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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Sep- 2018 -5 SeptemberAdvice
Taking a proposition from ‘meh’ to ‘yeah’
During the reign of casual dining brands, reliability, know-what-you’re-getting and crowd-pleasing cuisine kept the average consumer happy. Branded Italian concepts were as ubiquitous as they were successful. Being ‘okay’ was genuinely good enough; Pragma worked with F&B clients achieving mostly seven or eight out of 10 as an advocacy score,…
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4 SeptemberBusiness
Casual dining brands show growth despite high street woes
Casual dining has continued to grow with visits up 7%, latest figures from global information company The NPD Group have shown. The firm said many operators – especially newer, challenger brands – are continuing to focus on expansion despite high-profile closures and restructuring that some have described as the ‘Casual…
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Aug- 2018 -17 AugustAdvice
Raising the bar – an innovative way to meet demand for more flavours
The casual dining crunch has hit restaurants hard this year. A recent report from market insights company MCA shows growth in eating out is at its lowest level in five years. This is causing some restaurant chains to either restructure to stay afloat or call in the administrators. In contrast,…
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16 AugustFeatures
The evolution and future of vegan and vegetarianism
Veganism and vegetarianism have both been taking the UK food and restaurant markets by storm. Partly attributed to an increased awareness and concern for animal welfare, this plant-based movement is also tied to health and fitness trends. Many of us are fully aware of the impact, on both our bodies,…
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7 AugustRestaurants
Benito’s Hat secures £1m funding for 10th anniversary
Mexican restaurant Benito’s Hat has secured £1m investment to fund a three-year growth plan in London and throughout the UK. The investment coincides with the brand’s 10th anniversary and is made up entirely from existing investors, the majority of which comes from private equity investment firm Calculus Capital. The investment…
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6 AugustPeople
Gino D’Acampo to launch fast casual Italian brand
Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has announced plans to launch a fast casual dining Italian brand in Manchester. The My Coffee and Deli Bar will open in September and will be situated inside a Next clothing store. D’Acampo and Next partnered last year with plans to put prosecco bars and restaurants…
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3 AugustProduct Releases
Avocado based pop-up restaurant becomes permanent
An avocado based pop-up restaurant has announced it is opening a permanent restaurant in London’s Covent Garden. Avobar, features only avocado based dishes and has been described as “London’s first all-avo casual dining concept”. The new restaurant based Henrietta Street will have an all avocado menu featuring ‘Avo Bun’ burgers…
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Jul- 2018 -19 JulyBusiness
Gaucho closes its Cau chain causing the loss of 540 jobs
Gaucho has announced it has closed its Cau chain, cutting 540 jobs as it enters a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA). Deloitte has been appointed by the steak firm to lead the firm through the administration process. Cau was described by Deloitte as “significantly loss-making” after three consecutive years of falling…
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19 JulyAdvice
Practical, easy and cost-effective ideas to improve your pub
The current casual dining market offers pubs a unique opportunity to maximise the appeal of their venues with interesting interiors and alfresco facilities. It is simply impossible for pubs to survive offering mediocre food, drink and service – the customer has lots of choice. Pubs are a uniquely British hospitality…
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12 JulyAdvice
Gaining industry recognition and winning awards
In an industry brimming with creative and hard-working people, and in a market where consumers are often spoilt for choice, standing out from the crowd can be a challenge. While there are of course countless ways to achieve a point of difference, winning or being shortlisted for an industry award…
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