Casual Dining

Byron owner ‘confident’ of rescue deal as it files notice of intention to appoint administrators

05-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

The owner of better burger group Byron has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, but is 'confident' it will secure a rescue deal for the business.

Six by Nico plots major expansion push after 'robust' results

05-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

The group behind tasting menu restaurant Six by Nico is plotting major expansion across the UK and internationally following 'robust' financial results in the year since Covid restrictions were lifted.

PizzaExpress managing director Zoe Bowley to leave the group after 12 years

05-Jan-2023 By Finn Scott-Delaney

PizzaExpress managing director Zoe Bowley is to step down after 12 years with the casual dining chain.

Generation Next

Inside Yolk – the brand looking to disrupt London’s grab-and-go market

03-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

With his ‘fine fast food’ brand Yolk, Nick Philpot is on a mission to bring 'excitement' to convenience-led dining.

Business Profile

Slow and sticky wins the race: Andreas Karlsson on Sticks'n'Sushi

03-Jan-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The Danish-owned sushi and kushiyaki specialist is celebrating the 10th birthday of its UK business with its 10th site on these shores.

Pret reaches initial agreement to open in Israel

22-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is continuing to step up its international expansion plans having reached an initial agreement with Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group to introduce the brand in Israel.

Bancone crowdfund closes having raised more than £900,000

22-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

London-based fresh pasta restaurant Bancone has raised more than £900,000 through an equity-based crowdfund, which is intended to help kickstart its 'ambitious' plans for growth.

Judy Joo: “Seoul Bird still hasn’t seen a day of normal trade in the UK”

22-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

The Korean-American chef recently took her fried chicken brand Seoul Bird to Las Vegas for its first overseas site. However, her focus remains on growing the concept in the UK.

Pret rows back on Veggie Pret brand

22-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is jettisoning the bulk of its Veggie Pret estate with four sites having closed and at least one more converted to a regular Pret store.

Market penetration up but consumers still cutting back

22-Dec-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Eating and drinking out participation increased by +5.8 percentage points (ppts) during the 12 weeks to 27 November 2022, compared to the previous quarter, according to Lumina Intelligence.

2022: Review of the year in hospitality

21-Dec-2022 By BigHospiality

A look back at yet another tough year for hospitality – one that saw the Coronavirus crisis replaced by a host of new challenges for the sector to contend with.

Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food opens second Edinburgh site

21-Dec-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food has taken its total number of restaurants up to three with a launch in Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Drake & Morgan puts in 'resilient' financial performance

20-Dec-2022 By Joe Lutrario

London-based bar and restaurant group Drake & Morgan has posted a strong set of financial results for the year ending 27 March 2022.

Pizza Pilgrims targets further grow outside of London

15-Dec-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

Pizza Pilgrims is looking to keep expanding its footprint outside London, with a recently opened Cambridge store and a further four sites outside the capital planned for next year.

Latest opening: Gusto Italian Oxford

14-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

The Italian casual dining restaurant group has opened its most southerly restaurant, among Oxford’s dreaming spires.

How I Got Here: Graham Hornigold

14-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

The co-founder of gourmet doughnut brand Longboys on the renaissance of hotel pastry sections, ditching hospitality's long hours mentality, and why Hawksmoor is his favourite restaurant to eat in.

Bancone smashes £700,000 crowdfunding target

14-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

London-based fresh pasta restaurant Bancone has surpassed its £700,000 crowdfunding target with six days still to run on the campaign.

Azzurri unveils new sustainable dining strategy

14-Dec-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

Azzurri Group has announced a new sustainable dining strategy, which includes two major targets in its transition to more sustainable practices.

Hawksmoor sees strong sales momentum return

14-Dec-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Hawksmoor has seen strong post-pandemic sales momentum continue into its current financial year, with underlying EBITDA expected to return to pre-Covid levels in FY22.

Vapiano launches first restaurant in four years

14-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

Italian casual dining chain Vapiano has launched its first restaurant in four years, in London's Paddington.

Restaurant sales slip as inflation continues to slash growth

14-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups were up 3.7% in November from the same month in 2021, according to the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker.

Business Profile

Raz Helalat: ‘I don’t like operating in safe mode’

13-Dec-2022 By Joe Lutrario

The Brighton-based Black Rock Restaurants isn’t letting one of the bumpiest restaurant launches in recent memory interfere with its expansion plans.

Mitchells & Butlers looks to the suburbs for Browns expansion

09-Dec-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is looking to grow its Browns brand across suburban areas as part of its plans to reignite its expansion.

PizzaExpress: 'Delivery has helped combat World Cup challenges'

09-Dec-2022 By Stefan Chomka

Having a delivery offer has saved PizzaExpress from a significant drop in trade caused by the timing of England’s World Cup games, according to the restaurant group’s managing director.

Latest opening: Officina 00 Fitzrovia

08-Dec-2022 By James McAllister

Italian restaurant and pasta workshop Officina 00 has doubled its footprint with the launch of its second London site in Fitzrovia.

San Carlo to open Signor Sassi at St. Regis Dubai hotel

08-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

Italian restaurant group San Carlo has partnered with Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG) to open Signor Sassi in Dubai in spring 2023.

Rudy's to open second Birmingham pizzeria next year

02-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

Rudy’s Pizza will open its second Birmingham pizzeria next year, at the city’s Brindleyplace.

Little Caesars Pizza plots return to UK market with 'several' new openings planned

30-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Little Caesars, one of the world's largest pizza chains, is returning to UK shores some 22 years after exiting the market with four new restaurants planned in the coming months.

Azzurri recovers strongly in 2022

30-Nov-2022 By Finn Scott-Delany

The Azzurri Group has posted full year revenues of £235.9m, an increase of £119m on last year.

White Rabbit Projects wins backing of Gail’s investor McWin  

29-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Hospitality incubator White Rabbit Projects has secured a multi-million-pound investment from McWin, the private investment firm that also backs high street bakery chain Gail's.

STK launches third London steakhouse

29-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Steakhouse brand STK is to launch its third restaurant in the capital early next month at The Gantry London hotel in Stratford, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton.

Big Mamma confirms January opening for Jacuzzi

28-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

French-owned Italian restaurant group Big Mamma has confirmed that Jacuzzi, its first West London location and fourth full-service restaurant in the capital, will launch on 20 January next year.

Côte progresses with growth plans

28-Nov-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

Côte Restaurant Group has reported progress on its growth plans, with an estate-wide refurbishment program underway and the opening of two additional restaurants in Solihull and Henley.

Tim Hortons reveals plans for 40 more restaurants in 2023

25-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Tim Hortons plans to double its drive-thru estate across the UK with 40 new sites planned for 2023.

London Nikkei restaurant Nakanojo to double up

24-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Nikkei restaurant Nakanojo is to open its second London site early next year on Thayer Street in Marylebone.

Delivery and takeaway sales continue to stall year-on-year

24-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Combined delivery and takeaway sales saw their 11th consecutive month of year-on-year decline in October, new data shows, with growth having stalled since the end of Covid restrictions last year.

Latest opening: Dishoom Canary Wharf

23-Nov-2022 By Stefan Chomka

The all-day Bombay cafe brand is back with its first new opening in London since 2017.

Loungers secures fourth location for Brightside

23-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Loungers is keeping its foot on the accelerator for its roadside dining brand Brightside with a fourth site secured for the new brand.

Bancone to launch crowdfund campaign to 'kickstart growth plans'

23-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

London-based fresh pasta restaurant Bancone is to launch a crowdfund campaign next month to help kickstart the group's 'ambitious' plans for growth.

How I Got Here: Natasha Waterfield

23-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

The outgoing COO of New World Trading Company (NWTC) on the vibrancy that comes from working in hospitality, being a self-critic, and the importance of changing perceptions of the industry.

Ben's Yard village to open in Cambridgeshire next spring

21-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

A new retail village that will be home to a café and restaurant as well as a food hall, retail outlets and an event space will open in Cambridgeshire next spring.

Benugo rolls out carbon footprint labelling after successful trial

21-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Benugo is to introduce carbon labelling for cakes and chilled food in its cafés and restaurants across the UK following a successful trail earlier this year.

Wendy's heads north as it prepares to open first UK franchise site

21-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Wendy's will open its first UK franchise site next month in Sheffield amid a push to expand into the north of the country.

Ping Pong sold in pre-pack administration

21-Nov-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Ping Pong has been sold to AJT Dimsum Limited in a pre-pack administration, with all six restaurants and staff to transferred to the new owner.

Latest opening: Speedboat Bar

18-Nov-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Luke Farrell’s latest restaurant is a love letter to Thai drinking culture and the food of Bangkok’s Chinatown.

The Alchemist chooses Berlin for first international site

18-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Cocktail bar and restaurant group The Alchemist is heading to Germany for the opening of its first international site.

MEATliquor closes its Boxpark Croydon restaurant

17-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

MEATliquor has closed it restaurant at Boxpark Croydon after six years of trading.

Loungers named Restaurant Group of the Year at R200 Awards

16-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Restaurant brands Loungers, Marugame Udon, Rudy’s Pizza, Boparan Restaurant Group, and Burger & Beyond were among the winners at this year’s annual R200 Awards.

Rising inflation continues to wipe out hospitality sales growth

16-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

October sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups were 1.5% ahead of the same month last year, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Popeyes targets 20 new openings in 2023

15-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Popeyes is targeting 20 new restaurant openings in 2023, including its first drive-thru location.