Customers wait in long queues outside Popeyes in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

US fried chicken restaurant chain Popeyes received a warm welcome from Shanghai locals on Friday as it opened its first branch in the Chinese mainland. Chinese customers waited in long lines outside the restaurant, eagerly waiting to sample the fried food. Police were at the scene to maintain order.

The restaurant is located on Huaihai Road in downtown Shanghai. Its first customers began queuing as early as 4 am, reports said.

The Popeyes Shanghai flagship branch makes extensive use of colors, patterns and graphics typical to New Orleans, a nod to its birthplace in Louisiana.

"I have been waiting here since 8 am. People say it's very delicious so I want to try it," a customer surnamed Jin told the Global Times on Friday. He said news of the restaurant's opening in China had been widely spread on Chinese video platform Bilibili prior to its opening.

A potential customer surnamed Sun arrived at 11 am and predicted he would need to wait at least five hours as many hope to try Popeyes' US-style offerings. He said he plans to give up if the queue does not move quickly. "I tried the chicken several times before. It is more delicious than normal chicken but it doesn't warrant such a long wait," he said. 

Popeyes is looking to open 1,500 stores in the Chinese mainland in the next 10 years, Korhan Kurdo?lu, CEO and vice chairman of Turkey-based brand owner TAB Food Investments (TFI), previously told the Global Times. The company will also launch about 1,000 new Burger King branches in China.

Global Times