The UK chicken restaurant market is experiencing a dynamic surge, with further growth expected in 2025, according to new data from Meaningful Vision. This report highlights the key trends driving this expansion and the competitive landscape’s evolution.
Q4 2024: Chicken Soars Ahead
Meaningful Vision’s market intelligence platform reveals a 1.1% increase in visitor traffic to chicken restaurants in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. This growth was largely fueled by a 6% rise in store openings. In comparison, the overall fast-food sector experienced a more modest 0.7% growth, with a significantly lower rate of new store openings.
Rapid Expansion Fuels Competition
The pace of chicken shop openings over the past three years has been nearly twice as fast as other fast-food concepts, with overall sector growth reaching 28% over this period. “This trend underscores both the vitality of the sector and the intensifying competition, as major players continue to expand aggressively,” said Meaningful Vision chief executive, Maria Vanifatova.
Chicken’s Rise: Affordability and Health Appeal
“Chicken has long been perceived as a more affordable and healthier option,” Maria added. “While it outperforms beef in overall UK consumption, it has yet to dominate the hospitality sector in the same way.”
Ambitious Expansion Plans
Several brands have announced ambitious expansion plans, further fuelling the market’s growth. Popeyes, Wingstop, and Slim Chickens are all actively increasing their UK presence, driving customer demand and reshaping the competitive landscape.
Regional Trends: London Takes the Lead
This surge in growth is particularly evident in London, Greater London, and the West Midlands, which saw the highest increase in chicken chains in 2024 and now boast the highest number of chicken restaurants per capita.
London’s Accelerated Demand
A closer look at London reveals that while store openings matched the national average, traffic growth surged by 5.2%, outpacing the rest of the UK. “This suggests consumer demand in key metropolitan areas is accelerating even faster than overall new store launches, particularly in markets where brands employ a London-first expansion strategy to capitalise on high foot traffic and strong growth opportunities,” Vanifatova commented.
Looking Ahead: Continued Growth and Competition
The UK chicken restaurant market is poised for continued growth and intensifying competition in 2025. Brands that can effectively leverage data-driven insights, innovate their menus, and strategically position themselves within this dynamic landscape are likely to thrive.
More on the fast – food industry trends in our previous report.
