Restaurants

The Restaurants section on Catering Today delivers comprehensive coverage of the UK restaurant industry, from independent operators to national chains. It reports on business performance, openings, acquisitions, and leadership changes, alongside analysis of market trends, menu innovation, and consumer behaviour. With insight into finance, operations, technology, and sustainability, Catering Today provides hospitality professionals with the intelligence and updates shaping commercial strategy across the UK dining landscape.

Aug- 2024 -

16 August

Taco Bell UK extends closing hours at select locations

Taco Bell UK has launched Encore Hours, a new initiative that will see closing hours get extended at select locations to cater to concertgoers. With current restaurant options closing as early as 10pm, Taco Bell said music fans often “face the tough choice of missing their favourite artists’ encore or…
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16 August

Atis to open eighth site in Eastcheap

Cult salad bar brand Atis is set to open in the capital in Eastcheap on 2 September, marking the brand’s eighth location in London and its second opening of 2024. The Eastcheap site will offer Atis’ customisable salad bowls, protein plates, and classic favourites such as the Azteca and Seiz’a…
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15 August

Honest Burgers CEO appointed as group chair

Honest Burgers has announced that CEO Thomas Kelly will assume the role of chair from next month. The news comes after Kelly was appointed as CEO in January 2024 following the departure of Frank Hayes. In his new role, Kelly will steer the board through the next phase of the…
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15 August

Heartwood Inns secures two more Whitbread restaurants

Heartwood Collections has snapped up two more of Whitbread’s restaurants – the George and Dragon, and the Red Lion – for an undisclosed amount. The George and Dragon is a traditional riverside site in Marlow, serving traditional dishes with “a friendly heritage feel”. Meanwhile, the Red Lion is a “stylish”…
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14 August

Chit ‘n’ Chaat to open new site at Trafford Centre

Indian street food brand Chit ‘n’ Chaat has announced the opening of its new restaurant at Trafford Centre this Autumn. The Manchester-based brand’s new opening will mark its fourth restaurant in the city. With a focus on streamlined kitchen operations and sustainability practices, the new restaurant will be set in…
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13 August

Riots drag down hospitality sales by 10%

Violent disorder and the nationwide threat of rioting last Wednesday (7 August 2024) caused a significant 10% drop in sales as businesses closed and customers stayed away, according to CGA by NIQ. The impact on sales in towns where rumoured protests were planned to take place was as high as…
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13 August

Soho House Q2 revenues rise 5.6% to $305m

Global members club operator, Soho House and Co, has reported that total revenues rose 5.6% year-over-year to $305.1m (£238.5m) for the second quarter to 30 June. It comes as the group gained approximately 2,969 new members in the second quarter, taking its total members to 264,540. This shows a 6.6%…
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12 August

Kricket to launch fifth London site in Shoreditch

Modern-Indian restaurant group Kricket has confirmed plans to launch its fifth site in late 2024. Its second opening this year, co-founders Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby will open a 120-cover all day restaurant and bar in Shoreditch. The duo founded Kricket in 2015 as a pop-up in a shipping container…
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12 August

White Rabbit Fund acquires Island Poke

Hospitality incubator White Rabbit Fund has announced the acquisition of Island Poke’s assets, having recently undertaken a voluntary restructuring. Island Poke, which serves Hawaiian poke bowls, opened its first permanent restaurant in Soho in 2016. However, due the economic turmoil of the pandemic coupled with the impact of inflation, the…
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9 August

Itsu to open first shopping centre site in Manchester

Itsu, the Asian-inspired restaurant brand with over 80 locations across the UK, has announced it is set to open its first shopping centre site in the North at retail and leisure destination, Trafford Centre. Set to open in Autumn 2024, the new Trafford Centre location will take over a 2,900…
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