Slim Chickens is set to open a new restaurant at Edge Lane Retail Park, according to a planning application submitted to Liverpool City Council. The American chicken chain will occupy the former Chiquito premises, marking its second location in Merseyside.
Liverpool Debut and Expansion
Slim Chickens made its Liverpool debut in 2022, opening at The Terrace opposite Chavasse Park in Liverpool ONE. The chain, founded in Arkansas in 2003, is known for its hand-breaded chicken tenders, wings, sandwiches, and shakes. It has expanded across the UK under Boparan Restaurant Group, with sites in major shopping centres and retail parks.
The Liverpool ONE restaurant features 175 covers and outdoor al fresco dining space. The new Edge Lane site will be located on the corner of the Montrose Way entrance, between Frankie & Benny's and the shared Subway and Greggs building. An opening date has not yet been announced.
Other Chicken Chains in Liverpool
Liverpool recently welcomed Dave's Hot Chicken in the city centre, which opened on Lord Street on Friday, July 17. The American chain brought its Nashville-style hot chicken to the North West for the first time. Founded in Los Angeles in 2017, Dave's Hot Chicken began as a pop-up in a car park with just $900 and four childhood friends. Today, it has more than 300 locations worldwide and counts celebrities, including rapper Drake, among its investors.
Another chicken franchise, Chick-fil-A, is also planning to move into the Grade II listed 81-89 building that once held Lord Street Arcade. In 2024, the Atlanta-based firm said it was in "the process of selecting operators" for four UK cities - London, Leeds, Belfast, and Liverpool - with the aim of opening five restaurants within two years. The building's front is set to receive a new look, including the company's signature red colour, along with a new access point and a complete overhaul of the interior. The shopfront would mostly comprise glazing panels with frosted vinyls and St Bees red sandstone blockwork and red anodised aluminium cladding framing. In announcing its UK investment, the chain pledged a one-off donation of $25,000 to a local non-profit organisation when the restaurant successfully opens in the city.
