Wed 9th Apr 2025 - Exclusive: Popeyes UK enters partnership with SSP, secures first airport site Exclusive – Popeyes UK enters partnership with SSP, secures first airport site: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has entered into a strategic partnership with SSP, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, to open a pipeline of travel hub sites across the country, Propel has learned. The first site under the new partnership will open at Birmingham airport at the start of this summer. Opening in time for the peak summer travel season, Popeyes’ first UK airport restaurant will be located airside and will offer the brand’s full all-day menu, as well as its recently launched breakfast menu. “As the food travel experts, we’re always working to ensure we meet the evolving needs of customers while offering variety across our portfolio,” said Kari Daniels, chief executive of SSP UK & Ireland. “There’s a huge appetite for Popeyes’ tasty menu, so we’re really excited to launch our new partnership together at UK travel hubs, starting with the brand's inaugural journey into UK airport restaurants at Birmingham airport.” Popeyes UK, which holds the UK and Ireland franchise for the brand, entered the UK market in November 2021. It has subsequently expanded to circa 70 sites across the UK. The brand has ambitious expansion plans and is targeting 350 UK outlets by 2031 with a plan to almost double its current restaurant portfolio during 2025. It is targeting sales of more than £200m in 2025, up 70% year-on-year. Tom Byng, chief development officer at Popeyes UK, said: “Everybody is delighted to be working with SSP to open Popeyes’ first UK airport restaurant. This is the first of a number of locations we will open in partnership with SSP, marking a significant milestone for the business as we roll out our ambitious growth plans for 2025, and reflects the continued strength of our customer proposition and brand appeal.” In February, Josh Kobza, chief executive of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the owner of Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Hortons, said average restaurant sales for Popeyes UK reached nearly $3m (£2.4m) in 2024. TDR Capital took control of Popeyes UK last year after initially injecting £50m into the business in 2023.