Operations

SIDES founders: 'We're gassed to finally land in Scotland'

The Gen Z YouTube collective, The Sidemen, pose in front of it SIDES at Glasgow's St. Enoch Centre. Photo: SIDES

June 12, 2026

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SIDES, the fast-casual hot chicken brand founded by the Gen Z YouTube collective The Sidemen, made its official Scottish debut Tuesday with a high-tech grand opening at Glasgow's St. Enoch Centre.

The launch, which took place June 9, leverages the massive digital footprint of its creator-founders to drive footfall. To bridge the gap between digital content and physical dining, the opening featured the United Kingdom's first "On-Set Live Beam" activation. Members of The Sidemen appeared live inside the restaurant via an interactive hologram unit, interacting with fans in real-time from a production set, according to a company press release.

An 'influencer-driven' brand

The brand is aiming to capitalize on Gen Z's appetite for experiential dining. Ahead of the doors opening, SIDES launched a 48-hour "Keys to the Kitchen" city-wide scavenger hunt. Fans raced across Glasgow to find seven physical golden keys hidden at local landmarks. Winners who returned the keys to the store received a pre-loaded £200 ($255 USD) SIDES Elite Card.

"We're gassed to finally land in Scotland, it's been a long time coming and you've been asking for this for ages," The Sidemen said in a statement. "Glasgow is the perfect place to kick things off in Scotland... If you're in store on opening day, you might even catch us beaming in live through the hologram, which is mad."

The grand opening festivities also included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and fan meet-and-greet hosted by the band on Dec. 10, alongside various interactive games and giveaways.

Aggressive expansion targets

The Glasgow location marks a major milestone in the brand's rapid growth strategy as it attempts to dominate the UK's hot chicken segment. SIDES specializes in a Nashville-inspired menu featuring hot chicken tenders, burgers, and loaded sides.

The brand plans to open 15 restaurants globally in 2026. The Glasgow site is the first phase of a broader Scottish rollout, with additional units slated for Edinburgh and Livingston. Concurrently, the chain is expanding its footprint across the rest of the UK with upcoming locations in Cardiff and Liverpool.

"We're delighted to welcome SIDES to St. Enoch," Conrad Bacon, head of retail at Praxis, the property management firm for the center, said in the release. "As one of the UK's fastest-growing food brands, it brings something fresh and exciting to our food and beverage line-up... The arrival of SIDES reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing the customer experience and bringing sought-after brands to the centre."

From YouTube to brick-and-mortar locations

Founded in 2021 by The Sidemen, the brand initially established its brick-and-mortar footprint across England, establishing locations in London, Manchester and Essex. SIDES began its international expansion in June 2025 with its first overseas restaurant in Singapore.

Company officials said the Glasgow opening was strategically timed to capitalize on peak summer footfall, aligns with local school holidays, and positions the brand to capture maximum consumer attention during a busy seasonal period for the city.

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