Wagamama

Coverage focuses on the performance, expansion, and brand strategy of the UK’s leading pan-Asian casual dining chain, known for its open kitchens, communal seating, and fast-casual service model. Reporting includes new site openings, delivery and click-and-collect rollouts, vegan and seasonal menu innovation, tech-enabled ordering, and group-level developments under parent company The Restaurant Group. Insight is designed for operators tracking high-volume branded dining, consumer health trends, and competitive movement across the mid-market segment.

Dec- 2019 -

4 December

Regulations & Policies

ASA bans ‘misleading’ Deliveroo ad

A Deliveroo TV ad has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for being “misleading”. The TV ad, seen in September and October 2019, showed a woman taking a delivery from a Deliveroo driver at her front door and then distributing meals from various restaurants around the house from…
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Nov- 2019 -

25 November

Restaurants

Wagamama turnover jumps in second-quarter results

Japanese restaurant chain Wagamama has reported an 11% increase in turnover to £93.5m in the 22-week period to 29 September 2019. The growth in turnover was the result of the “continued expansion” of its restaurants in the UK, which saw six new sites and one delivery kitchen open during the…
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Oct- 2019 -

15 October

People

Deliveroo riders boycott Wagamama restaurants in Bristol

Around 80 Deliveroo riders boycotted Wagamama restaurants in Bristol last week, over complaints that staff at the Japanese chain took too long to prepare food for deliveries. According to Bristol Live, Joseph Nunes, who organised the boycott, said “riders often have to wait 25 minutes in Wagamama for orders to…
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Sep- 2019 -

3 September

Restaurants

The Restaurant Group hit with £115.7m ‘exceptional’ pre-tax charge

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has been hit with a £115.7m ‘exceptional’ pre-tax charge in its interim results for the 26 weeks ended 30 June 2019. The pre-tax charge predominantly relates to a £100.2m impairment charge and a £10.7m onerous lease provision in its Leisure business, and as a result statutory…
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Aug- 2019 -

13 August

Analysis

Spotlight: Restaurant chains defying the high street downturn

Pizza Express Pizza Express has been a mainstay on the UK highstreet since it was founded in 1965. In spite of a fairly saturated Italian dining scene the brand has maintained its presence where a majority of its competitors have struggled, including Jamie’s Italian, Prezzo and Carluccio’s. One of the…
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Jul- 2019 -

29 July

Restaurants

Byron’s earnings down to £500,000

Restaurant chain Byron Burgers has reported a sharp decline in adjusted earnings for the year ending 24 June 2018. Adjusted EBITDA fell to £500,000, compared with £4.7m for the same period last in 2017. Results were impacted by company voluntary arrangements (CVA) which were agreed in January 2018, allowing the…
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May- 2019 -

29 May

Business

UK’s top restaurant groups lost £82m in the last year

The UK’s top 100 restaurants made an £82m loss in the last year, down from a pre-tax profit of £102m 12 months ago, research by accounting firm UHY Hacker has found. Furthermore, pre-tax profits at the UK’s top 100 restaurant groups have fallen from £345m since the first quarter of…
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3 May

Restaurants

Ping Pong to sell off last shopping centre sites

Dim sum restaurant chain Ping Pong is to sell its two outlets at Westfield London and Wembley Designer Outlet Village, the remaining of its shopping centre located restaurants. Leisure property specialists Davis Coffer Lyons has been instructed to dispose of the leasehold interest in the sites. The Westfield unit is…
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Apr- 2019 -

9 April

Restaurants

The Restaurant Group brings 22 sites to market

The Restaurant Group (TRG), parent company of Frankie and Benny’s, Chiquito and The Distilling House, has brought a further 22 sites to market, bringing the total number of sites up for sale to 44. It is understood that 22 of these outlets have already ceased trading and are located at…
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Mar- 2019 -

22 March

Analysis

The emerging food-to-go trend

Within the food and drink industry, the food-to-go sector is booming and IGD has even forecasted that it will be worth £23.5bn by 2022. Within the sector, many different types of organisation are looking at how they can capitalise on consumers’ love affair with quick, convenient food. They should also…
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