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Famous for its signature chicken, waffle fries and natural lemonade, American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A opened its first in a new bout of British locations in Belfast in January 2025. Now, the chain is testing waters in the Big Smoke with a first restaurant in London.
The new Chick-fil-A branch will open in London’s far southwest: Kingston-upon-Thames.
Located at 90 Eden Street – in what was formerly an HSBC bank – Chick-fil-A's Kingston outpost will be its fourth UK opening. The official opening date hasn’t yet been confirmed, though it’s tipped for early March.
Kingstonians can expect all Chick-fil-A’s classic menu items at the new location, like the chicken sandwich, grilled nuggets, iced tea and dipping sauces. The chain is famous for its queues, too, which are known to trail well out the door at peak times.
Chick-fil-A is currently in the midst of its second attempt to break into the UK chicken market. Back in 2019 the chain opened locations in Reading and Aviemore, Scotland, but both branches shut following backlash and a campaign by LGBTQ+ activists. The company has a controversial history of donating to anti-LGBTQ+ organisations, and the then-CEO made public statements opposing same-sex marriage. Find out all about that controversy here.
However, it’s worth noting that Chick-fil-A has since stated that it stopped funding anti-LGBTQ+ causes, and has replaced those charities with ones that focus on homelessness and education. Chick-fil-A has even contributed to the UK's LGBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, in hopes for a fresh start across the pond.
Chick-fil-A has already opened two locations in Belfast, and one in Leeds, with a Liverpool outpost scheduled for later this year.
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