The depth of desire for fast-food in Ireland can be gauged in various ways, but one measurement was surely the length of the hours-long queue in Dublin last week for an In-N-Out burger pop-up.

Ireland – Dublin in particular – is experiencing a new wave of American fast-food entrants to a seemingly insatiable market. While In-N-Out is all about beef burgers, the broader trend in new American fast-food in Ireland is mostly about chicken.

Multiple American fast-food chicken brands have recently set up shop (although when a US fast-food brand opens in Ireland, it’s generally a UK and Ireland licence). Slims Chicken opened in Dundrum at the end of 2025. Wingstop opened in Liffey Valley last December. Dave’s Hot Chicken will soon take its place in the Central Plaza building on Dame Street beside Krispy Kreme. Another American chicken brand, Popeye’s, is set to open in Blanchardstown and Westmoreland Street. Chick-fil-A signed a licensing partnership with Applegreen in Northern Ireland.

The branding of fast-food chicken as “crunchy” or “crispy” over “fried” is smart marketing. Last year, CNN reported that chicken-centred restaurants were performing incredibly strongly in 2024. Last September, the food publication Eater described the trend as “The Great Chickening”.

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