the impact of our restaurants on the local communities that we serve, and we strive to positively impact areas throughout the UK. Caring for people, while delivering great food, is at the heart of our brand, and we encourage our local Owner-Operators to partner with organisations which support their local communities.”
When will Chick‑fil‑A open in Liverpool?
With three out of five restaurants already open, the Liverpool and London locations are still left. The exact opening date has not yet been announced, so watch this space for more details! However, it should open by late 2026.