Wingstop is to open six more shops this year, adding 300 new jobs to its 2,500-strong workforce, it said on Monday.

The company will open the outlets in Crawley, Ealing, Manchester, Lakeside, Whitechapel and Walthamstow.

The fast-serve fried chicken chain is positioned as a premium alternative to KFC, and has attracted celebrity fans including the rapper Stormzy.

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the master franchisee of Wingstop here in the UK, opened the first Wingstop outlet in the UK in 2018.

Since then it has grown to 50 restaurants, with the 50th location opening on Monday in Bolton.

The opening will create 60 new jobs in the local area, and Wingstop will be handing out free chicken wings to the first 100 customers.

Chris Sherriff, co-chief executive of Lemon Pepper Holdings, said: “Today is a significant day for Wingstop UK as we celebrate the incredible achievement of opening our 50th location in just under six years.

Mr Sherriff said the milestone reflected Wingstop’s “commitment to creating meaningful job opportunities”.

He added: “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see so many individuals progress, taking on new challenges and advancing within the company.

Wingstop was founded in 1994 by entrepreneur Antonio Swad, and has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

The chain now has more than 2,200 franchise locations worldwide, and claims it has served two million wings over the years. The US company has a minority shareholding in Lemon Pepper Holdings.

It comes as Lemon Pepper Holdings separately explores the sale of the business, having appointed Goldman Sachs bankers to find new owners.

The potential sale process, first reported by Sky News earlier in August, was kicked off in response to unsolicited expressions of interest from potential buyers.

Mr Sherriff added that the chain still has “untapped” potential across Britain, and that it has ambitions to reach 200 sites within the next five years.

Lemon Pepper Holdings declined to comment on the reports of a sale.