Pepe's Piri Piri

What Pepe's Piri Piri does

Pepe's Piri Piri is a UK-based fast-food restaurant chain specialising in flame-grilled piri piri chicken, operating on an asset-light franchise model since its 2007 founding. The brand is owned by Pepe's Franchising Ltd (Watford, Hertfordshire) and is delivered to consumers through 261 UK stores across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as of June 2026, plus an international footprint in the UAE via pepe's.ae. Each store is independently owned and operated by a vetted franchisee, typically running the site as a family business, with a minimum franchise investment of £300,000 and finance arranged through Lloyds, Natwest, and HSBC. The company employs 501–1,000 staff at the corporate level (specific figures undisclosed).

The core product proposition is a signature chicken menu built on proprietary marinades — chicken is marinated for a minimum of 24 hours using secret-recipe spice blends and re-brushed at the grill for caramelization. Menu extensions include wraps, quesadillas, gourmet burgers, loaded fries, wings, kids' meals, a paneer-based vegetarian collection, sides, desserts (including Ben & Jerry's), and retail SKUs (250ml bottled sauces and a branded Piri Piri Salt). The technology stack is a third-party-integrated commerce platform: a proprietary iOS/Android app (Pepe's App) with loyalty stamp collection (6 stamps = 25% off), 'I'm in Store' in-venue ordering, 'Spin to Win' gamification, and a 10% first-order discount; a website ordering portal on pepe's.3s-pos.com; a 3S POS system deployed in-store; and a franchise training portal with three levels and 29 courses. Distribution overlays the physical footprint with three third-party delivery aggregators (Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats).

Revenue mechanics come from three streams: (1) initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties from the 261-unit franchise base, (2) direct transaction revenue through the owned app and website ordering platform, and (3) third-party delivery commissions where Pepe's acts as agent for the delivery platforms. The customer proposition targets the mass-market horizontal fast-casual segment with a specific tilt toward halal-certified options and South Asian community marketing (Sunrise/Lyca Radio, Asian TV, cricket partnerships, and the Love Guru film sponsorship). The go-to-market is a hybrid of franchise-led physical expansion, mobile-first customer retention via app loyalty mechanics, and community-led brand-building in ethnic media.

Name

Pepe's Piri Piri

Legal name

Pepe's Franchising Ltd

Website

https://pepes.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Pepe's Piri Piri is a UK-based fast-food franchise chain specialising in flame-grilled piri piri chicken, operating 261 stores across the UK and the UAE through independent franchisees and serving mass-market halal-certified casual dining consumers via dine-in, takeaway, and delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant (Fast Food)

NAICS

Caterers (722320)

SIC

Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015)

akta.pro primary industry

Chicken & Wings QSR (THAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified) (CRADABAM)

Keywords

• Flame-grilled chicken
• Piri piri restaurant
• Fast food franchise
• Halal quick service
• Chicken takeaway

Headquarters

HQ city

Watford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise fees from new franchisees plus ongoing royalty payments. Franchisees operate individual stores as independent businesses under the Pepe's brand.
2. Direct Restaurant Sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales through franchisee-operated stores. Sales channels include dine-in, takeaway, and delivery orders placed via app, website, or third-party platforms.
3. Digital Ordering Platform: Online and app-based ordering through Pepe's proprietary ordering system (pepes.3s-pos.com), generating transaction revenue from direct customer orders.
4. Third-Party Delivery Commissions: Orders processed through Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats platforms with Pepe's acting as agent on behalf of delivery companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Pepe's Piri Piri operates a franchise-based fast-food restaurant chain specializing in flame-grilled piri piri chicken marinated for a minimum of 24 hours using secret recipe spice blends. The brand sells signature chicken portions, Chick'n'Rice Boxes, wraps, gourmet burgers, loaded fries, wings, vegetarian paneer items, kids meals, and desserts through dine-in, takeaway, and delivery channels across 261 UK stores. Revenue is generated through a combination of franchise fees/royalties and direct food sales distributed via franchisee-operated stores, the proprietary Pepe's app, website ordering, and third-party delivery platforms.

Product overview

Pepe's Piri Piri is a fast-food restaurant chain operating on a franchise model with over 261 UK stores as of June 2026. The core product is flame-grilled piri piri chicken marinated for a minimum 24 hours using secret recipe spice blends. The product portfolio centers on the signature whole/half/quarter chicken and the iconic Chick'n'Rice Box, complemented by wraps, quesadillas, gourmet burgers, loaded fries, wings, and sides. The company offers a proprietary mobile app for ordering (delivery, collection, and 'I'm in Store' feature), loyalty rewards, and promotions, while distributing products through third-party delivery aggregators (Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats). Menu includes vegetarian options featuring paneer, kids meals, desserts including Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and retail products including bottled sauces and seasoning salts. The franchise program requires a minimum £300,000 investment with comprehensive training and support provided.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pepe's Piri Piri Restaurant Fast-food restaurant chain specializing in flame-grilled piri piri chicken, offering dine-in, takeaway, and delivery through 261 franchise-operated UK stores.
• Pepe's Mobile App Mobile application enabling customers to order delivery or collection, earn loyalty stamps (6 stamps for 25% off), access exclusive offers (10% off first order for new customers), and play gamified prize games such as Spin to Win and Win With Pepe's.
• Franchise Partnership Program Franchise opportunity allowing vetted entrepreneurs to open and operate Pepe's Piri Piri restaurants. Minimum investment of £300,000, with financing available through Lloyds, Natwest, and HSBC. Franchisees receive online training via a portal with 3 levels and 29 courses, head office training, site support, national and regional advertising, store development assistance, and design support.
• Pepe's Piri Piri Salt Retail seasoning salt product sold to add piri piri flavor at home.
• Bottled Piri Piri Sauces Retail bottled piri piri sauces (250ml) in multiple heat levels, available for at-home use.

Quantifiable outcome

• New app customers receive 10% off first order
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• McCain'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025McCain's partnered with Pepe's and influencer Darkest Man for a photoshoot at a Pepe's store in Manchester. The campaign showcased Pepe's flame-grilled flavours alongside McCain's Surecrisp fries in a co-branded marketing initiative.
• Beard Before Wicket PodcastcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025Pepe's partnered with the Beard Before Wicket podcast hosted by England cricket legends Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. Pepe's provided catering for the live launch event at Sixes in Fitzrovia with attendance from cricketers, comedians, and broadcasters. This is an ongoing partnership for brand visibility.
• Love Guru FilmminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2025Pepe's sponsored the release of Pakistani romantic comedy Love Guru starring Humayun Saeed and Mahira Khan. Marketing integration included food pairing tips and social media content linking film themes with Pepe's menu items.
• Red BullminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2023Pepe's launched Red Bull Sugarfree into its stores. Promotional offer: 50% off Red Bull when purchased with any meal. Also offered Red Bull and Korean Burger Bundle deal at 20% discount.
• Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform partnerships enabling customers to order Pepe's food for home delivery. Pepe's acts as agent on behalf of delivery companies for these orders.
• Ben & Jerry'sminorOthersBen & Jerry's ice cream is offered as a dessert option on the Pepe's menu, providing a branded dessert complement to the chicken-focused menu.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nando's: Nando's is the dominant UK chicken-focused QSR with 350+ UK restaurants and global presence, specialising in flame-grilled peri-peri chicken with customisable spice levels — directly comparable to Pepe's piri piri positioning, menu architecture, and customer base.
• Morley's: Morley's is a long-established London-focused chicken and peri-peri QSR chain with ~100 outlets, overlapping menu categories (grilled chicken, wings, burgers) and a similar value-tier price point targeting the same mass-market fast-food customer.
• Roosters Piri Piri: Roosters Piri Piri is a UK-based franchise chicken QSR specialising in piri piri grilled chicken with a nearly identical menu and spice-level customisation model, competing head-to-head with Pepe's for the same customer and store locations.
• Chicken Cottage: Chicken Cottage is a UK halal-focused fried chicken QSR chain with a comparable menu (chicken and burgers, peri-peri style options) and similar South Asian community targeting, operating on a franchise model in many of the same UK high street locations as Pepe's.
• KFC: KFC is the UK's largest chicken QSR with 700+ outlets, competing head-to-head with Pepe's for the same fried/grilled chicken occasion via dine-in, takeaway, and delivery, with overlapping price points and a similar franchise-heavy operating model.

Emerging players

• Wingstop: Wingstop is a US-origin chicken-focused QSR now expanding in the UK, with a wings-centric menu that overlaps Pepe's wings offering and competes for the same dine-in, takeaway, and delivery occasions with a similarly modern, app-driven customer experience.
• Chaiiwala: Chaiiwala is a UK South Asian–themed franchise QSR (chai, karak, and light food) targeting the same diaspora community and high-street locations as Pepe's, with a similarly digital-led ordering and loyalty approach, making it an adjacent cultural peer.

Broad incumbents

• McDonald's: McDonald's is the UK's largest QSR operator with 1,200+ restaurants, competing broadly for the same quick-service lunch and dinner occasions and delivery aggregator orders, while offering a more limited chicken-focused menu alongside burgers.
• Burger King: Burger King operates 500+ UK restaurants under a franchise-heavy model, competing with Pepe's across burgers, chicken items, and value meals via the same Deliveroo/Just Eat/Uber Eats delivery channels and similar price points.
• Subway: Subway operates 2,000+ UK locations under a franchise model, competing for the same quick-service lunch, takeaway, and delivery occasions with a different core product (subs) but overlapping customer segments and aggregator channels.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/@pepespiripiri
• Xx.com/pepespiri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pepe-s-piri-piri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pepe's Piri Piri