IT'S a finger-lickin' first for chicken lovers in Blackpool.
Preston may have got its hands on the UK's first Kentucky Fried Chicken but the resort can now lay claim to the world's second biggest seller of the deep-fried favourite.
This week sees the opening of Texas Chicken on Talbot Road with bosses of the
global brand choosing Blackpool to launch its UK market.
The chain will create 12 new jobs in the resort at the site on Talbot Road and is the first of 30 anticipated restaurants across the UK by the end of the year.
Founded in San Antonio, Texas, in 1952, the company operates globally two brands of fried chicken. In the Americas it is known as Church's Chicken while in the rest of the world it operates mostly as Texas Chicken.
It began expanding internationally in 1979 and today it is one of the largest quick-service chicken concepts in the world.
Saheed Chaudhry, franchisee of the new restaurant, said: "I'm really excited to be bringing one of the first Texas Chicken restaurants in the UK to the people of Blackpool.
"It is a family-oriented brand that has a passion to serve the best fried chicken while at the same time
offering highest value.
"I feel confident that I will not just keep my current customers but also expand my customer base by offering very high quality standards of product, cleanliness and service.
"By operating a Texas Chicken restaurant I will be part of a global chain while continuing to cater to the needs of my local community."
Texas Chicken has more than 1,600 restaurant locations across the world.
The first KFC outside of the US and Canada was opened on Fishergate in Preston in 1965, becoming the first American quick service restaurant to open in the UK.
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