Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants’ financial results and the continued expansion of Honest Burgers are among this week’s most-read stories.
Trends & Reports
Cover charge – how restaurants are using the power of targeted promotions
Restaurants are increasingly relying on targeted promotions to boost covers at lunchtimes and on weekday evenings, but do the benefits outweigh the inevitable hit to the bottom line?
Internal promotions driving lower staff turnover in hospitality, report says
A rise in the rate of internal promotions for key hospitality leadership roles is contributing to a reduction in staff turnover across the sector, according to a new report.
Christmas comes early for Prezzo Italian customers with its 99p main offer
Prezzo Italian is attempting to get diners into the Christmas spirit early by offering two of its yuletide creations for just 99p.
Mowgli moves into delivery for the first time under Uber Eats partnership
Mowgli Street Food moved into delivery for the first time through an exclusive national partnership with Uber Eats.
Restaurant sales dip again in August as warm weather draws consumers to pubs
Managed restaurant groups recorded a 1.6% dip in sales in August, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, as sustained sunshine attracted consumers to pub gardens and terraces.
The Salad Project to launch matcha bar with new Notting Hill site
The Salad Project’s forthcoming site in London’s Notting Hill will feature a dedicated matcha bar, as the group looks to capitalise on the rising popularity of the green tea-based beverage.
Continued uptick in hospitality insolvencies ‘a worrying trend’
The continued uptick in hospitality insolvencies has been described as ‘a worrying trend’ following a third consecutive monthly rise in business failures across the sector.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
A new position for Luke Selby, and bold rollout plans for seafood restaurant Shrimp & Co were among this week’s most read stories.
Creams launches direct delivery platform
Dessert brand Creams Cafe has launched a new direct delivery platform that it says is ‘designed to boost franchisee profitability and strengthen operational efficiency’.
UKHospitality’s Allen Simpson on fortifying your restaurant for the unexpected
The trade body CEO on the importance of embedding preparedness into the heart of your restaurant operation.
Hospitality vacancies rise for first time in a year
Vacancies in the hospitality sector have risen for the first time in a year.
Hospitality job losses to reach 111,000 by November Budget
The hospitality industry in the UK will have lost 111,000 jobs by the time of the winter Budget, an industry trade body has warned.
Takeover deals for UK restaurants surge
The number of takeover deals for UK restaurant groups has increased 88% in the past year, new data shows.
Comment
The Gen Z effect: what the next generation expects from dining out
They may be frugal, but this is a generation that still values dining out. But they want it on their terms.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
The closure of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Gordon Ramsay backed burger, and smaller portions at The Fat Duck were among this week’s most read stories.
How Burger King UK is taking on premium QSR with its new Wagyu Burger
Amid growing competition and with its biggest rival struggling, Burger King has launched what it calls ‘a first of its kind’ product for UK QSR… with Gordon Ramsay backing it.
At-home dining bolstered by growth in delivery and takeaway sales
UK restaurant groups experienced strong growth in at-home dining in July, the latest edition of CGA by NIQ’s Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.
What’s driving the current fascination with non-Neapolitan-style pizzas?
Neapolitan pizza may have been dominant trend in the UK over the past decade, but an increasing number of players are opting for the myriad of other styles at their disposal.
Market Place Food Hall launches ‘first-of-its-kind’ loyalty scheme
London-based operator Market Place Food Hall has launched an ‘all-encompassing’ loyalty programme that unifies all its vendors under a single points collection and redemption digital wallet card.
Restaurant groups see first year-on-year sales growth since December
Managed restaurant groups saw their first year-on-year sales increase since December 2024 in July, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.
Loungers launches first loyalty scheme
All day café, bar and restaurant operator Loungers has launched its first loyalty scheme.
Menu innovation and investment in technology helps push up profits for UK’s biggest restaurant groups
Profits at the UK’s biggest restaurant groups have risen 18% over the past year, according to accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.
More than half of all job losses since Budget attributed to hospitality
Hospitality has accounted for 53% of all job losses in the UK since last year’s Budget, according to new analysis of ONS jobs data carried out by UKHospitality.
Hospitality leaders’ confidence nudges up despite labour costs rise
The optimism of Britain’s hospitality leaders rose in the second quarter of 2025 despite the arrival of new labour costs, the latest Business Confidence Survey reveals.
Hospitality ‘stuck near the top of the insolvency league table’ as figures rise again
Some 1,706 accommodation and food service companies, including hotels, restaurants and pubs, closed in the six months to June 2025, according to analysis of Government figures.
84,000 hospitality jobs lost since changes to employer NICs announced last autumn
UKHospitality has said the sector ‘continues to bear the brunt of job losses’ following the increase to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) earlier this year.
Falling orders keep restaurants’ delivery and takeaway revenue flat in June
Top restaurant groups’ delivery and takeaway sales by value were virtually flat year-on-year in June 2025, according to the latest edition of CGA by NIQ’s Hospitality at Home Tracker.
Two hospitality sites close per day in first half of the year
The number of UK hospitality venues fell by 374 in the first half of the year, equating to 62 net closures per month, or two per day, new data shows.
Comment
Fork in the road – the great restaurant divide and the investors backing the reboot
Hospitality is undergoing a great split between those who are scaling and those who are being strategically rebooted. And both sides are drawing capital.
Mancunians spending more on dining out than Londoners, research shows
Manchester consumers are spending more on dining out compared to Londoners and are ‘more adventurous’ with their restaurant choices, according to new research published by Square.
Restaurants see trading slip fractionally as mixed weather flattens June sales across hospitality
Britain’s leading pub, bar and restaurant groups finished a soft first half of trading with sales exactly level year-on-year in June, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.
Sub-prime market - a brief history of US sandwich brands in the UK
With Which Wich the latest US-founded sub slinger trying to grow its UK presence, we look at those that have previously tried to make dough in this surprisingly tough space.
Foodservice Price Index rises as inflationary pressures build in hospitality
The UK foodservice sector saw a significant resurgence of inflationary pressures in June 2025, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) reveals.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
BAO’s new investors, the collapse of Oakman, and a move to the coast for Rafael Cagali were among this week’s most read stories.
Comment
What I learnt from tangling with top vegan chef Alexis Gauthier
The UK’s most high-profile vegan chef came out swinging after our article contrasted his insurgent approach with a new generation of plant-based chefs.
Friday five: the week’s top news stories
The planned sale of Côte and the sudden closure of Victor Garvey’s St Pancras restaurant are among this week’s most read stories.
Employment cost rises accelerate downward trend in hospitality employee numbers
The number of payrolled hospitality employees has continued on a downward trend with more than 11,000 jobs being shed between April and May this year.
MasterChef the rivals: who are the front runners to present the next series?
With Gregg Wallace and John Torode no longer at the helm of the long-running cooking competition, we assess the field of their potential replacements.
11 trends shaping the dining out sector
From the great casual dining reboot and restaurants embracing AI to the rise of rotisserie chicken, our new report highlights the key restaurant trends of the moment.
Spice market: the UK’s subcontinental restaurant sector
The UK has a rich tapestry of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan restaurants, but surprisingly few genuinely national brands.
Pret a Manger ups its salad game as healthy eating QSR sector blossoms
Pret a Manger is responding to the rise in popularity of salads with the launch of a range of larger options.
Manchester’s moment? What it takes to succeed in The North’s most exciting food city
Restaurant sat down with an eclectic group of operators to discuss the past, present and future of Manchester’s buzzing restaurant and bar scene.
Wingstop named fastest growing restaurant group for third consecutive year
Wingstop UK has been recognised as the fastest growing restaurant group in the UK by The Sunday Times 100 for the third year in a row.
Friday five: the week’s top stories
Tom Booton’s departure from The Dorchester, another closure from Gary Usher, and new ventures from KERB and Amy Poon are among this week’s most read stories.
Wetter weather sees delivery and takeaway sales return to growth in May
Britain’s leading restaurant groups achieved year-on-year growth of 1.8% in delivery and takeaway sales in May, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.
April trade boost pushes down insolvencies
Accommodation and food services insolvencies were down 12% year-on-year in April, falling from 313 to 275, according to Government data analysed by RSM UK.
Friday five: the week’s top stories
Richard Caring’s climbdown over letters sent to suppliers and Adam Handling’s relocation of Ugly Butterfly were among this week’s most-read stories.
Restaurant groups see year-on-year sales drop in May following weak bank holiday trading
Restaurant groups saw year-on-year sales fall by 2.5% in May as cooler and wetter weather impacted trading across the country, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.
Food and beverage costs continue upward trend amid supply chain and climate pressures
The latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index for April reveals continued inflationary pressures on the hospitality sector’s food and beverage supply chain.