US fried chicken chain Slim Chickens is to open up to 20 UK drive-throughs, creating 1,000 jobs

From the Newshound archive · first published 5 October 2026 · last updated 6 October 2026.

Slim Chickens is set to launch its first UK drive-through at Broughton Shopping Park in north Wales on October 6, with the location serving as a template for between 15 and 20 further openings over the next year. The US fried chicken brand, operated in the UK by Boparan Restaurant Group, already has more than 80 UK restaurants, including eight that opened in 2026 alone. The rollout is forecast to generate 800 to 1,000 jobs, with individual drive-through locations each taking on as many as 50 members of staff.

Boparan Restaurant Group, which also runs Carluccio's, Giraffe and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, holds the master franchise for Slim Chickens across the UK and Europe.

Retail parks are the primary focus for the drive-through expansion, pushing Slim Chickens into territory beyond its existing high street and shopping centre estate.

Managing director Rich Pigott called the north Wales opening 'only the beginning for Slim Chickens drive-throughs in the UK.'