TL;DR
Houston TX Hot Chicken is expanding its UK footprint with its second London-area restaurant. The brand is growing through a master franchise agreement with PizzaExpress to reach 50 restaurants across the UK over the next three years.
WHAT: Houston TX Hot Chicken (HHC) is expanding its UK footprint with its second London-area restaurant, located in the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury, near Russell Square.
WHO: Houston TX Hot Chicken is a U.S.-based fast-casual hot chicken concept with restaurants across nine states. The brand is expanding into the UK through a master franchise agreement with PizzaExpress, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest casual dining operators.
WHEN: Stevenage: Opening fall 2026 London – Brunswick Centre: Opening winter 2026 A third UK restaurant is also planned for 2026, with additional location details to come
WHERE: The Brunswick Centre Bloomsbury, London Near Russell Square
WHY: The openings are part of HHC and PizzaExpress’s plan to grow the brand to 50 restaurants across the UK over the next three years, marking HHC’s first international expansion. HHC has also sold more than 100 franchise units domestically.
DETAIL: HHC has built a following around made-to-order, buttermilk-marinated hot chicken and a customizable heat scale ranging from no heat to its signature “Houston, We Have a Problem!” level. The brand recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and has earned recognition from the Inc. 5000, FastCasual Top 100 Movers & Shakers, Nation’s Restaurant News and Franchise Times.
Additional opening dates and details will be announced as they become available.
In this story
This story was originally published in Franchising.com on September 4, 2026. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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