PARKING challenges have been cited as one of the main reasons behind the shuttering of the Birdshack Fried Chicken quick-service restaurant on Red Hills Road (RHR) in St Andrew last weekend.

The location’s closure, which took effect on 19 July 2025, was announced last week via a statement posted on the company’s social media platforms. The decision comes just days before the outlet would have celebrated its first anniversary.

With the RHR branch now closed, Birdshack operates four outlets locally — three in Montego Bay, St James, and one in Ocho Rios, St Ann. The closure of its fifth and only Corporate Area location marks a setback for the fast-growing brand, which entered the Jamaican market three years ago.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, Wayne Cummings, CEO of Arya QSR Limited (operators of Birdshack), said that while there was a high sense of nostalgia in opening the location along the bustling RHR corridor — particularly its proximity to his alma mater, St Richard’s Primary — crucial parking-related factors, not fully considered initially, later created significant operational challenges, ultimately forcing its closure.

“The data didn’t support us keeping the store open, as we just didn’t have any parking — not even one dedicated space,” he told the Business Observer. “We thought customers could have used the avenue beside the store for parking, but that didn’t work out. We didn’t want to dig the hole any deeper because the stats were very clear, as were the writings on the wall. As such, we decided to cut our losses and find a new location in the Corporate Area.”

Despite strong marketing efforts, Cummings noted that the lack of parking persisted as a major deterrent, especially for driving customers. “There was lots of excitement about being on that busy stretch, but we missed one critical requirement: Proper parking facilities,” he added.

The CEO said that after opening strongly last year, the RHR location saw reduced traffic in subsequent months, particularly from driving customers in nearby middle-class communities who relied on convenient vehicular access.

“As with every new store, we benefited from initial buzz and curiosity. But without drive-thru or proper parking — unlike our Montego Bay and Ocho Rios locations — we couldn’t sustain crowds at RHR, which lacked both,” he explained.

Cummings said walk-in traffic remained steady, but the drop in vehicular patronage proved detrimental. Daily ticket numbers fell below 200 in the last three months, down from over 350 post-launch. This contrasted sharply with nearly 500 daily tickets at other Birdshack stores.

“To break even, we needed at least 200 tickets daily. Despite ramping up marketing, the slowdown at RHR didn’t reverse. It became clear in the last four months that we had to act,” Cummings stated.

Acknowledging competition from nearby food outlets — including an adjacent KFC and pan chicken vendors — Cummings stressed this was not the issue.

“That KFC has parking and a drive-thru, so their situation is different. Beyond being a major crowd-puller, they have parking amenities and access to nearby lots. We had none on our side of the street,” he noted.

“Competition isn’t an issue; I welcome it. Jamaica has space for all operators. Our downtown Montego Bay store thrives near other fast-food brands. When people are hungry, they want options — they can go left or right.”

He contrasted RHR’s failure with Birdshack’s Barnett Street location, which, despite limited parking, benefits from proximity to a bus park, drawing hundreds of daily commuters.

The CEO reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to Jamaica’s growth: “We remain interested in town centres or stretches that tick boxes for pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Birdshack is resilient elsewhere, and we aim to expand in Kingston and beyond to meet demand.”

“We’re committed to being islandwide. The lesson from RHR is to make quick decisions when something isn’t working. Staying at a loss-making location would’ve been a bigger failure. We walked away smartly — that’s a win,” Cummings said.

Hinting at new locations, he urged customers to watch for expansion announcements: “Landlords are reaching out. We’re in dialogue and will announce once agreements are finalised.”