Popeyes, the popular fast-food chain known for its fried chicken, is set to open its first location in Prague, Czech Republic. The exact address of the restaurant is being kept secret for now, but according to Marek Blazevic, the Brand President of Popeyes CEE, it will be a two-story restaurant spanning 700 square meters in the city center.
Popeyes was founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana and currently has over 4,100 restaurants in more than 30 countries worldwide. The brand is part of the Restaurants Brand International (RBI) company. In the EMEA region, Popeyes recently started its expansion in 2019 and has been growing rapidly. By the end of 2022, there were already 460 Popeyes restaurants in the EMEA region, including locations in Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Romania, and France.
The decision to open the first Popeyes restaurant in Prague was strategic. Blazevic stated, “We chose Wenceslas Square because it is the place where all important events take place, such as Christmas and Easter markets, museum night, and other public events. I expect it to be the busiest Popeyes restaurant in the world.”
The opening date has not been revealed yet, as the approval process for building in city centers can be complex. Blazevic mentioned that they are in discussions with the construction and heritage authorities and want to ensure everything is done correctly. The original plan was to open in late August, but it seems the date may be pushed back by about two weeks. Blazevic also hinted at surprises for customers during the grand opening.
To attract customers, the first three people in line will receive vouchers for free chicken sandwiches for a year. Additionally, the next hundred customers will also receive free chicken sandwiches. Blazevic emphasized that the chicken sandwich is one of the most popular products, accounting for over 40% of sales.
Popeyes will face competition from other fast-food chains such as KFC and McDonald’s in the Czech market. However, with over 100 locations, these chains have a significant head start.
In addition to the Prague location, Popeyes plans to open a second restaurant in the center of Brno, a city in Moravia. They also have plans for a drive-thru restaurant near Prague on a highway route, which is a unique concept for Popeyes. Blazevic revealed that they found a suitable project that will allow them to open the drive-thru restaurant later this year.
Looking ahead, Popeyes aims to open a restaurant in the My department store on Národní třída in Prague in 2024. They have ambitious plans to open a total of 60 locations in the Czech Republic within the next ten years. Blazevic stated, “In the future, we want to be present in all regional cities, focusing on department stores. I expect that by the middle of next year, we will be able to open locations in two regional cities. We don’t want to go chaotically by opening in Pilsen and Ostrava; we want to strategically target regions.”
Popeyes recently celebrated the grand opening of its first restaurant in Poland, located in Wroclaw. The company behind Popeyes in Poland and the Czech Republic, Rex Concepts, plans to open five more locations in Poland by the end of the year, with three in Warsaw. They have long-term plans to open 190 more restaurants in Poland within the next ten years.
The founder of Popeyes, Al Copeland, was inspired by the movie “The French Connection” (1971) when naming the brand. The main character, played by Gene Hackman, was named Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle.
Popeyes will also offer delivery services through the online ordering platform Wolt in both Prague and Brno. Blazevic explained that they chose Wolt for their quality services and delivery expertise. They aim to focus on the restaurant operations while leaving the delivery to the experts.
With its expansion into the Czech Republic, Popeyes aims to bring its famous fried chicken and other menu items to Czech customers and compete with established fast-food chains in the country.Popeyes, the popular fast-food chain known for its delicious chicken sandwiches, is set to open its first location in Prague on Wenceslas Square. The exact address is being kept under wraps for now, but according to Marek Blazevic, the Brand President of Popeyes CEE, the restaurant will be a two-story establishment spanning 700 square meters in the heart of the city.
Popeyes, founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana, has over 4,100 restaurants in more than 30 countries worldwide. The brand is part of the Restaurants Brand International (RBI) company. While Popeyes is relatively new to the EMEA region, it has been growing rapidly. By the end of 2022, there were already 460 Popeyes restaurants in the EMEA region, including Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Romania, and France.
The choice to open the first Popeyes location on Wenceslas Square was intentional. It is a place where all important events, such as Christmas and Easter markets, museum nights, and other public gatherings take place. Blazevic believes it will be the most visited Popeyes restaurant in the world.
The exact opening date has not been revealed yet. Blazevic explained that the approval process for building in city centers, rather than shopping malls, is more complex. They have to negotiate with the construction office and heritage authorities, and they want to ensure everything is done properly. While they initially planned to open at the end of August, it seems the opening date will be pushed back by about two weeks to the first half of September. Blazevic also hinted at several surprises for customers during the grand opening.
To attract customers, the first three people in line will receive vouchers for free chicken sandwiches for a whole year. Additionally, the next hundred customers will also receive a free chicken sandwich. Blazevic mentioned that the chicken sandwich is their most popular product, accounting for over 40% of sales.
Popeyes will face competition from other fast-food chains like KFC and McDonald’s in the Czech market. However, with over 100 locations, these chains have a significant head start.
In addition to the Prague location, Popeyes plans to open a second restaurant in the center of Brno, and a third location near Prague on a highway. Blazevic revealed that the highway location will feature a unique drive-thru concept, allowing customers to order from their cars
What factors contributed to Popeyes’ decision to open their first restaurant in Prague?
Ternational (RBI) company. In the EMEA region, Popeyes has been rapidly expanding since 2019, and by the end of 2022, there were already 460 Popeyes restaurants in the region, including locations in Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Romania, and France.
The decision to open the first Popeyes restaurant in Prague was a strategic one. Blazevic explained that Wenceslas Square was chosen because it is a central location where important events, such as Christmas and Easter markets, museum nights, and other public events, take place. Blazevic expects the Prague restaurant to be the busiest Popeyes location in the world.
While the opening date has not been revealed yet, Blazevic mentioned that the approval process for building in city centers can be complex. They are in discussions with construction and heritage authorities to ensure that everything is done correctly. The original plan was to open in late August, but the date may be pushed back by about two weeks. During the grand opening, Popeyes plans to surprise customers with special offers.
To attract customers, the first three people in line will receive vouchers for free chicken sandwiches for a year, and the next hundred customers will also receive free chicken sandwiches. Blazevic highlighted that the chicken sandwich is one of Popeyes’ most popular products, accounting for over 40% of sales.
Popeyes will face competition from other fast-food chains such as KFC and McDonald’s in the Czech market. However, with over 100 locations, these chains have a significant head start.
In addition to the Prague location, Popeyes plans to open a second restaurant in the center of Brno, a city in Moravia. They also have plans for a drive-thru restaurant near Prague on a highway route, which is a unique concept for Popeyes. Blazevic revealed that they have found a suitable project that will allow them to open the drive-thru restaurant later this year.
Looking ahead, Popeyes aims to open a restaurant in the My department store on Národní třída in Prague in 2024. They have ambitious plans to open a total of 60 locations in the Czech Republic within the next ten years, strategically targeting regional cities.
Popeyes recently celebrated the grand opening of its first restaurant in Poland, located in Wroclaw. The company behind Popeyes in Poland and the Czech Republic, Rex Concepts, plans to open five more locations in Poland by the end of the year, with three in Warsaw. They have long-term plans to open 190 more restaurants in Poland within the next ten years.
Popeyes will also offer delivery services through the online ordering platform Wolt in both Prague and Brno. Blazevic explained that they chose Wolt for their quality services and delivery expertise, allowing them to focus on restaurant operations.
With its expansion into the Czech Republic, Popeyes aims to bring its famous fried chicken and other menu items to Czech customers and compete with established fast-food chains in the country.
Popeyes’ expansion in Prague is undoubtedly an exciting development for both locals and visitors. Choosing a high-profile location shows their commitment to making a mark in the city’s culinary scene. With exclusive offers on the table, I can’t wait to see how Popeyes will satisfy Prague’s craving for delicious and authentic fried chicken.
“Exciting news! Popeyes expanding its presence in Prague with a high-profile location and exclusive offers. Can’t wait to savor their delicious chicken in the heart of the city!”