American fried chicken brand Chick-fil-A will return to the UK this autumn, opening its first permanent restaurant in Leeds.
The company has announced plans to launch five UK outlets within two years as part of a $100m (£74m) decade-long investment strategy.
The Leeds location is set to open this autumn, creating between 70 and 120 local jobs. It will be managed by owner-operator Mike Hoy, noted for his “extensive experience in the restaurant industry.”
The openings come after two Chick-fil-A locations launched in Northern Ireland earlier this year, marking the brand’s renewed attempt to enter the UK market.
Protesters in both the US and UK have voiced concerns over the chain, founded in Atlanta in 1967, due to historic comments by members of its founding Cathy family opposing same-sex marriage.
Chick-fil-A initially tried to open a location in Reading in 2019, but the restaurant faced protests from LGBTQ+ activists and closed when its six-month lease ended in 2020.
A second pop-up at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel in Scotland operated for three months, closing in January 2020 after over 1,000 people signed a petition opposing its opening.
Chick-fil-A is also planning to open its first restaurant in Singapore in late 2025, as part of a 10-year, $75m (£55m) investment.
Andrew T. Cathy, chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A, Inc. said: “Expanding in both Europe and Asia is a meaningful milestone for Chick-fil-A.”
“The investments we’re making in the UK and Singapore not only present opportunities for our business, but are also a chance for us to bring what makes Chick-fil-A special to new places – great food and remarkable hospitality, our unique franchise model and the positive impact we have in communities.”
Chick-fil-A currently operates more than 3,000 locations across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.