Casual Dining

Bone Daddies tees up new concept as it returns to profit

26-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Bone Daddies will launch a fourth restaurant brand this year as part of a new joint venture.

Deliveries soar for restaurant groups in May as weather keeps some consumers at home

25-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups achieved their biggest year-on-year growth in delivery sales of 2024 last month, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Former Brat chef Aidan Richardson takes over the stoves at Half Cut Market

24-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

North London restaurant, wine bar and bottle shop Half Cut Market has appointed Aidan Richardson as its new head chef.

Gusto launches menu of ‘comeback dishes’ using customer insights

24-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Northern-based restaurant group Gusto Italian has used customer insight to develop a temporary ‘Comeback Tour’ specials menu of popular past dishes.

El Mexicana seeks new investment

24-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

The owners of Mexican fast-food chain El Mexicana and dessert brand Don Churro are seeking an investment partner to support its expansion.

Caravan attains B Corp certification

21-Jun-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

London-based restaurant group and coffee roaster Caravan has attained B Corp certification.

French smash burger brand Junk Burgers to make UK debut

21-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

France-based smash burger brand Junk Burgers is to make its UK debut with a site in London.

Former Kudu chef Eloise Dawes takes over the stoves at Frank’s Canteen

21-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Modern-European restaurant and wine bar Frank’s Canteen in London’s Highbury has appointed Eloise Dawes as its new head chef ahead of its 10-year anniversary.

Hospitality groups see sales rise 3.6% in May

19-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved year-on-year sales growth of 3.6% in May 2024 despite disappointing weather in many parts of Britain, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

Unite to protest job cuts at Whitbread AGM

18-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Unite is to stage a demonstration at the Whitbread AGM in Dunstable today (18 June) over plans to cut 1,500 job.

Cocotte returns to expansion trail with new Richmond restaurant

17-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

French-style rotisserie chicken concept Cocotte is to open its first restaurant in nearly three years next month in Richmond, London.

Patisserie Valerie launches partnership with Brakes

17-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Patisserie Valerie has announced a distribution partnership with foodservice wholesaler Brakes in a bid to reach a broader audience.

Bow Hospitality to open first Edinburgh restaurant

14-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Scotland-based operator Bow Hospitality Group is to open its first restaurant in the country’s capital next month.

Value of UK eating out market nears £100bn

13-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

The UK eating out market is expected to grow by 2.8% this year, according to new data from Lumina Intelligence.

Karen’s Diner ‘to concentrate on pop up events rather than restaurants’ after closing multiple sites

13-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Karen’s Diner, the Australia-founded restaurant group known for its rude service and staff with attitude, has rowed back on its plans for UK expansion after closing multiple sites.

Vagabond’s Gatwick sites to be rebranded following acquisition

12-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE) is to rebrand the two sites within Gatwick Airport that it acquired earlier this month from Vagabond.

Whitbread denies allegations it's failed to conduct redundancy consultations in ‘genuine or meaningful way’

12-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Whitbread has pushed back against allegations that it has failed to consult with staff facing redundancy in a ‘genuine or meaningful way’.

Richard Caring set to sell entire stake in The Ivy

11-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Richard Caring is set to sell his entire share in The Ivy and its sister restaurants to an as yet unidentified buyer.

Snowfox owner Zensho brings ramen concept to UK

11-Jun-2024 By Finn Scott-Delany

Zensho Holdings, the owner of Snowfox Group, has launched its first new brand into the UK since acquiring the YO! operator last year.

Sushi Revolution plots further expansion as it launches second London site

07-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Contemporary Japanese restaurant Sushi Revolution has launched its second London site in Shoreditch with plans for further openings in the capital.

Blanchette founders to launch second Soho restaurant

07-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Maxime and Yannis Alary, the brothers behind French bistro Blanchette, are to launch a wood fire restaurant in Kingly Court this summer.

Vagabond’s Gatwick sites acquired by ARE

07-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Beleaguered bar group Vagabond’s two sites within Gatwick Airport have been acquired out of administration, saving 122 jobs.

Dalston Yard to launch on former Street Feast site

06-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

The founder of Street Feast’s original site in London’s Dalston is to relaunch the space as a multifaceted ‘cultural playground’ next month combining food, drinks, art, music, and wellbeing events.

El Gato Negro to close Leeds restaurant and relaunch under new concept

05-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Simon Shaw is to close the Leeds outpost of his tapas bar and restaurant brand El Gato Negro later this month ahead of relaunching the site under a new concept.

Hostmore jettisons 63rd+1st brand after less than four years

03-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore is to close its final 63rd+1st sites this month as it winds down the cocktail-led bar and restaurant brand little more than three years after first launching it.

National Restaurant Awards 2024: The Estrella Damm Sustainability Award shortlist

30-May-2024 By Restaurant

These six restaurants that lead the way in sustainable and social practices have made this year's shortlist.

Leo and Roobs cafe to open in Salford

30-May-2024 By Restaurant

The team behind Salford pub The Black Friar is launching a sister venue and neighbourhood café next month.

Delivery and takeaway sales grow ahead of inflation in April

30-May-2024 By Restaurant

Britain’s top managed restaurant groups achieved year-on-year growth of 4.5% in delivery and takeaway sales in April 2024, new data shows.

Megan’s reports rise in revenues and profit

24-May-2024 By Restaurant

Megan’s has reported a rise in annual revenues for the year ending March 2024.

Restaurant groups see modest sales growth as wider sector suffers from April showers slump

22-May-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s top hospitality groups saw sales drop 1.7% year-on-year in April 2024 after widespread wet weather, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

P.F. Chang's to enter ‘a new chapter’ as it reopens London restaurant

22-May-2024 By James McAllister

American-founded casual dining brand P.F. Chang's is eyeing further UK expansion following the relaunch of its only London restaurant.

Hank’s Dirty employees save Ipswich restaurant following group collapse

21-May-2024 By James McAllister

Employees of vegan fast food restaurant Hank’s Dirty in Ipswich have saved the site from closure after the wider group fell into bankruptcy.

Comptoir Group ‘optimistic and cautious’ for the year ahead following marginal revenue rise

21-May-2024 By James McAllister

Comptoir Group says it remains ‘optimistic and cautious about 2024’ following the publication of its latest financial results, amid ongoing price rises and ‘challenged and erratic’ footfall.

Dishoom launches legal battle to overturn ‘Ruby Murray’ trademark

20-May-2024 By James McAllister

Dishoom has launched a bid to overturn a trademark on the right to use the term ‘Ruby Murray’ to describe a curry.

Jamie Oliver Group plots further European expansion

14-May-2024 By James McAllister

Jamie Oliver’s restaurant group is targeting further expansion in Europe having launched its first outpost in Germany.

Leaders' confidence 'in the balance' as revenues rise but pressures persist

14-May-2024 By Restaurant

Britain’s hospitality leaders remain cautious amid tentative signs of improved consumer spending and relief on some costs, CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey reveals.

Dishoom and Dorchester Collection singled out as best places to work

13-May-2024 By Restaurant

Hospitality businesses Dishoom, Dorchester Collection, Valor, and MOTO Hospitality have been singled out in the Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work 2024 list.

Pizza Express tees up first UK airport site (and has another shot at breakfast)

10-May-2024 By James McAllister

Pizza Express will open its first restaurant within a UK airport later this month at London Gatwick’s South Terminal.

The Rum Kitchen quietly shutters entire estate

10-May-2024 By James McAllister

Caribbean-styled bar restaurant brand The Rum Kitchen has quietly closed its entire estate.

Holy Carrot appoints Acme Fire Cult co-founder Daniel Watkins as executive chef ahead of launch

09-May-2024 By James McAllister

Plant-based restaurant Holy Carrot has appointed Acme Fire Cult co-founder Daniel Watkins as executive chef ahead of the opening of its first permanent site in London’s Notting Hill.

R200

Wahaca ‘reimagined’: how the Mexican-inspired group is building back up again

08-May-2024 By James McAllister

After a challenging few years Wahaca is putting the past behind it with a huge new opening in London’s Paddington and a determination to bring back some buena vida.

Rekom UK rebrands as NEOS Hospitality after splitting from Scandinavian owner

07-May-2024 By James McAllister

Beleaguered nightclub operator Rekom UK says it is ‘committed to further developing and growing the business’ after splitting from its Scandinavian owner.

‘Transitional year’ sees Hostmore significantly reduce losses

03-May-2024 By James McAllister

TGI Fridays owner Hostmore has significantly reduced its losses following what the group has described as a ‘transitional year’.

Big Mamma Group criticised for applying 'checkout fee' on its payment app

03-May-2024 By Finn Scott-Delany

Big Mamma Group has become the latest restaurant operator to face the ire of customers after its mobile payment provider introduced a new charge to its bills.

Revolution confirms ‘exploratory’ meeting with Nightcap over possible sale - updated

02-May-2024 By James McAllister

Revolution Bars has confirmed it held talks with rival operator Nightcap over a potential takeover deal.

Restaurant radar: May 2024

01-May-2024 By James McAllister

The return of a West London institution, Michel Roux Jr's next venture and a restaurant that pays homage to Winston Churchill are among this month’s key openings.

Whitbread to shed 1,500 jobs under plans to scale back restaurant estate

30-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Whitbread is to exit 126 sites from its branded restaurant estate and convert a further 112 into new hotel rooms as part of a new ‘accelerating growth plan’ (AGP).

Fraud charges denied by ex-Patisserie Valerie finance team

29-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

The former CFO of Patisserie Valerie along with three other defendants, including his wife, have denied being part of a plot to commit fraud at the collapsed café chain.

Danny Trejo: “50 years ago I was heading to the gas chamber, now I’m in my own London restaurant”

26-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

The Hollywood actor on how he went from robbing restaurants to owning them, and why now is the right time to bring his eponymous LA taco brand to London.

Three Joes confirms closure of Chichester and Fareham restaurants

24-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Sourdough pizza brand Three Joes has confirmed the closure of two sites including its original restaurant in Fareham as the group grapples with cost pressures.