Applegreen will create 450 jobs with Popeyes Quick service

Park West-based Applegreen will create up to 450 jobs with new Popeyes chicken Quick service restaurants at service station locations across Ireland in move worth €6 million.

Applegreen will open up the Popeyes locations at their service stations located all over the country, with all spots set to be opened over the next few years, the first at their Midway service area off the M7 in Portlaoise.

The news precedes the opening of a Popeyes location at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre later this summer.

Popeyes is a Louisiana-inspired fast-food chain known for its crispy fried chicken, chicken sandwiches & fries that has recently made the move into the Irish market with a new store in Blanchardstown.

Managing Director of Applegreen’s Republic of Ireland business Seamus Stapleton stated: “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 summer.”

It moved into the UK market in 2021 and now has more than 100 locations there, with Popeyes UK and Ireland now expanding the quick service restaurant franchise into the neighbouring land.

The company is one of the world’s best-known chicken quick service restaurant brands, operating out of over 5,400 restaurants in 50 countries worldwide, with annual sales of $8bn, or €6.8bn.

The Irish forecourt operator has been working with the American chain since 2021 and operates 24 chain locations at service stations in the US.

Applegreen opened their first service station in Ballyfermot in 1992 and has grown to operate 620 forecourt sites with 15,000 employees across Ireland, UK and America.

The local multinational announced a strategy in 2024 to invest €1 billion in the business to further expand operations, and had a turnover of almost €4bn last year.