All the US fast food chains arriving in the UK soon including Raising Cane’s

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fast food here, as numerous other chains have set up shop over the last few years.

So many brands have come over that now, nearly one in two chains in the UK are from the US, with American brands accounting for 44% of all fast-food visits in 2025.

And the influx isn’t over yet; it seems it’s only just begun, as several more iconic businesses have set their sights on launching here, including Raising Cane’s and Magnolia Bakery.

We’re going to keep track of all the US food chains coming to the UK and will be updating this list as and when new ones are announced.

Here are all the American brands planning to launch in the UK soon…

Raising Cane’s 

The cult US favourite announced its UK flagship location will be opening in late 2026 at 21-22 Coventry Street in London (between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square).

This opening will mark the beginning of a global expansion, with more restaurants planned for the capital and Europe in the months that follow.

Other potential locations they’re eyeing up include The Strand, Oxford Circus, Paddington, and South Bank, as well as Drive-Thru locations in Greater London and beyond.

Magnolia Bakery

If you’re a Sex and the City fan, you’ll be all too familiar with Magnolia Bakery, as its cupcakes featured in an iconic episode of the show.

But cupcakes aren’t what the chain is best known for – that would be the famous banana pudding.

This features fresh bananas, vanilla wafers and vanilla pudding and is a quintessential American dessert.

Hey, foodies!

Add us as a Preferred Source

At Metro Food, we're here to bring you all the latest foodie news, delicious recipes, restaurant reviews, and cooking tips.

As a loyal reader and a part of our vibrant community, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories
Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Add us as a Preferred Source

Rick Raison, the brand’s vice-president of international and development sales, told Propel that they are currently ‘assessing strategic options for entry’ and looking for a ‘long-term franchise partnership across the UK’.

Why are so many American fast food brands coming to the UK now?

Vhari Russell, the founder of the Food Marketing Experts, tells Metro that it’s not a coincidence so many US brands are heading here, it’s strategic.

‘The UK is the most valuable test market in the world for any American brand with global ambitions.

We’re English-speaking, we’re culturally receptive to American food culture, and we have one of the most sophisticated and well-documented consumer landscapes anywhere,’ she explains.

‘If you can make it here, really make it here, not just survive, you can make it anywhere in Europe and beyond.

London in particular acts as a global shop window.

What lands in London gets noticed in Paris, Amsterdam, and Dubai.

‘
But she thinks something else is happening right now, making this moment ‘particularly significant’ for launches.

She pinpoints three specific reasons:
The nostalgia economy boom
Brands like Magnolia Bakery and Denny’s aren’t just selling food, they’re selling a feeling.

They’re selling the romance of New York, of American diners, of the kind of food culture that British consumers have been consuming through film, television and social media for decades.

There is a whole generation of British 25 to 40-year-olds who grew up watching Friends and Sex and the City, who will absolutely queue again on a London high street to relive that feeling.

Social media is changing the launch playbook
10 years ago, an American brand arriving in the UK had to spend enormous amounts of money on traditional advertising to build awareness from scratch.

Now, a single well-executed opening weekend can generate millions of organic impressions before a penny of paid media is spent.

The queue outside the door is the marketing.

The TikTok of someone biting into a Chilli’s blooming onion is the campaign.

Brands that understand how to engineer those moments and American chains, with their experience of doing exactly this in new US markets, absolutely can build brand awareness here at a fraction of the cost and in a fraction of the time it would have taken a decade ago.

UK high street gaps that didn’t exist five years ago
The brutal reality of post-pandemic trading, rising rents, and the cost of living squeeze has created availability of prime sites in locations that would previously have been almost impossible to access.

For an American brand with serious financial backing, and these brands don’t typically arrive without it, there are now incredible opportunities in central London and major UK cities that simply weren’t there before.

He added: ‘While we don’t have a confirmed timeline yet, London is naturally a compelling entry point given its international profile.

‘Long-term, we would expect a measured, city-led expansion strategy in the UK, focusing on high-footfall urban locations, premium retail destinations and select neighbourhood sites where the brand can thrive.’

Chili’s

It’s still very early days, but the chain has confirmed it’s looking to enter the UK and is seeking franchise partners to help make this happen.

And like Magnolia Bakery, Chili’s had its starring moment in an iconic US show, with it being the host location for the Dundies awards in the second season of the American version of The Office.

If Chili’s does open here, it won’t be the first time the chain has existed in the UK, as it used to have locations here in the 90s and 00s in places such as Cambridge and Reading.

Chuck E Cheese

Often hailed as a ‘children’s paradise’ and a ‘child casino’, Chuck E Cheese is a legendary spot in the US for birthday parties.

As well as serving up pizza, chicken wings, fries, and confetti cake, each restaurant also boasts arcade games (such as bowling, basketball and console games), live shows and rides.

A multi-unit agreement has been reached to bring the chain to the UK, with Wright Property appointed to oversee the expansion plan, with areas such as Leeds, Milton Keynes, and Birmingham potential targets.

Glasgow, Manchester, and Bristol could also be possibilities.

Denny’s 

Did you know the American diner chain is already in the UK?

And it’s actually been here since 2017.

There’s one single Denny’s to be found in Swansea, at Parc Tawe, serving up pancakes, waffles, French toast, burgers and more.

Towards the end of 2025, it was revealed that a major expansion across the UK was being considered, after building up a strong customer base in Swansea.

The chain said it would be looking into potential locations in city centres, airports, and service stations, but no further update has been given as of yet.

Chick-fil-A

And the brand is said to be actively looking to continue expanding beyond these initial sites, with a plan to invest $100m in the UK over the next decade.

Chick-fil-A previously opened a restaurant in The Oracle shopping centre in Reading in 2019.

However, the site closed after a six-month trial period following customer backlash over donations made to anti-LGBT groups.

Popeyes

Popeyes has been growing its presence in the UK since first launching here in 2021.

It now has a whopping 110 sites and was recently named Europe’s fastest-growing food and beverage brand by the Financial Times.
And the Louisiana chicken chain has no plans to slow down any time soon.

CEO Tom Crowley said: ‘We look forward to building on this momentum in 2026 as we continue expanding to new locations.’
Upcoming launches include St Helens, Hull, Dublin, Liverpool, and a second site in Bristol.

Dave’s Hot Chicken

Since opening its first site on Shaftesbury Avenue in December 2024, Dave’s has gone on to bring its Nashville-style hot chicken to several other spots, including Birmingham and Manchester.

And it’s just announced its first Welsh store will be launching on April 3, but with a different name.

Instead of Dave’s, it’ll be David’s Hot Chicken launching in Cardiff, to pay homage to the Patron Saint of Wales.

As they continue to expand across Wales, they’re also considering rebranding sites as Dayfdd Hot Chicken or Dai’s Hot Chicken.

A source confirmed the name David will be in place at the Cardiff brand for the ‘forseeable’.

Wendy’s

Wendy’s was another US brand that arrived in the UK at the tail end of the pandemic and has been gradually expanding.

There are currently around 50 sites across the UK in London, Liverpool, Brighton, Glasgow and Reading, with new sites planned to open soon.

The chain, known for its square-shaped burgers, just launched in Dundee and has plans to open in Norfolk soon, too.

Taco Bell

Also, continuing to launch new sites is the Mexican-inspired Taco Bell.

Currently, there are 23 locations across the South West, Midlands and Wales, but they’ve got a plan to launch up to 12 new sites a year, with a goal to have more than 50 by 2029.

The next round of locations will be targeting the M4 and M5 corridors, plus further locations in Wales.

POLL

Which US chain are you most excited for?

• Magnolia Bakery

• Raising Cane's

• Chili's

• Denny's

• Chuck E Cheese

Carl’s Jr.

This time last year, Carl’s Jr.

set up shop in Cardiff, bringing its chargrilled burgers, ice cream milkshakes and brownies to the UK.

This article was first published on March 31, 2026.
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.