Located in the heart of the city at 131-133 Princes Street, this marks the brand’s first restaurant in Edinburgh, and the seventh restaurant in Scotland, bringing its much-loved chicken sandwich and signature New Orleans hospitality to even more Scottish fans.
The former Halifax bank branch has been transformed into a bright and welcoming restaurant decked in Popeyes trademark colour of orange, with interesting motifs and murals on the walls celebrating chicken and the fast food restaurant chain’s birthplace of New Orleans, where the first branch was opened in 1972.
Just like other major fast food restaurants, you are immediately greeted by the ordering screens, where you place your order before collecting from the pick-up hatch and finding your seat or taking out.
Check out our video above and photo gallery below to see inside this exciting new addition to Edinburgh city centre’s eating experiences ahead of Friday’s official opening.
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Each piece of Popeyes chicken is marinated for 12 hours in a signature blend of Louisiana seasoning, then hand-breaded and battered for that ‘shatter crunch,’ and complemented by sides like its southern biscuits and cajun gravy. Plus, the all-new saucin’ range is dripping with flavour featuring three New Orleans-inspired sauces, cheesy garlic parm, bold BBQ and spicy buffalo.
Edinburgh’s first Popeyes restaurant opens on Friday, March 14, at 11am, with free chicken sandwiches for the first 100 customers in the queue, and free chicken sandwiches for an entire year for the first three people in the queue.
9. Saucy
Popeyes brand-new Saucin’ Boneless and Hot Wings, smothered in sauce and packed with serious flavour, will also be available from opening day. | National World Photo: Kevin Quinn
10. Magnificent seven
This will be Popeyes seventh opening in Scotland with restaurants across Aberdeen and Glasgow creating over 700 jobs, while customers queued outside for hours at the latest Glasgow opening. | National World Photo: Kevin Quinn
11. Queue
The queue officially opens at 9am om Friday, but customers in Scotland have previously queued for over 18 hours to be one of the first through the door and the Edinburgh opening is expected to be no different. | National World Photo: Kevin Quinn
12. Free chicken
The bright decor continues in the corridor to the toilets. The first three people in line on Friday will win the ultimate prize of free Chicken Sandwiches for an entire year. | National World Photo: Kevin Quinn