The American fast-food restaurant chain Popeyes has opened its first establishment in Cluj-Napoca, located in the food-court area of Sigma Center shopping mall. The opening marks a new stage in the brand’s national expansion strategy, which started last year.
This new location brings the Popeyes network in Romania to a total of 15 restaurants. The brand currently has seven establishments in Bucharest and eight in other key cities across the country, including Pitesti, Craiova, Iasi and now Cluj-Napoca. The national expansion was completed this year with the opening of a new restaurant in Mega Mall, Bucharest.
One key piece of business information is the change of franchise operator. According to company representatives, Popeyes’ operations in Romania have been taken over by the company Rex Concepts, although the brand was originally brought to the local market in spring 2022 by Sterling Cruise.
Looking to the future, starting in 2025, the company plans to focus on the development of Drive-Thru units in addition to shopping center locations.
Popeyes, founded in 1972 in New Orleans, is one of the most dynamic fast-food brands in the world, with a global network of 4,800 restaurants.