A fried chicken restaurant run by 7 YouTubers has opened its first branch after initially operating as a ghost kitchen. See inside.

Sam TabahritiMar 13, 2022, 15:13 IST

The restaurant is located in BoxPark, Wembley.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

Sides is a fried chicken food chain that was initially only available on delivery services.
Launched by Youtubers The Sidemen, the first restaurant has recently opened in Wembley, London.

Sides is a fried chicken food chain that launched in November 2021 by a group of seven Youtubers. Until now, it was only available on delivery services.

The restaurant is located in BoxPark, Wembley.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The brand was launched by The Sidemen, a team of YouTubers including KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, Ethan (also known as Behzinga), Vikkstar123, TBJZL, and W2S.

Sides was initially an online delivery service available via Uber and Deliveroo.Sides

Behzinga told Insider they were thrilled to have opened their first branch in Boxpark, Wembley, because: "It's fast-moving, agile, and thrives online, so it felt like a perfect fit for a brand built by creators."

Boxpark houses various companies on its premises and has three different locations: Shoreditch, Wembley and Croydon.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

Behzinga told Insider they were thrilled to have opened their first branch in Boxpark, Wembley, because: "It's fast-moving, agile, and thrives online, so it felt like a perfect fit for a brand built by creators."

The cohort works in partnership with Reef, which transforms urban spaces into community hubs that create jobs and bring new goods, services, and experiences to a chosen area.

The XIX Box Chicken, or the "shoebox," is a signature meal and costs $16.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The cohort works in partnership with Reef, which transforms urban spaces into community hubs that create jobs and bring new goods, services, and experiences to a chosen area.

The menu offers a range of fried food from chicken to loaded waffle fries, including one of the fan favorites: mac'n cheese bites.

The Sidemen wanted to be more accessible to their fans.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

They also offer the XIX Box Chicken or XIX Box Vegan Chicken — otherwise known as the shoebox, which includes a main, a side, a drink, and a dip.

The shoebox sells at $16.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The Sidemen wanted Sides to be more accessible for their fans while also appealing to a new audience. "So creating a physical experience that everyone can enjoy was an obvious next step for us," Ethan said.

Fried chicken can be covered with crispy onions, jalapenos, and a dip of choice.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The Sidemen wanted Sides to be more accessible for their fans while also appealing to a new audience. "So creating a physical experience that everyone can enjoy was an obvious next step for us," Ethan said.

Employees have said that since the restaurant opened, it's created a frenzy and fans are constantly asking after The Sidemen.

They have between 11 and 19 employees at Boxpark, including part-timers to full-timers.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The option of having both a ghost kitchen and a physical store "is the sweet spot and we're excited to roll out more physical locations alongside our virtual offering," Ethan said.

Ghost kitchens are becoming very popular as more delivery-only options become available.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

The option of having both a ghost kitchen and a physical store "is the sweet spot and we're excited to roll out more physical locations alongside our virtual offering," Ethan said.

A range of vegan sauces are available including BBQ, Louisiana, Teriyaki, Chipotle, XIX Buffalo, Korean BBQ, Garlic Vegan Mayo.

There is a wide range of dips.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

There are two burgers, including a vegan option and the option to choose your preferred sauce to go with it.

The Chicken Burger (left), and The Vegan Burger.Sam Tabahriti/Insider

Two Reef employees told Insider about their expansion plans and ambition to open more stores in various locations in the US by the end of 2022.

Insider's Sam Tabahriti trying the Chicken Burger.Sam Tabahriti/Insider.

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A fried chicken restaurant run by 7 YouTubers has opened its first branch after initially operating as a ghost kitchen. See inside.

Sides is a fried chicken food chain that launched in November 2021 by a group of seven Youtubers. Until now, it was only available on delivery services.

The brand was launched by The Sidemen, a team of YouTubers including KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, Ethan (also known as Behzinga), Vikkstar123, TBJZL, and W2S.

Behzinga told Insider they were thrilled to have opened their first branch in Boxpark, Wembley, because: "It's fast-moving, agile, and thrives online, so it felt like a perfect fit for a brand built by creators."

The cohort works in partnership with Reef, which transforms urban spaces into community hubs that create jobs and bring new goods, services, and experiences to a chosen area.

The menu offers a range of fried food from chicken to loaded waffle fries, including one of the fan favorites: mac'n cheese bites.

They also offer the XIX Box Chicken or XIX Box Vegan Chicken — otherwise known as the shoebox, which includes a main, a side, a drink, and a dip.

The Sidemen wanted Sides to be more accessible for their fans while also appealing to a new audience. "So creating a physical experience that everyone can enjoy was an obvious next step for us," Ethan said.

Employees have said that since the restaurant opened, it's created a frenzy and fans are constantly asking after The Sidemen.

The option of having both a ghost kitchen and a physical store "is the sweet spot and we're excited to roll out more physical locations alongside our virtual offering," Ethan said.

A range of vegan sauces are available including BBQ, Louisiana, Teriyaki, Chipotle, XIX Buffalo, Korean BBQ, Garlic Vegan Mayo.

There are two burgers, including a vegan option and the option to choose your preferred sauce to go with it.

Two Reef employees told Insider about their expansion plans and ambition to open more stores in various locations in the US by the end of 2022.