QSR & Street Food

Seven Dials Market to reopen in August

31-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

Seven Dials Market will become one of the first of London’s major food halls to reopen post-lockdown when it opens its doors on Friday 7 August following five months of closure.

Extension to VAT reduction is top priority for hospitality businesses, says poll

31-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

An extension to the reduction in VAT for food and drink beyond 21 January is the top priority of government support for hospitality businesses, according to the latest leaders poll.

Longboys set to open in King’s Cross

30-Jul-2020 By James McAllister

Gourmet finger doughnut brand Longboys is set to add a second London location to its portfolio, having secured a site at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross.

Street food brand Sugoi JPN sets out plan to rapidly expand across London

30-Jul-2020 By James McAllister

Japanese-Latin street food brand Sugoi JPN has set out an ambitious plan to try and open 10 bricks-and-mortar sites in the next 12 months.

Department of Coffee and Social Affairs enters liquidation

27-Jul-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Coffee shop brand Department of Coffee and Social Affairs has entered liquidation.

Mandatory calorie counts on menus being reconsidered by Government

24-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

Restaurants could face new requirements for calorie counts on menus under proposals being considered by the government.

Majority of pubs and restaurants won't pass on VAT cut, says leaders poll

24-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

The majority of pubs and restaurants say they intend to use the Chancellor’s reduction in VAT from 20% to 5% to help their struggling finances rather than pass on price cuts to customers.

Island Poké to double estate by end of 2020 as it pushes on with international expansion

22-Jul-2020 By James McAllister

Island Poké says that, despite the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is to open eight sites across France by the end of year; doubling its overall estate.

Ben Tish to collaborate on fast-casual pizza concept Gallio

20-Jul-2020 By James McAllister

Chef Ben Tish is to collaborate on the menu for new Mediterranean-style pizza concept Gallio.

Only half of restaurants and pubs to participate in Eat Out to Help Out scheme, says poll

17-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

Only just over half of restaurant and pub businesses say they will participate in the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, this week’s Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM has found.

The technology helping restaurants to trade safely post lockdown

15-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

From mobile ordering and payments to systems that can feed information to the Government’s Track and Trace system, here is some of the latest technology that’s helping restaurants to re-open for business safely and profitably.

High street brands promise price cuts amid fears for independent restaurants and pubs

15-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

High street hospitality brands have announced that they are cutting prices following the reduction in VAT on eating out.

Boxpark puts out call for new operators as it pushes forward with development plans

08-Jul-2020 By James McAllister

Boxpark says it is to introduce dedicated spaces geared towards competitive socialising concepts as it endeavours to get its growth plans back on track following the Coronavirus lockdown.

Dan Warne on Brighton’s Shelter Hall Raw

07-Jul-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The former Deliveroo managing director on how his Brighton food market went from Shelter Hall to a more stripped-back, Covid-19 proof concept called Shelter Hall Raw.

Coqfighter to launch vegan fast food concept

30-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

London-based fried chicken brand Coqfighter is to add a second sister concept to its portfolio with the launch of vegan fast food brand Mercy Burger this weekend.

World’s largest udon noodles and tempura restaurant chain to open in London

30-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

The world’s largest udon noodles and tempura restaurant chain has chosen London for the location of its first European location.

New guide published to help operators with menus post lockdown

29-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

A new guide to help hospitality businesses engineer their menus ready for reopening their restaurants on 4 July has been created.

Wendy’s eyes Reading site as it prepares for return to UK shores

29-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

US burger chain Wendy’s is reportedly looking to acquire a site in Reading for its return to the UK, two decades after previously attempting to conquer these shores.

Mowgli's Nisha Katona sets out adjusted expansion strategy

26-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Indian street food restaurant group Mowgli is adjusting some of its forthcoming expansion plans, saying it will only look for landlords who are 'collaborative and circumspect' in the future.

Crussh appoints Simon Foster as CEO

25-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Healthy food and juice chain Crussh has announced the appointment of Simon Foster as CEO to 'lead the restart of the brand and navigate its next stage of development'.

Operators see huge surge in bookings as they prepare to reopen

25-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

A number of operators from across the hospitality sector say they've seen a huge surge in bookings as they prepare to reopen their doors at the beginning of next month.

Fears over job cuts at Pret as weekly sales plummet by 85%

23-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Pret is to make an announcement about potential job cuts next month after a video showed revealed the impact of the Coronavirus on the sandwich chain.

Five Guys pushes ahead with new openings

18-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

US burger chain Five Guys has added another site to its UK estate.

Second lockdown would sound death knell for one in three hospitality businesses

18-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

A second lockdown would sound the death knell for a third of hospitality businesses, according to the findings from a new survey.

Plans revealed for 'Glasgow's biggest beer garden'

16-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Plans have been revealed to create Glasgow's ‘biggest beer garden’ as soon as lockdown restrictions allow.

Hospitality redundancies loom once JRS changes in August

12-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Restaurant businesses will be forced to slash staff numbers when the Government’s Job Retention Scheme (JRS) moves into its next stage in August, according to the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM.

Oowee Vegan opens first London site

11-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Bristol-based restaurant group Oowee has opened its first permanent London location in Dalston.

McDonald’s to relaunch takeaway and click-and-collect

10-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

McDonald’s has announced plans is to relaunch its in-store takeaway and click-and-collect offering from next week.

Wasabi looking to move to turnover-based rents model to help secure future

08-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

High street sushi and bento company Wasabi has appointed KPMG to help it in its negotiations with landlords to move to a turnover-based system of rent.

Ready to serve: more than three quarters of hospitality businesses say they can reopen by 4 July

05-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

More than three quarters of restaurant, bars and pubs will be ready to reopen by 4 July, according to the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM.

Whatley Manor's Sue Williams and Niall Keating on Paradise Carriage

03-Jun-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Sue Williams and Niall Keating have launched a food truck operation within the manicured grounds of their Cotswolds hotel Whatley Manor.

Eggslut confirms July opening for second London outpost

02-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Eggslut has confirmed it will open its second UK site this July.

Prices could rise in restaurants and pubs as a result of the pandemic

01-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Prices could rise in restaurants and pubs to compensate for the devastating impact of the Coronavirus, according to findings from the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM.

McDonald’s to reopen all of its drive-thru restaurants at start of June

28-May-2020 By Restaurant

McDonald’s will open all its drive-thru restaurants as of next week.

Dark forces: the restaurants using dark kitchens to survive

26-May-2020 By James McAllister

Keeping the brand alive is a test facing operators across the sector right now. But for some, using dark kitchens to maintain and even expand operations, could hold the key

JRS contribution impossibe for 41% of businesses unless at full capacity, says poll

26-May-2020 By Restaurant

Over 40% of hospitality businesses won’t be able to contribute a penny to the Government's Job Retention Scheme JRS from August unless they are operating at full capacity by then, according to the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM.

Elizabeth Haigh on going it alone at Mei Mei

20-May-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Elizabeth Haigh is now back behind the stove at her Borough Market food stall Mei Mei making Singaporean preparations to aid home cooks, including curry pastes and sambal chilli sauce.

Profits will take two years to return to pre-virus levels, reveals hospitality poll

18-May-2020 By Restaurant

Over half of restaurants and food to go operators think it will take up to two years to return to pre-coronavirus levels of profitability, according to the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll by MCA Insight/HIM.

Moto to reopen 25 Burger King restaurants as commuters return to the roads

13-May-2020 By Restaurant

Motorway service area operator Moto is to reopen 25 of its Burger King restaurants for takeaway only.

Burger King and McDonald’s both announce further reopenings

13-May-2020 By James McAllister

Fast food giants Burger King and McDonald’s have both announced plans to reopen more of their respective UK estates for delivery and drive-thru over the next week.

Subway reopens more than 600 UK sites

12-May-2020 By James McAllister

Subway has begun a phased reopening of a quarter of its UK estate for takeaway and delivery, which equates to more than 600 sites.

Twisted London opens what will become its first counter service restaurant

05-May-2020 By James McAllister

Delivery-focused fast food service Twisted London has opened what will eventually become its first counter service restaurant, at Tileyard in King’s Cross.

KERB duo: “We will see people turn to street food as a way of surviving”

01-May-2020 By Stefan Chomka

The street food sector could play an even more significant role in the UK’s dining out scene in a post lockdown world, say KERB founder Petra Barran and KERB CEO Simon Mitchell.

Greggs backtracks on reopening plans due to crowd concerns

01-May-2020 By Restaurant

Greggs has backtracked on its trial to reopen 20 of its bakery sites over fears that they could become overcrowded with customers.

United We Stand

Seven Dials launches online initiative and delivery service to 'keep consumers connected'

30-Apr-2020 By Restaurant

Seven Dials landlord, Shaftesbury, has launched an online initiative to keep consumers connected through the lockdown period.

KFC to have 100 sites reopen for delivery by next week

29-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

KFC says that it will have reopened 100 of its UK restaurants for delivery by the beginning of next week.

Five Guys reopens eight more UK sites

29-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Five Guys has reopened a further eight sites in its UK portfolio for delivery and takeaway.

McDonald’s begins testing for potential 'limited' reopening

28-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

The UK CEO of McDonald’s, Paul Pomroy, has said the fast food chain is carrying out a series of behind-closed-doors tests this week in preparation for reopening some of its sites.