TH International Limited started the nationwide expansion of Popeyes in China on August 19 with the opening of its first restaurant in Shanghai. A grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the new restaurant in the heart of Shanghai's Huaihai commercial district. Popeyes set an opening day record with 1,761 orders.

Guests eagerly awaited in a queue that exceeded hundreds of meters along Huaihai Road, with some arriving the night before, such as Miss Xiao, who arrived first at 10:30pm on August 18. The opening of the new restaurant in Shanghai comes less than six months after Tims China became the exclusive operator and developer of the Popeyes brand in China in March 2023. Tims China plans to open at least 10 Popeyes restaurants in Shanghai this year and 1,700 across China over the next 10 years.