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.
-
Nov- 2018 -14 NovemberBusiness
Boxpark Wembley to open with Rinse FM takeover
Boxpark Wembley will open on Saturday 8 December at Quintain’s £3bn Wembley Park development, making it the largest site to date for the food and retail company. Ugly Dumpling, Nanny Bills, Smoky Boys, Mitsuryu and Cut + Grind are among the street food vendors that will open at the venue,…
Read More » -
6 NovemberRestaurants
Restaurant insolvencies reach highest level in eight years
The number of restaurant businesses going bust has reached its highest level since 2010, jumping sharply in the first three quarters of 2018, according to data by accountancy firm Price Bailey. According to the firm, 1,123 British restaurant businesses became insolvent in the first three quarters of 2018, a 35%…
Read More » -
Oct- 2018 -30 OctoberBusiness
The Restaurant Group buys Wagamama
Frankie and Benny’s owner The Restaurant Group (TRG) has announced it has conditionally agreed to purchase Mabel Topco, operating as Wagamama for a cash payment of £357m. TRG said its offer valued Wagamama at £559m and it would convert some of its existing sites into Wagamama restaurants. It plans to…
Read More » -
29 OctoberBusiness
Profits at top 100 UK restaurant groups plunge 80% to £37m in a year
The total pre-tax profits at the UK’s top 100 restaurants have plummeted by 80% in the last year to £37m, down from £194m 12 months ago according to accounting firm UHY Hacker Young. The drop means that pre-tax profits at the UK’s top 100 restaurant groups have fallen 89% from…
Read More » -
24 OctoberBusiness
GBK enters CVA
GBK has announced it is to enter a CVA this afternoon (24 October) following the appointment of Deloitte in September to oversee a restructuring of the business. In an announcement, Famous Brands, the South African restaurant chain’s owners said: “The CVA process has the objective to ensure financial viability and…
Read More » -
15 OctoberBusiness
Managed pubs see continued growth in September; restaurants decline
Sunny weather in September again proved good news for Britain’s managed pubs, with collective like-for-like sales up 1.9% on the same month last year, according to latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker. However, restaurant chains had another tough month with like-for-like trading down 0.2% compared with the same…
Read More » -
12 OctoberRestaurants
Mustard restaurant to relaunch as Le Petit Citron
Brook Green restaurant, Mustard, is to relaunch as Le Petit Citron on 9 November, the former British brasserie will become a French bistro. The restaurant will serve a classic French menu alongside drinks such as Lillet martinis, Cassis and Lavender gin and tonics as well as Kir Framboises. Dishes served…
Read More » -
5 OctoberPeople
Gino D’Acampo officially launches My Coffee & Deli Bar
Italian celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has visited Manchester today (Friday 5 October) to officially launch his first My Coffee and Deli Bar. The new Italian fast-casual dining offer, which is located on the ground floor of his Pizza and Prosecco bar in fashion retailer Next, is the chef’s third venue…
Read More » -
Sep- 2018 -17 SeptemberBusiness
Restaurant sales recover as holiday season boosts eating-out market
Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales edge up 0.6% in August, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker show. Managed pubs saw collective like-for-likes grow 0.2% against August last year, while restaurant groups were up 1.4% for the month. This showed a recovery from June…
Read More » -
11 SeptemberBusiness
Number of licensed F&B businesses drops by 3000 in a year
Britain has 3,116 fewer restaurants, pubs, bars and other licensed premises than 12 months ago, according to the latest Market Growth Monitor, from CGA and AlixPartners. The report showed there were 119,800 licensed sites across the country in June 2018 – a fall of 2.5% since June 2017. On average,…
Read More »
