Comment

The latest comment and opinion, from industry figures and the business journalists at Catering Today. We bring you the latest on what’s happening in the restaurants, bars and catering industry, with exclusive stories, analysis, best practice and industry comment.

Aug- 2025 -

21 August

Ebb and flow or terminal decline: the state of summer hospitality jobs

For generations, the “Great British summer job” has been a rite of passage. Students pulling pints in pub gardens, teenagers serving fish and chips on the pier, and young workers scooping ice creams at busy seaside resorts all became part of the seasonal rhythm of hospitality. These short-term roles give…
Read More »
12 August

Are the delivery apps too big to fail?

Last month, Just Eat launched Just Eat Plus, a membership service offering free delivery and special deals from certain restaurants for a fixed monthly fee. This followed in the footsteps of Deliveroo which launched a similar service back in 2017. This move is the latest ploy to drive profitability at…
Read More »
8 August

Could Gusto’s fall signal a casual dining scene in crisis?

Italian restaurant chain Gusto, once seen as a staple of mid-market dining in the UK, has become the latest brand to fall victim to the sector’s mounting structural and economic challenges. On 29 July, the 13-site operator entered administration before being swiftly acquired via a pre-pack deal by Cherry Equity…
Read More »
Jul- 2025 -

25 July

Can leadership programmes solve hospitality’s recruitment woes?

The UK hospitality sector is facing one of its most significant challenges in years. According to UKHospitality, the industry has shed 69,000 jobs since October 2024, a sharp reversal from the previous year when 18,000 roles were created in the same period. Job losses in the sector have been three…
Read More »
23 July

The legal considerations of AI-powered food outlets

News of AI-powered drive-thru coffee shops coming to the UK made headlines last month, with plans afoot for an operator to open 22 outlets over the next year. Shoppers in London have already been among the first to shop at unstaffed, digital-first supermarkets, which received their fair share of both…
Read More »
8 July

Brace for impact: how hospitality must prepare for the Employment Rights Bill

The government has set a phased timeline for rolling out changes under the Employment Rights Bill. The most complex reforms, including guaranteed hours and enhanced protections from unfair dismissal, will not take effect until 2027. Before then, employers will face a series of earlier reforms. From April 2026, new rules…
Read More »
4 July

Loungefest: the day hospitality pauses to party

Ragley Hall was responsible for hosting “the biggest bash in hospitality” – Loungefest 2025 – earlier this month. By mid-morning, coaches carrying Lounge’s whole staff had begun arriving from Durham, Southampton, West Wales, and nearly every town in between. For all of Loungers’ people to participate, nearly 300 venues –…
Read More »
Jun- 2025 -

27 June

Could campsites be the key to saving the Great British pub?

If you’re a country pub operating at the height of summer, you are likely to gain ample business through casual drop-ins from thirsty walkers, weary cyclists and weekend tourists looking for a pint. But what if you could persuade them to use your beer garden as a camping base from…
Read More »
6 June

Predictions vs reality: testing OakNorth’s outlook on hospitality

The hospitality trade is a hard one. It runs hot in summer, cold in winter, and never moves in straight lines. Despite costs rising and customers shifting, the doors must open and the lights must stay on. As a lender to hotels, pubs and restaurants, OakNorth sees much of this…
Read More »
May- 2025 -

13 May

What the DoorDash Deliveroo takeover means for the food delivery sector

The food delivery sector in the UK is undergoing a seismic shift. DoorDash, the American delivery giant, has recently announced its acquisition of Deliveroo, one of the UK’s leading food delivery platforms. The move is set to reshape the competitive landscape of food and grocery delivery across the country and…
Read More »