KFC has unveiled a £1.49 billion investment plan for the UK and Ireland, marking one of its most ambitious expansions since entering the British market nearly 60 years ago.
The global fried chicken giant said the investment, which will be rolled out over the next five years, is expected to create more than 7,000 new jobs and deliver a £169 million boost to the UK economy.
The fast-food brand, formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, plans to use the investment to upgrade hundreds of restaurants and expand its footprint with up to 500 new outlets, including a focus on drive-throughs and strategic growth regions such as Ireland and the northwest of England.
“We’ve never seen such strong demand for freshly prepared fried chicken as we’re seeing today,” said Rob Swain, general manager of KFC UK and Ireland. “That’s why we’re doubling down on our commitment to the UK and Ireland with a major investment in our restaurants and in the suppliers who have been so crucial to our success.”
Around £466 million of the investment will go toward building new sites, while another 20 per cent of KFC’s current estate — more than 200 restaurants — will be refurbished, bringing updated designs, improved facilities, and a better customer experience to its core locations.
The expansion comes as the UK’s fried chicken market continues to boom, now estimated to be worth £3.1 billion. The sector has become increasingly competitive with the arrival of cult US brands like Popeyes, Wingstop, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Slim Chickens, all seeking to capture a slice of the growing appetite for fried chicken among British consumers.
Despite the intensifying competition, Swain says KFC remains in a strong leadership position and is well placed to unlock further growth.
KFC’s growth will also deliver a major jobs boost, creating kitchen and management roles within its own 270 company-owned restaurants and across its network of 27 UK franchise partners, which collectively employ more than 30,000 people.
Founded in the 1950s by Colonel Harland Sanders, KFC opened its first UK restaurant in Preston in 1965, becoming a staple of British high streets and town centres. The company’s iconic slogan — “Finger lickin’ good” — has become part of global pop culture, evolving over the years to reflect changing customer tastes and trends.
The investment was welcomed by the wider hospitality industry. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said the announcement was a vote of confidence in the sector’s ability to drive regional growth and create local employment.
“Hospitality’s ability to create places where people want to live, work and invest is unrivalled,” she said. “This significant announcement from KFC is proof of that and will help to drive socially productive growth, deliver economically and support employment across the UK.”
As the brand celebrates its 60th anniversary in the UK, KFC’s major reinvestment signals a long-term commitment not just to feeding demand, but to supporting communities, suppliers and the broader UK economy well into the next decade.
