Popeyes Edges In on KFC—Plans to Take Over Savage Location, Others in the Twin Cities
A bankrupt Kentucky Fried Chicken franchisee is selling 14 metro area locations, according to the Star Tribune.
Popeyes, currently the nation's second largest fried chicken chain, is nipping at the heels of Kentucky Fried Chicken as it makes a major push to strengthen its presence in the Twin Cities.
According to the Star Tribune, AFC Enterprises, Popeyes' Atlanta-based parent company, agreed to buy 14 Twin Cities KFC restaurants from a bankrupt KFC franchisee, Wagstaff Management. The list of acquisitions includes a Savage location in the extreme west part of town. Other locations include those in Hopkins, Richfield, Rosemount and Bloomington.
Currently, Popeyes has just one Twin Cities restaurant location on Lake Street in Minneapolis near Uptown. A total of 28 restaurants are part of the $13.8 million deal, with other restaurant outlets in northern California, according to the Star Tribune article.
KFC's parent, Yum Brands Inc., isn't exactly pleased with the Popeyes take over. The company said KFC "intends to make every effort to see that as many restaurants as possible continue to operate as KFC restaurants with the same employee teams but under new ownership."
Read the full Star Tribune article.
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Scott Kubinek
4:38 pm on Saturday, October 27, 2012
Good to See Some "NEW BLOOD" in The Area! Don't know how the Rest of them have Gotten but, The KFC in BLOOMINGTON is something to be desired... And, that's just trying to Order! It goes Down Hill From there...
melissa
8:41 pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012
I am all for a Popeye's here, but is there a place to put one instead of take over KFC? I like them too.
Howie Renn
1:22 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
This is a great move for Savage. The KFC there was pathetic. Service was bad, food was cold 75% of the time, and they made mistakes on the drive thru every other trip. Now, the KFC in Lakeville, is one of the Best run chicken places in America. Can't wait....
Clare Kennedy
1:24 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
I went by the other day and it looks like they're already working on it.