QSR & Street Food

Pod looks for private equity buyer to give boost to 'tired' estate

09-May-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

Healthy breakfast and lunch restaurant brand Pod is looking to be sold to a private equity buyer, after announcing to shareholders it had appointed RSM to oversee a sales process.

Sutton and Sons launch fried chicken restaurant

08-May-2019 By James McAllister

London fish and chip chain Sutton and Sons has relaunched its vegan pop up in Hackney as a permanent fried chicken shop.

À la cart: can The Halal Guys crack the UK market?

08-May-2019 By James McAllister

Many US fast-food chains have struggled to set up shop this side of the pond. But by entering a space with limited direct branded competition, can The Halal Guys, which started life as a food cart in New York, succeed where others have failed?

Sub Cult to open first permanent site

02-May-2019 By James McAllister

Street food sandwich outfit Sub Cult is to open its first bricks and mortar site next month on the city’s Watling Street.

The Lowdown: The Samhaji

02-May-2019 By James McAllister

Indian fast casual group Rola Wala says it has begun the process of trademarking the recipe for its samosa/onion bhaji hybrid, the Samhaji.

Restaurant radar: May 2019

01-May-2019 By Restaurant

From Robin Gill's new opening at the Embassy Gardens development to the first permanent location for Monsieur Le Duck, here are May's key restaurant openings.

Orange Buffalo to open first permanent restaurant

26-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Street food chicken brand Orange Buffalo is to open its first bricks and mortar restaurant next month in Tooting.

Pied à Terre owner David Moore talks pubs, cookery classes and street food

26-Apr-2019 By Sophie Witts

High-profile restaurateur David Moore founded Fitzrovia fine dining institution Pied à Terre in 1991. More recent projects include street food concept Cook Love at London’s Dinerama and The Devereux pub in Holborn, which launched last month.

Civerinos launches third pizza bar in Edinburgh

25-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Italian street food company Civerinos has launched its third pizza bar in Edinburgh.

Olivier Blanc and Pascal Gerrard to launch StreetCube concept

25-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Olivier Blanc, son of chef Raymond Blanc, is partnering with chef Pascal Gerrard to launch a ‘revolutionary’ sustainability-focused street dining concept.

Simon Anderson: "We look for young, independent chef-driven businesses"

24-Apr-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The Market Halls co-founder on the reinvention of the food halls concept, how it works and what the future looks like for the business.

UK's largest food hall to open this summer

18-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Market Hall’s flagship West End venue is to open in the summer, and according to the group it will be the largest food hall in the country.

Time for a chain reaction?

18-Apr-2019 By Tony Naylor

CVAs offer a lifeline for struggling chains. But, long term, can the very notion of a ‘quality chain’ survive this current casual dining crisis?

Patty & Bun to launch two spin-off brands

16-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Patty & Bun founder Joe Grossman has created two spin-off brands: a chicken concept called Jefferies and a stripped back burger concept called Smash Patty.

Italian Alley launched in Camden Market

15-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Camden Market owner LabTech has launched a hub promoting contemporary Italian cuisine, housed inside five restored railway arches behind the recently restored Triangle district.

Thunderbird are go: the fried chicken brand that's taking on KFC

09-Apr-2019 By Restaurant magazine

With backing from private equity group TriSpan, can Thunderbird Fried Chicken take flight in the highly competitive chicken sector?

The Lowdown: The Impossible Whopper

05-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Burger King is jumping on the meat-free bandwagon, piloting a plant-based version of its signature Whopper sandwich in the US.

Latest opening: The Halal Guys

05-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

US-founded fast casual chain The Halal Guys has opened its first European location in London's Leicester Square

Generation Next: Cin Cin

02-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The Italian small plates specialist started life in a converted Fiat 850. Owner David Toscano describes its growth to two venues in East Sussex

The Halal Guys to open second London site in Earl's Court

01-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

US-founded fast casual chain The Halal Guys has secured a further London site, in Earl’s Court, following its European debut in Leicester Square last week.

EAT reaps benefit of its SmartEAT format as it returns to like-for-like growth

01-Apr-2019 By James Wallin

Grab and go chain EAT has reported 11 consecutive months of like-for-like growth as its new SmartEAT format and estate rationalisation beds in.

CHIK’N set to finally open second site

25-Mar-2019 By James McAllister

Premium fried-chicken brand CHIK’N is on the expansion trail, with its founders saying they have righted the wrongs of the past.

Wagamama to launch spin-off Mamago brand

15-Mar-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has developed a grab-and-go spin-off of the Wagamama brand, which it will trial later this year.

Herman Ze German to do its wurst in Birmingham

13-Mar-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Fast casual sausage specialist Herman Ze German has chosen Birmingham’s Grand Central shopping centre for its first location outside the capital.

Lebanese kebab restaurant targeting tech-savvy millennials to open in Wimbledon

13-Mar-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A kebab restaurant designed to appeal to tech-savvy millennials is making its UK debut later this month.

Flat Iron MD: "No one wants to open 100-200 restaurants anymore"

12-Mar-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

Flat Iron managing director Jo fleet has suggested there is “no number” on the scale of sites the brand could open – though admitted there was no longer any appetite in the industry to reach 100 or 200 sites.

Generation Next: Monty's Deli

08-Mar-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

Known for its killer Reubens, the London-based Jewish deli has opened its third site. Co-founder Owen Barratt explains the business’ origins and future plans

Linda Lee to relocate Marylebone On The Bab to Soho and open up in Paris

04-Mar-2019 By Stefan Chomka

On The Bab founder Linda Lee is relocating her Marylebone-based Korean restaurant to Soho, as well as opening her first overseas site, in Paris.

Rohit Chugh to launch Asian cafe Bambusa in Fitzrovia

01-Mar-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Roti Chai founder and former managing director of The Cinnamon Club Rohit Chugh is making a move into the fast casual sector with the opening of his third restaurant in the capital later this month.

Specialist sausage restaurant set for London

21-Feb-2019 By Andrew Don

A gourmet sausage restaurant with a menu "curated by top-rated chefs” is to launch in London at the beginning of March.

Market Halls' new concept could roll out across the UK

20-Feb-2019 By Andrew Don

Market Halls will launch a new casual dining experience for out-of-town shopping centres this spring, which could be rolled out across the UK.

US sandwich brand Jon Smith Subs targets 15 UK locations

15-Feb-2019 By Andrew Don

The UK master franchisor of a Florida-headquartered sandwich brand that opened in London last month has revealed plans to open up to 15 sites in the next few years.

My Million Pound Menu's Tiger Bites given Deliveroo slot

13-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

My Million Pound Menu street food brand Tiger Bites is now available to order on Deliveroo following its successful appearance on the BBC show.

Costa Coffee named world's second strongest brand in the eating out sector

13-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

UK chain Costa has been ranked the world’s second strongest brand in the restaurant sector, overtaking US rival Starbucks.

Food to go continues to out-perform total eating out market

08-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The food to go sector is set to account for almost a quarter of total eating out spending within the next three years with a further £2bn growth forecasted.

Pret not told for nine months about teenager's death from its sandwiches

08-Feb-2019 By James Wallin

Pret a Manger was unaware of the death of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who had a fatal allergic reaction after eating one of its sandwiches, until nine months after the incident, it has been revealed.

Taiwanese chicken brand makes European debut in the capital

05-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Taiwanese chicken brand Monga Fried Chicken has opened its first European restaurant, in London’s Chinatown.

Call The Colonel: KFC to roll out pre-ordering and Netflix-style functions

01-Feb-2019 By James Wallin

KFC is set to roll out new Netflix-style recommendations technology trialled in its drive-thru estate across it UK operations, the company revealed at this week’s Hostech conference in London.

How I Got Here: Paul Hopper

31-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Paul Hopper is the founder and managing director of five-strong City-based grab-and-go group HOP Vietnamese.

Thunderbird Fried Chicken backed by TriSpan

24-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

London street food brand Thunderbird Fried Chicken has received an investment from private equity group TriSpan to support its expansion.

Brixton Village launches restaurant incubator with London chefs

18-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

Brixton Village has launched a restaurant incubator programme, ‘Brixton Kitchen’, to find the next big name in food.

Latest opening: Burger & Beyond

18-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

High profile street food outfit Burger & Beyond has launched its first restaurant.

The Lowdown: Supermac’s versus McDonald’s

17-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario and Helen Salter

The Irish fast food chain has won a court battle with the golden arches and may now be able to bring its restaurants to the rest of the EU.

Korean restaurant Unimini to open in the City

17-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

A Korean concept from the team behind fried chicken brand CheeMC is launching in central London.

Gizzi Erskine's F!lth pops up in Shoreditch

04-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Gizzi Erskine and Rosemary Ferguson have launched a three-month residency of their vegetarian burger concept F!lth, in London’s Shoreditch.

How I Got Here: Lee DeSanges

19-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Baked In Brick has had great success on street food circuit in Birmingham and further afield with its eclectic pizzas. Founder Lee DeSanges recently opened his first restaurant at The Custard Factory in Digbeth.

Time Out Market to open in London Waterloo

13-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Time Out Group will open a Time Out Market in London’s Waterloo in 2021.

SpiceBox to go permanent in Walthamstow

13-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Vegan Indian street food vendor SpiceBox is to open its first permanent location, in London’s Walthamstow, next year.

KoolCha club: Rohit Ghai heads to Boxpark Wembley

04-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Barely two weeks after opening high-end Chelsea Indian Kutir, Rohit Ghai and Abhishake Sangwan have announced they are to open a street food business at Boxpark Wembley.

Restaurant's R200 Awards winners announced

04-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Restaurant groups including Nando’s, Mowgli, Honest Burgers and Tortilla were among the winners at Restaurant magazine’s R200 Awards, held last night (3 December) at Hawker House.