The UK’s top fast food chain has been revealed — and it’s not McDonald’s

Sorry Maccies, it turns out you might not be the nation’s favourite fast food spot, if new data is to be believed.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary Google Maps has released new lists revealing the UK’s top 20 attractions, restaurants and pubs – these are the spots with the highest number of reviews and ratings (of more than four stars) on the app.

And when it came to restaurants, it seems it’s casual dining and fast food places that proved the most popular with Google Maps users, as the top 20 was dominated by these types of places.

Curiously, McDonald’s didn’t make the cut – but Popeyes did.

The Louisiana fried chicken joint came in fourth place, following behind Dishoom in Shoreditch, which took first place. Royal Nawaab Perivale, a London-based Indian restaurant was second, and Big Mama’s Circolo Popolare.

Other restaurants that made the top 20 included Turtle Bay, several more Big Mama Group spots such as Ave Mario, Gloria and Jacuzzi, as well as Duck & Waffle.

Popeyes has come a long way in the UK since setting up shop in Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre in 2021.

The chain now has 49 other restaurants nationwide – with more still to come.

UK CEO Tom Crowley recently revealed they plan to launch roughly 40 to 50 eat-in restaurants, delivery kitchens and drive-thu spots up and down the country in 2025, meaning they’ll have an average of one new store opening each week of this year.

For those who aren’t familiar with Popeyes, it’s best known for its extra crispy ‘shatter crunch’ fried chicken and the Chicken Sandwich that broke the internet when it first launched in the US in 2019.

Metro recently got to go behind the scenes at the chain’s HQ in Ealing Broadway to learn the secret to this incredibly crunchy chicken, and it turns out there’s a special trick that takes place when the meat is getting coated in batter.

The chicken is tossed in a seasoned flour mix exactly 20 times, before being coated in batter. After this, it gets tossed back in the flour another 20 times before going into the fryer.

But there’s a specific way they toss the meat which involves placing the chicken breasts in the flour and then, with your hands in a claw shape, you scoop the chicken and flour up, lifting and dropping it as you go. After the final toss, the chicken is given a double tap, and it’s at this stage when the magic happens and you finally start to see the ‘shatter crunch’ appear.

‘If you tap it very sharply, you see all these nodules come, and that’s what the famous shatter crunch is,’ Dave Hoskins, head of food at Popeyes UK says.

‘It’s the batter doing that for us, with adding the aeration in the flour. As the little nodules cook, that’s what gives you all the crispy bits.’

A number of new items were recently added to the UK menu, including a new Saucin’ Boneless and Hot Wings range, with a cult product coming over from the US.

There are three new sauces for the range, including cheesy Garlic Parmesan, smokin’ Bold BBQ and spicy Buffalo, and prices start from £5.99 for a box of wings.

Popeyes also recently launched a bargain Saver Menu, with 11 items and prices starting from just £1.99.

Several of Popeyes’ classic items are featured on the menu, including chicken tenders and wings. There’s also a new Savin’ Wrap for £1.99 (spicy or classic), fries for £1.99 (regular), a biscuit and gravy for £2.59, Mac and Cheese for £3.50 and Mini Whipz for £1.99.

And breakfast lovers might be interested to hear that Metro also previously crowned the fast food chain as having a breakfast menu that’s ‘better’ than McDonald’s, with ‘unique’ Cajun Hash Browns and Big Breakfast Rolls.

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