Casual Dining
We report on the business of casual dining, a key segment of the UK foodservice sector encompassing high-street restaurant brands, all-day dining concepts, and accessible, mid-market hospitality. This includes our coverage of openings, closures, financial results, menu innovation, tech integration, and leadership moves across the casual dining space. Whether you’re managing a national chain or operating a regional brand, we deliver timely insight into the pressures, pivots, and opportunities shaping this highly competitive market, with a focus on operational performance, consumer trends, and commercial sustainability.
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May- 2019 -31 MayAnalysis
The UK dining sector: A recipe for change
As concerns over Brexit mounted in 2018, consumer spending on the UK’s high streets was anything but “strong and stable”. One of the sectors most impacted was dining. Spend growth fell to just 3% year-on-year compared to 9% in 2017, according to our analysis of the transactions of over 2.5m…
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30 MayRestaurants
The Goring to launch first restaurant in 109 years
Five-star hotel The Goring, Belgravia will open a new Siren restaurant,on 12 June whilst also relaunching The Goring Bar. Siren will be the first new restaurant at the hotel in more than 109 years, with CEO Jeremy Goring looking to create a second more casual dining option; a seafood restaurant…
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28 MayRestaurants
Award winning East Sussex restaurant listed for sale
The Curlew restaurant in Bodiam, east Sussex, has been put up for sale. Nick Earee, divisional director of Fleurets, has recently announced listing of the freehold of the 64-cover restaurant which previously won ‘Sussex Best Dining Experience’ in 2012 and 2015 as well as ‘Restaurant of the Year in the…
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17 MayRestaurants
Chef Sophie Michell to join Byron as food director
Casual dining chain, Byron has announced that chef and food writer Sophie Michell will be joining its team as food and drink director. In this new role, Michell will use her experience as a chef, restaurateur, food writer, and television presenter to develop all of Byron’s food and drink recipes,…
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10 MayRestaurants
Leon announces 24% sales rise
Healthy fast food chain, Leon has announced a 24% sales rise up to £95m for the year ending 31 December 2018. The group’s end of year results represented a fifth year of unbroken revenue growth, which more than quadrupled in size in that period. Leon said it opened nine restaurants…
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2 MayRestaurants
The Restaurant Group appoints new CEO
Casual dining operator The Restaurant Group has announced the appointment of Andy Hornby as its new CEO. His start date is yet to be announced, as is the date current CEO Andy McCue will step down. McCue announced his resignation in February, citing “extenuating personal circumstances”. Hornby is an experienced…
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1 MayRestaurants
Pizza Express sees growth despite ‘challenging conditions’
Pizza Express saw its group turnover increase 1.6% to £543m for the 52 weeks ended 30 December 2018. In the UK and Ireland underlying like-for-like sales grew 0.1% excluding the impact from adverse weather (down 1.0% unadjusted) while internationally, the Italian chain’s total sales were up 8.4% when compared with…
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Apr- 2019 -30 AprilPubs and Bars
Greene King CEO leaves on high as sales outperform market
Rooney Anand, the outgoing CEO of pub group Greene King, is leaving the company on a positive note as its like-for-like (LFL) sales for the 52 weeks to 28 April were ahead of the market with a 2.9% increase. Anand announced his departure in November after 14 years, effective 30…
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24 AprilRestaurants
James Spragg appointed Casual Dining Group CEO
Casual Dining Group (CDG), the operator of c.280 mid-market restaurant brands including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Cafe Rouge, has announced the appointment of James Spragg, currently chief operating officer, to the position of chief executive officer, effective from 29 April. Spragg has extensive experience in the restaurant and leisure…
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15 AprilBusiness
Better March weather boosts pub and restaurant trading
Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 3.8% in March compared to the same month last year, when trading was hit badly by the effects of the ‘Beast from the East’, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker show. London, which was hit worse than…
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