Casual Dining

Loungers to accelerate growth after record year

13-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

All-day restaurant and bar group Loungers is to accelerate it growth plans by targeting 30 new sites a year.

Daisy Green Collection to launch another barge venue

12-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Australian restaurant group Daisy Green Collection is embarking on yet another riverside project with a new restaurant located on a barge in Richmond.

Restaurant spending falls but takeaways fare better

12-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Spending in restaurants was down 3.3% in June compared to the same period in 2021, but the category saw a small month-on-month uplift of 0.8%, according to new data from Barclaycard.

TRG buys Barburrito for £7m

12-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has bought fast-casual Mexican chain Barburrito for £7m with plans to double the number of venues over the next four years.

Menu calorie counts are changing dining habits, says research

11-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Calorie counts on menus are having an impact on diners’ eating habits and dish choices, new research has found.

I am Döner signs multi-site franchise deal

07-Jul-2022 By James McAllister

Premium kebab concept I am Döner has signed a multi-site franchise deal to take the brand to Merseyside and the Isle of Man.

Absurd Bird enters administration

07-Jul-2022 By Finn Scott-Delany

Fried chicken brand Absurd Bird has entered into administration with the closure of its five dine-in restaurants.

Dirty Bones teams with Hero Brands to accelerate growth

04-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Casual dining restaurant group Dirty Bones is partnering with Hero Brands to accelerate future growth across the UK.

Gusto Italian looks south after posting ‘resilient’ results

04-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Northern-based restaurant group Gusto Italian is looking to expand south over the coming year after announcing ‘resilient’ financial results for the year to September 2021.

Pret A Manger sees sales increase by 230% for the first half of 2022

04-Jul-2022 By Restaurant

Pret A Manger has reported a sales lift of 230% for the first half of 2022.

Asian restaurant ULI to double up in London

01-Jul-2022 By BigHospiality

Notting Hill Gate restaurant ULI will launch a second site in the capital this year.

Richard Kleiner re-appointed Comptoir chairman despite AGM result

01-Jul-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Comptoir Group’s Richard Kleiner has been re-elected as chairman despite the resolution to re-elect him not passing at its annual general meeting (AGM) yesterday (30 June).

Pret to expand into India

30-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is to expand into India with up to 100 sites expected to open in the country over the next five years, under its latest global franchise agreement.

TVG adds to Borough portfolio with two new concepts

30-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The Venue Group (TVG) is adding to its Borough portfolio with the launch of two new concepts next month, both on Southwark Street

Vita Mojo raises £25m to fund expansion

30-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Restaurant software company Vita Mojo has raised $30m (£24.7m) of funding to help it expand into new markets.

Matsudai Ramen to open 'Wales' first ramen shop' in Cardiff this August

29-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Cardiff noodle vendor Matsudai Ramen will open its first bricks and mortar restaurant in early August, which it says will be Wales’ first ramen shop.

Comptoir founder calls for resignation of CEO and chairman

29-Jun-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Comptoir Group founder Tony Kitous has written to the board calling for the resignations of chief executive Chaker Hanna and chairman Richard Kleiner as directors of the company.

'Slimdependence Day' - Slim Chickens to open four restaurants on 4 July

28-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) is to launch four new Slim Chicken sites simultaneously on 4 July in Leicester, Liverpool, Milton Keynes and London’s Bishopsgate.

Chipotle to open first restaurant outside of London

28-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

US burrito brand Chipotle is to open its first UK restaurant outside of London this week in Watford, some 12 years after arriving in the country.

Asian bar and kitchen Gura Gura set for UK debut at The Yards

28-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Gura Gura, a brand-new Asian bar and kitchen concept, has signed at 19 Slingsby Place, The Yards, for its debut restaurant within London’s Covent Garden.

McDonald’s cements position as brand leader in foodservice

27-Jun-2022 By Georgi Gyton

McDonald’s UK & Ireland has the highest share of eating/drinking out occasions in the UK, despite its share having fallen over the past year, according to Lumina Intelligence.

How I Got Here: Tom Stock

27-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The co-founder of Burger & Beyond, which has just launched a huge 119-cover site in London's Soho, on swapping a career in construction for one in restaurants.

Liverpool One adds to F&B offering amid 'strong sales performance' across hospitality operators

27-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Specialty coffee chain Black Sheep Coffee and world buffet concept COSMO are joining the F&B line-up at Liverpool One, with the former making its debut in the city.

Shoryu Ramen to open first franchise restaurant

24-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Shoryu Ramen will open its first UK franchised restaurant this summer on Kensington High Street.

Delivery and takeaway sales begin to dip from pandemic peaks

23-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant and pub groups are falling from the peaks of Covid-19, the CGA by NielsenIQ and Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Fast track: Gravity to open £10m venue in Stratford

23-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Entertainment and leisure brand Gravity will open a second venue in London this year, at Westfield Stratford City.

Honest Burgers to convert V Honest site back to core concept after just six months

23-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Honest Burgers is to convert its all-vegan V Honest site close to London's Leicester Square back to its core concept in July, just six months after launching the spin-off brand.

Bristol's Cargo shipping container development to be removed

22-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Bristol’s vibrant shipping container development Cargo is to be removed and replaced with a 12-storey building.

Megan’s to hand out £5m bonus to staff

20-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Restaurant group Megan’s is to share a £5m bonus between its staff members as recognition of the business’ progress.

Competitive socialising sector to get three more UK venues this summer

17-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

The market for competitive socialising venues is showing no signs of slowing down with three venues opening in quick succession in the sector.

Group sales stand still in May as cost crisis deepens

17-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in May were just 0.1% ahead of the pre-Covid levels of 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

How I Got Here Jeremy Ford-Young

15-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The co-founder of plant-based fast-food brand BVRGER, which launched in 2020 and now has two sites in the capital, on building his business in the midst of the pandemic.

Popeyes looks north and south as it announces next tranche of openings

15-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Popeyes has confirmed plans to open sites in Brighton, Nottingham and Oxford as it looks to begin accelerating its UK roll out.

Pret to launch in Spain and Portugal

14-Jun-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Pret A Manger has reached an agreement with Ibersol Group to launch Pret in Spain and Portugal as it looks to grow its international reach.

Losses grow to £800m for top 100 restaurants

13-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Leading restaurant groups have seen their losses swell to more than £800m in the past six months.

Machine learning: Bella Italia trials use of robot waiters

10-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

The group behind restaurant brands Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge is trialling the use of robots at one of its venues.

Poke House to open five more 'Instagrammable' restaurants in London this year

10-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Poke House will open five more restaurants in London this year.

Fulham Shore targeting prime locations for expansion as new openings see strong trading

08-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Fulham Shore has announced an expansion programme targeting prime new locations benefitting from 'historically low' rental levels.

How I Got Here: Phil Peters

07-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The MD of Neapolitan pizza group Happy Face Pizza, which recently launched its third London restaurant, on his best and worst business decisions, and how he would change the industry.

Restaurant Radar: June 2022

06-Jun-2022 By BigHospiality

Robin Gill's Maria G's, Firebird and Honey & Co's new site on Lamb's Conduit Street are among this month's key restaurant launches.

Mezcalito doubles up in London

01-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Chelsea-based Mexican restaurant Mezcalito has launched a second site in the capital on Newington Green Road in Islington.

Sichuan restaurant Zhang Liang Malatang to make London debut

31-May-2022 By James McAllister

A Chinese restaurant group with more than 5,000 sites across the Asia-Pacific region will make its European debut later this summer having secured a site on Shaftesbury Avenue in London.

Gaining Yards: The Harts Group trio on their new Borough Yards adventure

30-May-2022 By Stefan Chomka

Harts Group’s Sam and James Hart and Crispin Somerville are at it again with yet another multi-site launch in a new London development.

Wingstop secures multi-million pound debt facility

30-May-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the master franchisee of Wingstop UK, has secured a multi-million pound debt facility from Barclays to help facilitate the continued roll out of the brand.

Former KFC MD Paula MacKenzie appointed CEO of PizzaExpress

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

Former KFC managing director Paula MacKenzie has been appointed CEO of PizzaExpress.

Pizza Punks to launch its largest site yet in Liverpool

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

Northern-based sourdough pizza restaurant group Pizza Punks is to launch its largest site to date on Bold Street in Liverpool in September.

Fridays owner looking to beef up its estate to almost 200 sites in the medium term

26-May-2022 By Restaurant

Fridays operator Hostmore Group says it plans to almost double its number of restaurants to around 200 in the medium term.

Mother Clucker lines up Islington restaurant as it moves back to bricks and mortar

26-May-2022 By James McAllister

Fried chicken brand Mother Clucker is to launch its first bricks and mortar restaurant since being acquired by Byron owner Famously Proper.

A third of people cutting back on eating out and takeaways as cost of living soars

24-May-2022 By Restaurant

More than a third of people have been forced to reduce or stop spending on eating out and takeaways over the past six months in the face of rising costs and inflation, according to a YouGov poll.

TRG reports robust trading across Wagamama and pubs business

24-May-2022 By Finn Scott-Delany

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported strong consumer demand for its brands as it continues to outperform the market.