SWANSEA: American sandwich chain Which Wich lines up first city-centre outlet

A US sandwich chain with more than 300 outlets worldwide is lining up its first Swansea site, in the heart of the city centre.

Which Wich, the Dallas-based “Superior Sandwiches” brand, wants to move into a unit on Whitewalls — the pedestrian street linking Oxford Street and the Quadrant, a few doors from Marks & Spencer, Primark and Costa.

A planning application lodged with Swansea Council seeks to change the use of Unit 2 at No. 5 Whitewalls from a retail shop to a food and drink use, described in the plans as a “snack bar-café”.

Drawings submitted with the application show a servery with order screens, a sandwich-prep counter, a coffee and shakes station, an internal seating area and external café seating out front.

The plans, drawn up by a Swansea-based design firm for applicant Mr S Lewis, note that signage will be the subject of a separate advertisement consent application later.

If approved, it would be the chain’s first outlet in Swansea — and only its second in a Welsh city.

Which Wich entered Wales in January with a site at Cardiff’s St David’s shopping centre, with a second Cardiff location at Central Square also in the pipeline.

The brand has been expanding rapidly across the UK through a master-franchise model, with deals signed for London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

When the chain announced its UK growth push in April, its UK master franchisee Rami Awada said the company was seeing strong demand for what he called a “high-quality, customizable offer” across multiple regions.

The Swansea plans lean on the same formula: a build-your-own sandwich menu, paired with coffee and shakes, aimed at lunchtime and grab-and-go trade in a high-footfall spot.

It is the latest big-name arrival to eye the city centre, following the fried-chicken chain Popeyes, which drew queues of up to 18 hours when it opened in the former Topshop building last October.

The new café would also bring fresh life to a Whitewalls unit at a time when the wider city centre has seen some well-known names depart, including Marks & Spencer’s Oxford Street store, which closed after 69 years.

The change-of-use application is now with council planners, who will decide whether the conversion can go ahead.

Swansea Bay News has approached Which Wich for comment.

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Fried chicken frenzy as Popeyes lands in Llanelli with 14‑hour queue

Llanelli was buzzing long before sunrise on Saturday as Popeyes threw open its doors at Parc Trostre, drawing one of the longest fast‑food queues the town has ever seen. The US fried chicken chain officially opened at 11am — but the first customers had already been waiting for 14 hours.

Among them was Ernie, who turned up at 9pm on Friday armed with determination and an appetite.

“I arrived at 9pm,” he said. “I heard about the giveaways and was really excited to try Popeyes.”

He wasn’t alone for long. Henry, who spotted the opening on Instagram, joined the queue soon after.

“I saw Popeyes in America, so I thought I’d come down to see what it was all about,” he said. “I joined Ernie and we made friends in the queue.”

By the time the shutters lifted, the line stretched across Parc Trostre Retail Park, with fans shrugging off the rain for a taste of the chain’s famous Louisiana‑style chicken.

The Llanelli branch — the fifth Popeyes to open in Wales — sits at Unit 15, just a short walk from the Scarlets’ stadium. It seats 74 diners and has created 81 new jobs locally.

Inside, customers were greeted with the brand’s signature menu: the cult‑favourite Chicken Sandwich, hot wings, tenders and wraps, all made with fresh chicken marinated for 12 hours in Popeyes’ Louisiana seasoning before being hand‑breaded for what the chain calls its “shatter‑crunch”.

Tom Crowley, Popeyes UK Chief Executive Officer, said the Llanelli launch showed once again how strong the appetite is for the brand in Wales.

“We’re really pleased to have opened our fifth restaurant in Wales,” he said. “Once again, fans in Wales have shown us how much love there is for Popeyes, and the Llanelli opening marks another exciting step in our growth journey. As always, the energy was amazing, and it’s a great feeling to bring the spirit of New Orleans to Llanelli.”

The opening follows recent launches in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, with the chain rapidly expanding across the UK.

For Ernie and Henry — and the hundreds who queued behind them — the wait was all part of the fun.

“It was worth it,” Henry said. “And we made friends along the way.”

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Popeyes confirms Llanelli opening date – with free chicken for the first 100 customers

The US fried chicken brand announced the opening date today, confirming the new restaurant will launch at 11am at Parc Trostre Retail Park. Popeyes said the Llanelli site will be its fifth Welsh restaurant following openings in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport.

To mark what the company describes as its “first Welsh opening of 2026”, Popeyes says it will offer a series of giveaways on launch day. According to the chain, the first three people in the queue will receive free Deluxe Chicken Sandwiches for a year. The first 50 customers will receive branded merchandise, and the first 100 will be given a free Deluxe Chicken Sandwich.

Popeyes said the queue will officially open at 9am. The company pointed to its Swansea launch last autumn, where it claims some customers queued for 18 hours to be among the first through the door.

The chain says the Llanelli menu will include its signature Chicken Sandwich, wraps, hot wings and tenders, all made with fresh chicken marinated for 12 hours in its Louisiana seasoning blend and hand‑breaded for what it calls its “shatter‑crunch”. Sides will include Mac & Cheese, gravy and smoky beans.

Popeyes UK Chief Executive Officer Tom Crowley said:

“The excitement from Welsh fans never disappoints. Last autumn, our Swansea opening saw 18‑hour queues, following other successful launches in Cardiff and Newport. Opening our fifth restaurant in Wales is another key step in our growth journey, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Llanelli diners on the 7th February.”

The company says the new restaurant will seat 74 people and create 81 jobs locally. It will open in Unit 15 at Parc Trostre, replacing the former Pizza Hut site.

The Llanelli launch follows months of anticipation after Swansea Bay News first reported the chain’s plans for the town and its wider South Wales expansion.

Popeyes will hold a preview evening on 6 February, with the company inviting media and local guests to sample the menu ahead of opening day.

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Sweetgreen’s new Columbus storefront, located at 700 N. High St., had its grand opening Wednesday. Credit: Jack Like | Lantern Reporter

Local fans of quick-service restaurant Sweetgreen are sure to be satisfied after the spot’s first central Ohio location opened Wednesday.

The new Short North storefront — located at 700 N. High St. — marked the bowl-and-salad bar’s first location in central Ohio. The location is now open for regular hours from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., every day. 

According to Sweetgreen’s website, the brand’s main focuses include sustainability, partnering with local farmers and producers who participate in regenerative practices and calculating the carbon footprint of each menu item by commissioning carbon assessments of its suppliers. 

Jenny Seltzer, a Sweetgreen spokesperson, said Sweetgreen was originally founded by college students on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington D.C. She said the company has since grown to encapsulate over 200 locations around the country and has stationed its headquarters in Los Angeles. 

Seltzer said she and other Sweetgreen employees have been receiving online requests for nearly ten years from Columbus residents with hopes of a location coming to central Ohio. 

“We got tweets all the way back to 2014,” Seltzer said. “There were so many people asking, ‘Please come to Columbus.’ I think it’s because Columbus is a hot spot; a lot of people are moving here from out of state, and they’ve tried Sweetgreen in other markets and they’ve fallen in love with it.”

Chad Brauze, head of culinary at Sweetgreen, said the grand opening’s anticipation brought in a lot of customers.  

“We want to go to markets that are looking for us and [we’ve] got so much outreach, especially from Ohio State students,” Brauze said. 

Brauze said at Sweetgreen, the company takes pride in its fresh ingredients and sourcing. He said it was the attention to detail at Sweetgreen that first drew him to the brand after an extensive career in fine dining.

“You can see where every ingredient in the back house comes from,” Brauze said. “You can see where the mustard, romaine and kale come from. To me, that kind of stuff is important.”

According to Sweetgreen’s website, its menu includes salads, rice bowls, protein plates and more. 

After just one day of sales, Brauze said the harvest bowl — a kale-based salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, roasted potatoes and almonds — was the best-selling menu item in Columbus.

“We have such a great online presence and people want to try it,” Seltzer said. “They see how fresh our ingredients are and they want it here, they want to have that option.” 

More information about Sweetgreen can be found on its website.

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