Brits 'devastated' as beloved fried chicken chain closes all UK restaurants
The Korean fried chicken shop chain Chick 'n' Sours shut its Haggerston and Seven Dials restaurants in London last Sunday
A popula r fast food chain has closed all of its restaurants as it was "no longer viable" to keep them open. The Korean fried chicken shop chain Chick 'n' Sours shut its Haggerston and Seven Dials restaurants in London last Sunday.
The chain first opened in 2015 and was loved by Londoners for its sweet and sour cocktails, crispy chicken and seaweed 'crack' seasoning. One of the restaurant's signature dishes was the Hot Chicken Bun which featured fried chicken thigh, house pickles, slaw, and a piquant sauce.
In a post on Instagram, the restaurant's co-founder, David Wolanski, said the chain had hung on for "as long as we could".
The post read: "Hello, it's with mixed emotions I'm here to tell you that we have closed our Chick 'N Sours restaurants in Seven Dials and Haggerston.
'Sunday night was our last day of trading. We do what we do because we love it, fuelled by passion and a desire to provide guests with awesome food and memorable dining experiences. But that's not enough these days.
'We hung in there as long as we could but I'm afraid that we've now reached the point where operating the two restaurants just isn't viable any more and it makes no commercial sense to continue.
"The casual dining restaurant model is broken, but that's for another post. It's been an incredible journey from when Carl & I came up with the idea of opening the best chicken shop in the world 10 years ago on the back of my scooter. We scraped together what limited funds we had to open Haggerston and go on this wild roller coaster of a trip."
The post added: 'Remember, there are so many awesome independent restaurants out there doing great things but finding it tough out there also.
"We know things are tight for everyone but they need you. Go see them and spend your money with them, as the phrase 'use it or lose it' has never been so relevant.'
Fans of the chicken shop will be pleased to know that it will continue its residencies at the Roof East and Corner Corner food halls. Chick 'n' Sours will also still be available on Deliveroo, with the brand also appearing at UK festivals and live music events.
The restaurant was founded by Wolanski and Carl Clarke after the pair met at Latitude festival. At its height, the chain had four restaurants in the capital.
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Another added: "Noo this is pure heartbreak I'm so sorry to hear this!" A third said: "Devastating news! My husband and I had our very first date in your Haggerston branch just after you opened 10 years ago - fast forward 10 years and we've just had our second baby."
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