The fast-casual chicken brand launches its 100th UK and Ireland restaurant in the Highland capital, reporting robust financial performance and ambitious expansion plans in a highly competitive market.
Wingstop UKI, the master franchisee for the popular American chicken brand in the UK and Republic of Ireland, has marked a significant milestone with the opening of its 100th restaurant in Inverness. The new establishment, located at Inverness Shopping Centre, commenced trading on 21st August 2026, bringing the brand’s distinctive flavour-focused menu to the Highland capital for the first time.
Spanning 3,746 sq ft and offering 92 covers, the Inverness outpost introduces the full Wingstop menu, featuring its signature wings, boneless tenders, burgers, and sides, all hand-sauced-and-tossed in a variety of bold flavours from Hickory Smoked BBQ to the intensely fiery Atomic, alongside the popular Lemon Pepper. To commemorate the launch, the first 100 customers through the doors were offered a choice of eight free chicken wings or boneless tenders. The new site, which occupies a former Pizza Hut unit, underwent a £250,000 refurbishment.
Chris Sherriff, CEO at Wingstop UKI, underscored the importance of this achievement. “Opening our 100th Wingstop UKI in Inverness is a huge milestone for the business and a brilliant reflection of the momentum we’re seeing across the UK and Ireland,” he stated. Sherriff added, “We’ve continued to grow at pace, driven by incredible demand from our fans and the strength of the brand across both new and established markets. Scotland has been a really important part of that growth story, so we’re especially excited to mark our 100th opening here.”
Lemon Pepper Holdings, the entity behind Wingstop UKI, has demonstrated impressive financial growth. For the 12 months ended 28th December 2025, the group reported a 73% surge in revenue, reaching £216.4 million, up from £125 million in the prior, shorter accounting period. Operating profit also saw a significant increase to £24.3 million, from £13.7 million in 2024, with profit before tax rising from £13.2 million to £23.5 million. This robust performance, achieved “despite the well-reported headwinds facing the broader hospitality sector,” according to Sherriff, is attributed to disciplined expansion and a strong focus on guest experience. The company, which launched in the UK in 2018, now employs over 3,500 people across its network.
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The rapid expansion of Wingstop UKI aligns with a broader trend in the UK’s fast-casual dining sector, where chicken-focused brands are experiencing significant growth. The chicken segment is one of the strongest performers in UK fast-food, with chained chicken stores growing at an average of 6.5% nationally in 2025, and Scotland witnessing an even higher growth of 12.2% in chicken store numbers. Wingstop, alongside other US imports such as Popeyes and Slim Chickens, is actively challenging established players like KFC by offering a more premium fast-casual experience that resonates particularly with a younger demographic. The overall UK quick-service restaurant (QSR) market, valued at USD 35.77 billion in 2025, is projected to grow to USD 48.56 billion by 2031. However, industry analysis suggests that much of this growth is driven by new store openings rather than an increase in like-for-like traffic, leading to intensifying competition at a local level.
Wingstop UKI’s success is partly driven by its “culture-led marketing” strategy, which has fostered strong brand recognition among a younger audience through authentic collaborations and partnerships across music, fashion, and sport. The brand’s commitment to its employees has also been recognised, securing a place on the Financial Times’ FT 1000 list and The Sunday Times Best Places to Work (highly commended for Ethnic Minority Employees) in 2025, alongside ranking 42nd on The Sunday Times 100 list of fastest-growing private businesses for the third consecutive year. In January 2025, global investment firm Sixth Street became a majority shareholder in Lemon Pepper Holdings, providing a £400 million investment to fuel further growth.
Looking ahead, Wingstop UKI plans to open up to 30 new sites across England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland in the current year. The parent company, Wingstop Inc., operates over 2,689 locations worldwide as of Q1 2025 and aims to reach more than 7,000 global restaurants, with 3,000 of these outside the U.S. Notably, the UK market alone is estimated to have the potential to support up to 450 Wingstop locations. Further underscoring its international ambitions, Lemon Pepper Holdings has also signed an agreement to expand the brand into Poland.
Sources:
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- Wingstop’s Strategic Evolution: How Technology and Innovation Are Driving Growth
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