Under the franchise agreement, Applegreen will roll out a pipeline of roadside locations over the next four years, creating up to 450 jobs. The first restaurant is set to open in the coming weeks at Applegreen Midway, Junction 17 on the M7 in Portlaoise.
The partnership supports Popeyes’ wider growth plans in the Republic of Ireland, following the recent opening of its first restaurant at Blanchardstown Centre in Dublin 15. A second site is due to launch shortly at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Applegreen as we roll out new restaurants across the Republic of Ireland,” says Tom Byng, chief development officer at Popeyes UK and Ireland.
“The partnership will allow us to reach more customers on the move and marks an exciting milestone in our journey to bring our much-loved shatter crunchin’ chicken to Irish customers, with our first Irish restaurant opening in Blanchardstown last week.“
Seamus Stapleton, managing director of Applegreen’s Republic of Ireland business, adds: “We are delighted to add Popeyes to our growing portfolio of high-quality brands in the Irish market.
“At Applegreen we’re committed to raising the bar for roadside hospitality and offering great food and world-class service to people on the move.
“Popeyes is a fantastic addition to the Applegreen offer and we can’t wait to open our first Popeyes outlet at Midway later this year.”
The move comes as Popeyes continues to expand rapidly in the UK, where it has grown to more than 110 restaurants since entering the market in 2021 and now employs around 3,500 people.
The brand was recently named amongst The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list 2026 for a second consecutive year and was also commended in the ethnic minorities spotlight award, recognised for positive workplace experiences reported by employees from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Applegreen, which founded its first service station in Dublin in 1992, now operates almost 200 locations across Ireland and internationally, it has a presence in Britain and the United States, with more than 435 sites and over 700 branded food offerings worldwide.