Part of the Viva Italia Group which also includes Mozza, Nardinis and Wine House 1821, Tony Macaroni currently operates 19 restaurants across Scotland and Northern Ireland, with five more openings planned before the end of this year.
Managing director Sep Marini now wants to partner with the 'best operators' to bring the brand to towns and cities down south, fulfilling a long-held ambition to have a Tony Macaroni restaurant on every high street throughout the UK.
“While 2020 has proved to be challenging for many brands, we have continued to enjoy success," says Marini.
"We’ll be standing at 24 Tony Macaroni restaurants in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the end of the year, and we are now ready for the next chapter.
“We want to partner with the best operators in the country to help them bring the Tony Macaroni brand to people all over England and Wales.
"Our brand is much-loved throughout Scotland, because we follow a formula that works. I firmly believe we can emulate this success the length and breadth of the UK with experienced franchisees who can build themselves a fantastic business.”
Three years ago, Italian chef Fabio Campoli was brought in to overhaul the Tony Macaroni menu, introducing a standardisation to all procedures that Marini says makes it perfect for franchising.
"I think ambitious operators are going to be excited by the potential to open a sizeable number of Tony Macaroni’s in their chosen territory," he continues.
“This is an exciting time for the industry, full of opportunity and there are some great deals to be done on desirable sites.
"The smartest operators are already taking full advantage of the current situation in the marketplace - including less competition, cheaper rents and landlord incentives. Those people acting now will be the big winners in five years.”
Tony Macaroni opened its first restaurant in 2007 and now currently employs around 500 people across Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Of the five new restaurants set to open, two are in Edinburgh, including one on the city’s Rose Street.
