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Fast-food operator Slim Chickens is preparing to launch a series of UK drive-through locations over the coming 12 months, in a move expected to generate up to 1,000 jobs.
Having debuted in the UK market in 2018, the chain will unveil its initial drive-through outlet at Broughton Shopping Park in north Wales on October 6. This location will serve as a model for further developments across the country.
Master franchisee Boparan Restaurant Group, which manages the brand across the UK and Europe, aims to capitalise on rising consumer interest in drive-through dining alongside sustained enthusiasm for fried chicken products.
Rich Pigott, managing director for Boparan Restaurants, stated that the company intends to establish 15 to 20 new venues nationwide over the next year, predominantly focusing on drive-through formats.
With individual outlets recruiting as many as 50 staff members, the planned growth will add between 800 and 1,000 new positions to the British workforce.
This rollout marks a heightened pace of expansion following eight site openings in 2026, bringing the firm’s total portfolio in the UK beyond 80 locations.
Mr Pigott said: “We’ve got ambitious plans for the drive-through format, and Broughton gives us the opportunity to take everything people love about Slim Chickens… and bring it to guests in a completely new way.”
He added it is “only the beginning for Slim Chickens drive-throughs in the UK”.
He said the drive-throughs will be focused on sites such as retail parks, adding to its current estate in high streets and shopping centres.
Founded in Fayetteville, Arkansas in the US, Slim Chickens’s American chain is largely focused on drive-throughs, and the format is becoming increasingly popular in the UK.
Mr Pigott said: “It’s convenient for people to go to a drive-through and take food home.”
He said it is a competitive market in the hospitality sector as consumers come under pressure amid soaring energy and fuel costs.
“People will reduce their spending habits to reduce their bills,” he said. “But they will still want to go out.
“People might cut back from going to a restaurant two or three times a week to once a week, so you’ve got to be the best in the market to make sure people come to you.”
Boparan Restaurant Group, which also runs brands such as Carluccio’s, Giraffe and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, is also planning expansion further across Europe through company-owned sites and franchise partnerships.
Tom Patrick, marketing director at Boparan Restaurants, said the drive-through launch in the UK is a “huge moment for the brand”.
He added: “We’re excited to be using our new app and new AI technology to make the guest journey in our drive-through as seamless as in-store.”
