After closing its final bricks-and-mortar locations earlier this year, cult London fried chicken brand Chick’n’Sours has returned with a renewed strategy designed for the realities of today’s hospitality landscape. Co-founder David Wolanski has partnered with Sessions to relaunch the brand through a more agile, capital-light operating model focused on delivery kitchens, residencies and live events.
Rather than rushing back into long leases and high fixed costs, Wolanski explains that the decision to pause permanent sites created space to rethink how Chick’n’Sours could grow sustainably. The new approach allows the brand to stay culturally relevant, reach a wide audience, and retain creative freedom, without the pressures that have challenged many independent restaurants in recent years.
Through its partnership with Sessions and Deliveroo, Chick’n’Sours has already launched multiple delivery kitchens across London, giving fans access to its signature fried chicken while enabling rapid, low-risk expansion. Alongside delivery, the brand has secured a series of residencies and pop-ups, allowing it to test locations, connect directly with customers, and build momentum without committing to permanent real estate.
For Wolanski, this hybrid model reflects a broader shift in hospitality, where flexibility, speed and brand strength are increasingly important. By combining Sessions’ infrastructure, data and operational support with Chick’n’Sours’ loyal following and distinctive identity, the partnership provides a platform that can scale nationally while remaining true to the brand’s roots.
Crucially, the move does not signal the end of physical restaurants for Chick’n’Sours. Instead, Wolanski views this phase as a reset — one that keeps future permanent locations firmly on the table when market conditions are right. In the meantime, the focus is on rebuilding intelligently, growing demand, and ensuring that any next step into bricks and mortar is both sustainable and impactful.
For Sessions, the collaboration underlines its mission to help leading food brands grow in smarter, more resilient ways. By offering alternatives to traditional expansion models, Sessions aims to give founders the tools and freedom to build long-term value – even in a challenging and fast-changing hospitality environment.
