Friday Five: the week's top news
- US burger chain Wendy's is planning a return to the UK almost two decades after closing its restaurants in Leeds and London. In a presentation to investors the fast food chain reportedly said it was looking to relaunch in the UK within the next 12 to 18 months.
- PizzaExpress has shrugged off rumours it is preparing for major site closures, insisting that 95% of its restaurants in the UK and Ireland are profitable. Speculation has been growing around the future of the chain, which was debts of around £1bn.
- A government pledge to introduce a law requiring employers to pass on all tips paid to workers in full has been met with concern by the hospitality industry. Finer details of the bill are yet to be revealed, but UKHospitality warned it could leave businesses shouldering extra costs.
- The full line-up of traders for London's Market Halls West End has been announced, including Pastaio and new concept's from chefs Tom Griffiths and Angelo Sato.
- Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill on Grosvenor Square has quietly rebranded as Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, an all-day restaurant focusing on steaks and burgers. The site is adjacent to Lucky Cat, the chef's controversial Asian-inspired concept which launched earlier this year.
For more of this week's news, click here.
