Giraffe trials 'version 2.0 ' format in Bristol
The restaurant, which is owned by the Boparan Restaurant Group, is aiming to improve customer experience by providing the option of both full table service, and ordering from tablets, according to BigHospitality’s sister publication MCA.
New menu items being trialled at the site include Malaysian laksa; salt and pepper squid; pizza-inspired flatbreads; and Vietnamese pho.
The 38-strong restaurant group had its last makeover in 2016, when it was rebranded with the tagline ‘world kitchen’. The Bristol site is testing out ‘feel-good food’ as its catchphrase, and its extended salad offering suggests it is placing more emphasis on healthy dishes.
According to MCA, some elements of the new format have also been tested at the group’s restaurants in Basingstoke, Norwich and Reading.
Aside from its 38 restaurants proper, Giraffe operates three grab’n’go format sites, two under the Burgers and Cocktails brand, and four international sites.
It was acquired by the Boparan Group in 2016, having posted full year losses of £4.1m in December 2015 under Tesco’s ownership.
Restaurant brands are increasingly opting to use their existing sites as test beds for new menus and concepts. Wahaca and Wagamama both operate ‘test kitchen’ restaurants, and fried chicken group Chick ‘n’ Sours is running a month-long Brixton pop up while its Haggerston site is being renovated, testing new menu items for its reopening.
