Fried chicken is no longer just a quick bite in Britain. It has turned into a full blown food trend, led by young customers and powered by social media.
In Leicester, 19 year old nursing student Sumayyah Zara Sillah smiles as she opens a takeaway box packed with Nashville style hot tenders, coated in golden crumbs and covered in sauce. She says she tries to eat healthy, but her love for fried chicken always wins. For her, it is more than fast food. It is comfort, flavour, and a little indulgence after a long day.
Like many in her generation, Sumayyah first saw the craze online. TikTok played a big role in spreading the appeal of American style fried chicken. Neon lit restaurants, crunchy close ups, and sauce drenched tenders quickly caught the attention of British viewers. What started as online content has now reshaped the British high street.
Chicken Shops Are Growing Faster Than Other Takeaways
Chicken shops are opening across the UK at a rapid pace. Data from Meaningful Vision shows that the number of chicken outlets increased by 7.2% year on year. This marks the fastest growth in the fast food sector. In comparison, other takeaway businesses grew by only 1.7% during the same period.
This surge reflects a clear shift in consumer demand. More people now choose fried chicken over traditional takeaway options such as fish and chips or kebabs. Even pizza restaurants have added fried chicken to their menus to keep up with demand.
Young Consumers Are Driving the Trend
The rise of fried chicken links closely to younger customers. According to Mintel, 52% of Gen Z fast food consumers in 2025 said they had eaten from a chicken shop in the past year. Among millennials, the figure stood at 47%. In contrast, 39% of all fast food consumers reported the same.
These figures show that younger generations shape the fast food market. They follow trends online, share reviews, and influence where others eat.
Till, a 33 year old digital creator from Bristol, regularly reviews food on TikTok. Fried chicken remains her favourite content to post. She believes its visual appeal makes it perfect for social media. The crunch, the sauces, and the different flavours create satisfying videos that attract thousands of views. She even points out that local pizza shops now sell fried chicken as a side dish, which shows how widespread the trend has become.
What This Means for Traditional British Takeaways
The growth of US style fried chicken raises questions for traditional British takeaways. Fish and chips shops, long seen as a national staple, now face stronger competition. As younger consumers look for bold flavours and Instagram worthy meals, classic options may need to adapt.
Some traditional outlets have already started expanding their menus. By offering fried chicken or modern twists on old favourites, they aim to attract a new generation of customers.
Fried chicken has moved from being a simple takeaway to becoming a cultural trend in Britain. Social media, youth influence, and changing tastes have all played a role. The British high street is changing, and fried chicken stands at the centre of that shift.
