Does Chick-Fil-A Have Locations In The UK?

From humble beginnings in 1946, Chick-fil-A has grown into one of the most successful chicken chains in the United States. It's not that surprising, then, that the brand known for its sandwiches and signature Chick-fil-A sauce has tried to replicate its titanic success in foreign markets. As of June 2026, the chain operates more than 3,000 locations across three continents, and the only European nation that hosts Chick-fil-A is the United Kingdom.

Chick-fil-A's debut in the U.K. was a long time coming. There was significant demand for the chain to open, largely fueled by social media hype. Interestingly, the first location — which opened its doors in 2025 — wasn't based in London, but in Leeds. Since then, the chain has opened three more locations in the U.K.: one in London and two in Northern Ireland. The company has also announced that, over the next decade, it plans to invest $100 million in its U.K. expansion, so it's extremely likely that more locations will be popping up in the coming years.

Ownership of the restaurants also works a little differently in the U.K. Rather than relying on a traditional franchise model, Chick-fil-A U.K. operates an owner-operator system that places individual restaurants in the hands of local operators while keeping tighter control over expansion. This approach limits the ability of large franchise investment groups to acquire dozens of locations, helping each restaurant maintain a stronger connection to its local community. This community-based approach is also reflected in where many of the chain's U.K. spots are located. The London location, for example, sits in the leafy suburb of Kingston upon Thames rather than the crowded heart of the city, where fast-food chains usually congregate.

Before its official launch in 2025, Chick-fil-A had made an ill-fated attempt to break into the U.K. market. In 2019, the chain launched a pop-up in Reading's The Oracle shopping center. But in a case of poor timing, Chick-fil-A had become embroiled in an enormous public image scandal back in the United States. Campaigners had discovered that Chick-fil-A's charitable arm had donated millions of dollars to organizations known to have an anti-LGBTQ+ stance. Adding fuel to the fire, Dan T. Cathy — who was the company's president and chief operating officer when he originally shared his public opposition to same-sex marriage in 2012 — was serving as chief executive officer during the height of the international backlash.

The scandal quickly traveled across the pond, and, led by local advocacy group Reading Pride, hundreds of people staged protests outside The Oracle. The Oracle was quick to acknowledge the backlash, and just eight days after opening, a spokesperson announced that the shopping center would not extend Chick-fil-A's initial six-month lease following the chicken chain's highly controversial comments. The chain's short-lived stint in the United Kingdom ended in March 2020.

If Chick-fil-A wanted to re-enter the U.K. market, it would have to make a lot of changes. Following the donation scandal, the brand completely overhauled its donation framework to focus on causes such as education, homelessness, and food donation partnerships. It brought this new framework to the United Kingdom, pledging a donation of £25,000 ($34,000 USD) to charitable nonprofit organizations for every store it opens, alongside publicly affirming its commitment to inclusive policies.