Whether you’re loving it or not, there’s been a remarkable boom in the number of fast-food chain restaurants, both homegrown and international, that are looking to break either their first ground or further ground on Scottish soil.
With more people hankering for quick, easy bites on the go, there’s been a whopping bunch of newer chains popping up in the Scottish fast-food market over the past five years to face the prominent brand head chefs like McDonalds, KFC and Burger King.
There’s been quite a few franchises which have been welcomed in Scotland with open arms, and hungry bellies, such as Taco Bell or Five Guys, who have both seemingly popped up everywhere overnight.
However, the market is becoming more stacked than a double cheeseburger meaning that, despite building initial hype, franchises need to establish their brand and maintain a longevity that many merely dream of.
This aforementioned hunger for the next big new thing in fast food was once again in full effect last week with the launch of Scotland’s first Popeyes Chicken, a Louisiana fast food restaurant opening in Barrhead. Eager foodie fans queued and camped overnight for a record-breaking 18.5 hours for a taste of a Popeyes chicken sandwich.
The site, which officially opened last Monday 17th September, is Popeyes first Scottish location following a number of hits elsewhere in the UK and is the latest of a number of chains looking to see if Scots have the appetite for more in the fast-food franchise sector.
A similar showcase of hype was also seen last year for the debut launch of Filipino fried chicken chain Jollibee in Glasgow city centre, which opened to hundreds excitedly queuing down Sauchiehall Street. It’s fantastic that there’s this sudden anticipation for any recognisable restaurant chain name from punters looking for their very own F.O.M.O. (fear of missing out) fast food feast.
However, while the first big bite of PR success and rushing punters may leave a pleasant taste in the mouth of these corporations, it’s the challenging aftertaste of maintaining that level of interest that seems to be proving harder to digest.
The biggest example of this which I can think of from the past few years is US breakfast experts Denny’s, who opened their first ever Scottish site near Braehead Shopping Centre with bold claims and an appetite to bring ‘America’s Diner’ to the Clyde-side, along with 120 jobs and a million-pound investment.
The restaurant chain, popular across the pond for its all-day breakfasts and lunch specials, was opened with a big song and dance, with a local MP cutting a ribbon and boasts about bringing a ‘sense of community’ for hungry fans.
This instant flash-in-the-pan spark at launch was immediately hampered by hundreds of poor reviews flooding the site’s Trip Advisor page complaining about poor quality food, decimating any hope for seconds in the Scottish market.
With this wave of negativity leading into the pandemic, it really wasn’t a surprise for many when the American diner remained mysteriously closed for business when other restaurant chains began to reopen.
With the rumour mill churning and chain’s interior disappearing without a trace, it was only until the premises’ owners began advertising for a new tenant that we knew Denny’s was done for now.
There’s plenty of lessons that can be learnt from the Denny’s diner dash that I’m hoping these newer businesses looking for a slice of the Scottish market can take heed of. Maintaining that unique selling point that drives business through the bloated market to really stand out is key.
Location is also a prime lesson to learn. If you’re planning to make a big splash, there’s forever a gamble regardless of the choice – either go somewhere more remote to stand out or risk the city centre, overcrowded with choice.
I feel that understanding the appetite of the Scottish public is the main course of action for franchises, though. Here’s hoping Popeyes know what their plan is to expand their business and don’t simply make a meal of it all.
Class Disrupted Again
While we didn’t have much of a summer in terms of the weather, it felt like the holidays went by in the blink of an eye.
Before you knew it, August was almost over and the kids were back in school.
Now, it’s the end of September and it looks like striking teachers are going to have pupils out in the cold again.
With Scots educators in the Unite, Unison and GMB unions rejecting their latest pay offer from COSLA, strikes are imminent.
That could mean weeks of school closures across the country and further disruption to the education of this generation.
Between industrial action and the Covid pandemic, our kids just can’t catch a break at the moment.
It was only in the spring that teachers voted to accept a historic pay offer and, yes, the cost-of-living crisis doesn’t seem to be going away, but this just feels a step too far at the wrong time.
Some parents will have to dip into their pockets to make alternative childcare arrangements, some will be forced into taking time off work, while I’m sure all will be concerned about the impact this could have on their children.
According to COSLA, the voice of local authorities in Scotland, there is no more money left to offer without cuts to jobs and services.
That’s a situation nobody wants and, hopefully, all parties can come to an agreement soon to avoid further disruption.
It Made Me Laugh
Deep-Fried Fame
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of his music, but I saw pop superstar Lewis Capaldi in a different light last week as his well-kent face appeared in the most unusual of places.
I’ve heard of people finding Jesus in their food, but Mr Capaldi’s face appearing in a Paisley chippy enthusiast’s wrapper is a new one.
If anything, you’d expect Paisley’s own Italian-Scots star Paolo Nutini to be the one popping up unexpectedly in a local chip shop.
Andrew Thompson, who ordered the bag of chips from the Hippy Chippy in the town centre, says he’s kept the wrapper in the hope Lewis will find some use for it.
With the price of a fish supper nowadays, if I were him I’d be putting it straight on eBay.
It Made Me Weep
AI and Altered Appearances
New research into the job market has led me to despair and, equally, feel sorry for the youth of today.
A survey of 2,000 working people aged 18–67, carried out by job site HiJOBS, has revealed some alarming statistics about the lengths Gen Z will go to land a job.
Confidence is clearly an issue for those aged 18–23, with 28 per cent of those youngsters saying they have altered their appearance in order to secure work.
Interestingly, Gen Z are also more likely to use AI to help write a cover letter.
AI technology intrigues me, but if it starts replacing the human element of work and business, I worry about where we’re headed.
