Popeyes to open in Ireland
• Popeyes plans to deploy significant investment in the Republic of Ireland, creating approximately 500 jobs in 2026 alone
• First Popeyes restaurant due to open in Blanchardstown Centre this Spring, with a Dublin city centre megastore to follow in the Summer
16 February 2026 – Popeyes UK® (“Popeyes” or the “Company”), the UK’s fastest growing, award winning QSR brand, is pleased to announce that, having secured the master franchise to operate the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand in the Republic of Ireland, it will open its first restaurant in Blanchardstown Centre in the Spring.
The Company also confirms that it has secured a pipeline of additional restaurant openings across the country, with more openings planned in 2026 including a flagship ‘megastore’ in the heart of Dublin.
Founded in New Orleans in 1972, the iconic and award-winning Popeyes brand has over 50 years of heritage and culinary tradition to its name. The brand, which is well known for having catered Beyonce and Jay-Z’s wedding, is widely regarded as the expert when it comes to fried chicken and authentic Southern hospitality, with a unique New Orleans style menu known for the quality of its ‘shatter crunchin’ chicken – which uses fresh and never frozen chicken that is hand-breaded and battered following a 12-hour marination process. The chain’s passion for its Louisiana heritage, authentic hospitality and flavourful food has allowed Popeyes to become one of the world’s largest chicken quick service restaurants with over 5,000 restaurants in 33 countries around the world.
2026 will see the Company – which was recognised in The Sunday Times’ prestigious Best Place to Work list – create 500 new jobs in the Republic of Ireland this year alone, with more to come as part of Popeyes’ longer-term ambitions to grow its presence in the region.
The entry into the Ireland builds on Popeyes’ hugely successful roll out across the UK, scaling to more than 110 sites – including 2 in Northern Ireland – having launched in the market in 2021 in Westfield, Stratford, a restaurant which remains one of Popeyes’ busiest sites globally. Each new UK store opening continues to be met by overnight queues from devoted Popeyes fans
Tom Crowley, CEO at Popeyes UK, commented:
“Expansion into Ireland is a natural next step in our growth journey and builds on the fantastic progress we have made in the UK in the last five years, where Popeyes has established itself as one of the fastest growing QSR brands in the market.
“We can’t wait to bring the taste and hospitality of New Orleans to customers in Ireland with the opening of our first restaurant in Blanchardstown Centre. We look forward to giving Irish customers a better way to enjoy authentic, hand breaded shatter crunchin’ chicken as we roll-out more restaurants across the country in 2026 and beyond.”
Connor Owens, Chief Executive of Falcon AM, the asset management company of Blanchardstown Centre:
“The arrival of Popeyes in Ireland has been highly anticipated, and we are delighted to confirm that Blanchardstown Centre will be the home of its first Irish restaurant. Popeyes joins a long line of leading international brands that have chosen Blanchardstown Centre as an entry point to the Irish market. There are more exciting developments to come in 2026 as we continue to roll out an ambitious investment programme for the country’s largest retail and leisure destination.”
ENDS
About Popeyes UK
Popeyes UK® is an award-winning quick service restaurant (“QSR”) brand with over 100 sites across the UK.
Known and loved for its ‘shatter crunchin’ chicken, which is hand-breaded and battered following a 12-hour marination process, the brand brings the spirit and flavour of New Orleans to the UK.
Popeyes UK® holds the master UK and Ireland franchise for the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand, one of the world’s largest chicken quick service restaurants, first founded in New Orleans in 1972 and now with more than 5,000 restaurants globally.
The brand entered the UK market in November 2021 and has since successfully executed an ambitious roll out strategy. Today, it operates more than 100 restaurants across the UK across eat-in restaurants, drive thru sites, and delivery kitchens, and employs approximately 3,500 people. In 2024, the business delivered sales of £118m, up from £15m in 2022.
After initially investing in July 2023, in 2024, TDR Capital took a majority stake in the business to support its mission of nationwide expansion.
Popeyes UK® was named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.
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