Popeyes plans to open 200 new stores in North America this year

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the opening timing of Popeyes Times Square. It is expected to open in the fall of 2022.

New York
CNN Business
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Popeyes has big expansion plans for 2022.

chicken chain The company announced Tuesday that more than 200 new locations are set to open in the United States and Canada this year. Popeyes also said it will launch additional locations in several other places around the world, including in South Korea, France, India, China and the United Kingdom.

More than half of new Popeyes locations scheduled to open in 2022 will be on display double paymentDesigned to get customers through the queue faster.

Fast driving times are Very important for fast food restaurants. If a customer gets stuck in a Popeyes line, they might go to a competitor next time — and on the flip side, consistently fast service can increase loyalty. Tech improvements are also coming to Popeyes kitchens to help employees in the back of the house work more efficiently.

There will be a few new restaurants in New York City, including a new flagship location in Times Square as well as other restaurants in Manhattan and Staten Island.

The Times Square restaurant, scheduled to open in the fall, will include special features such as new design, branded merchandise, self-service kiosks, and some type of 21st-century food service described as a “two-story food conveyor” for customers dining on the second floor.

Popeyes has already been an engine for the growth of parent company Restaurant Brands International

(QSR), which also owns Burger King and Tim Hortons. RBI hopes to stimulate further growth through expansionary investment.

“Poppys is one of the fastest growing brands within RBI, particularly in terms of building new restaurants,” Popeyes President Sami Siddiqi told CNN Business. “Most of the growth is expected in the United States and Canada, where business has accelerated significantly.”

My friend’s comments mirror those made by Reserve Bank of India CEO Jose Seal earlier this year. “Development remains a key priority … for the brand for long-term growth,” Sell said during a February call with an analyst. “We’re just surfacing the opportunities for Popeyes, and I firmly believe the brand is poised to become one of the fastest growing brands in the industry.”

Seal’s comments are reflected in Popeyes’ performance during the pandemic. It’s been a jewel in RBI’s portfolio, especially when compared to the challenges its other brands faced early in the pandemic.

In 2020, sales at Tim Horton restaurants that were open for at least one year fell by 17.5%, and sales at Burger King locations that were open for at least a year were down 11.1%. By contrast, Popeyes’ sales jumped 17.7% in the same period, thanks in part to customer interest in the chain’s chicken sandwich.

Last year, Tim Hortons wore a Burger King. Sales are up 12.5% ​​at Tim’s restaurants that have been open for at least a year, and 15.9% for the same category of stores at Burger King.

Popeyes also saw an improvement in 2021, although it was more modest after its gains in 2020: Sales at restaurants open for at least a year were up 7.3% last year. Popeyes opened 208 new restaurants throughout 2021, making it a “super year,” Seal said in February.