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.

  • Jul- 2018 -
    5 July
    BusinessPubs on the upturn thanks to warm weather sales boost

    Pubs on the upturn thanks to warm weather sales boost

    Pubs are set to see a resurgence bolstered by the World Cup and warm weather, the BDO Restaurants and Bars report has suggested. Hot weather in May helped boost trade across the UK for pubs, however, the Coffer Peach Business Tracker indicated a decrease in restaurant sales. Overall, pub, restaurant…

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  • 2 July
    BusinessCafe Rouge, Las Iguanas and Bella Italia owner invests £30m in high street

    Cafe Rouge, Las Iguanas and Bella Italia owner invests £30m in high street

    Casual Dining Group, the owner of Cafe Rouge, Las Iguanas and Bella Italia has announced it is to invest £30m in its 300 restaurants to enhance their performance as part of a refinancing of the company. The group’s restaurants are already performing ahead of the market with the company reporting…

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  • Jun- 2018 -
    28 June
    RestaurantsCatering News

    UK restaurant numbers drop with two closures a week

    The number of restaurants in Britain fell by 0.4% in the year to March an equivalent of nearly two closures a week, the new edition of the Market Growth Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners has revealed. Analysts suggested that the decline comes amid fears among operators of oversupply in the…

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  • 18 June
    BusinessPubs fare well in May sunshine as restaurant sales suffer

    Pubs fare well in May sunshine as restaurant sales suffer

    Managed pubs saw collective like-for-likes jump 3.5% for May, with drink-led outlets doing best, according to new data. The Coffer Peach Business Tracker, produced by business insight consultancy CGA in partnership with Coffer Group and RSM, showed casual dining brands also saw like-for-like sales drop 2.1% against the same period…

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  • 7 June
    Pubs and BarsMardi Gras pub in doubt as annual rent doubles

    Mardi Gras pub in doubt as annual rent doubles

    JD Wetherspoon’s Mardi Gras pub in Trafford Centre in Manchester faces an uncertain future as a rent review has shown an annual increase of almost 100%. F&B chains that took sites at inflated rents led to the increase, said Tim Martin, JD Wetherspoon’s chairman and founder. His firm had initially…

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  • 1 June
    RestaurantsUS chain Wingstop secures flagship London store in West End

    US chain Wingstop secures flagship London store in West End

    US chicken wing dining chain Wingstop has secured a flagship site at London’s Cambridge Circus. The chain launched in Texas in 1994 and has more than 1,000 restaurants internationally, including 25 owned by US rapper, Rick Ross. Westminster City Council has granted planning permission and a premises license to run…

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  • May- 2018 -
    17 May
    Business34 Carluccio’s restaurants to close after it announces CVA

    34 Carluccio’s restaurants to close after it announces CVA

    Italian restaurant chain Carluccio’s has announced it is to close 34 restaurants as part of a recently announced company voluntary agreement (CVA). As many 103 UK sites are also set to “exit” as part of restructuring at the company. The CVA, yet to be approved by creditors will see the…

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  • 15 May
    RestaurantsNumber of restaurants in England up 13% since the recession

    Number of restaurants in England up 13% since the recession

    The number of restaurants in England has increased by 13% since the recession – from 22,230 in 2009 to 25,070 in 2018, says peer-to-peer lending platform, Lendy. Lendy says the sharp rise highlights just how intense competition in the UK restaurant market has become, as recent years have seen rapid…

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  • Apr- 2018 -
    26 April
    Food and DrinkYoung’s Foodservice

    Young’s extends ‘Proudly Made in Britain’ range

    Fish and seafood business Young’s Foodservice, will extend its ‘Proudly Made in Britain’ credentials to eight further products in its foodservice range, including their Young’s Chip Shop products. This follows the brand’s ‘Proudly Made in Britain’ campaign in December 2017. Designed specifically for cafes, pubs and casual dining restaurants to…

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  • 25 April
    AdviceMaximising the brand image of your hospitality venue

    Maximising the brand image of your hospitality venue

    Refurbishment and maintenance is a crucial element of owning any hospitality venue. Keeping it looking its absolute best is as vital as the original investment if brand image is to be protected. Getting the customer experience right With a new survey asserting that a quarter of all consumers (23%) plan…

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