Fast-food showdown as first Wendy’s and Popeyes in Suffolk set to arrive in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket

As two American fast-food chains prepare to open their first Suffolk locations, we're taking a look at their menus and prices to see what all the fuss is about.

It was recently announced that Wendy’s will bring its iconic square patties and Frosty desserts to Bury St Edmunds — setting up shop at the former household waste recycling site on Rougham Hill alongside a new Aldi supermarket.

Meanwhile, fried-chicken giant Popeyes is expected to open in Stowmarket on land south of Gun Cotton Way after jobs and management roles were advertised in the town.

Although Wendy’s and Popeyes are becoming more common in the UK, with more than 40 Wendy’s and more than 60 Popeyes locations, these will be the first in Suffolk.

Since Wendy’s specialises in burgers and Popeyes in chicken, a direct comparison might not be fair. Instead, we have compared their UK menus to those that Suffolk residents might be more familiar with — McDonald’s and KFC.

Wendy’s vs McDonald’s

Breakfast: Many will recognise McDonald's breakfast staples like the Sausage and Egg McMuffin for £3.99 — and Wendy's offers its own version of the classic breakfast muffin for £4.29.

Like McDonald's, Wendy's also offers breakfast wraps, but its standout item is the Breakfast Baconator.

This giant breakfast roll includes grilled sausage, American cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, a free-range egg, extra cheese, more bacon and all topped with the chain's signature cheese sauce — packing in 1058kcal and priced at £6.39 (or £10.09 as a combo meal with a side and drink).

Burgers: Wendy's is famous around the world for its signature square burger patties — but why the square shape?

Founder Dave Thomas chose this design to showcase the brand's ‘fresh, never frozen’ beef and to make the burgers look bigger and more appealing on a round bun.

Wendy’s menu includes burgers like the Sweet N’ Smokey BBQ Cheeseburger and Dave’s Burger, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. These can be ordered with one, two or three patties, with prices ranging from £6.39 for a single patty burger to £15.49 for a triple-patty combo meal.

In comparison, McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with cheese is priced at £5.69 on its own or up to £9.69 as a large meal — more than £5 cheaper than Wendy's largest burger combo.

Desserts: McDonald's is known for its beloved McFlurries, but it also offers treats like brownies, muffins, and its classic apple pie, all priced between £1.39 and £2.49. In contrast, Wendy’s dessert menu consists solely of its signature Frosties.

A Frosty is somewhere between a milkshake and soft-serve ice cream, described as being ‘thick enough to use a spoon, smooth enough to use a straw’ which comes in vanilla or chocolate, or served with raspberry puree and chocolate curls.

The standard Frosty costs between £1.49 for a Jr size and £2.99 for a large, while the large Raspberry Frosty is priced at £4.29.

Bonus round - Wendy’s unique items:A closer look at Wendy’s UK menu has revealed some unique items not commonly found at other fast-food chains — including jacket potatoes and Chilli con Carne.

The jacket potatoes, which can be topped with ingredients like bacon, cheese, or sour cream and chives, are priced between £3.79 and £4.99.

Additionally, a cup of chilli — with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables — costs £5.50.

Popeyes vs KFC

Burgers: Popeyes offers a variety of chicken burgers, all inspired by the flavours of New Orleans, but each one is topped with a divisive ingredient — pickles. Whether you love them or hate them, the pickles are a signature feature of the chain’s sandwiches.

The prices for Popeyes’ burgers start at £7.49 for the classic Chicken Sandwich, with more substantial box meals — which include a burger, fries and a side — ranging from £11.99 to £13.99.

Meanwhile, KFC has its own take on chicken burgers with options like the Zinger Burger starting at £7.49 along with meal deals that include a burger, fries and a drink starting around £9.49.

Chicken: KFC’s popular its Boneless Banquet, which includes three mini fillets, popcorn chicken, fries, a drink and a side which costs around £12.99.

And if you’re after classic fried chicken, KFC’s Colonel Meal of four pieces of chicken, fries and a drink, costs about £10.99

At Popeyes, you can grab a eight classic chicken tenders for £12.99 which comes with two dips.

Or, for something heartier, the six-piece chicken box meal, including fries, will set you back around £15.08.

Bonus round - Popeyes unique items: While Popeyes is mainly known for its chicken, its UK menu also features a range of sides including mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy and its famous buttermilk biscuits — which are similar to scones.

Though pairing a scone with fried chicken might seem unusual, these Southern-style biscuits are a beloved classic in the US and are a popular choice on the menu.

The biscuits are priced at £1 each while sides like mashed potatoes with gravy and mac and cheese are around £3.50.

Will you be trying out Wendy’s and Popeyes when they arrive in Suffolk?