Friday five: the week’s top stories
The temporary closure of Dave’s Hot Chicken’s UK restaurants and Vagabond’s plans to open the largest urban winery are among this week’s most-read stories.
Trends & Reports
Early doors: 5-7pm overtakes 7-10pm as key hospitality trading period
Consumers are continuing to opt for earlier social experiences with research revealing the 5-7pm slot has now overtaken 7-10pm as the biggest earning trading period of the average day.
8 trends that defined eating out in 2025
From protein-packed dishes and premium seafood to super posh sandwiches, here’s what happened in 2025’s restaurant scene.
Friday five: the week’s top stories
Ireland winning the World’s Best Steak award and the closure of Lee Tiernan’s FKABAM are among this week’s most read stories.
UK restaurant sector to grow to £19.6bn by 2028
The UK restaurant sector is forecast to grow at a modest 1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three years, reaching a value of £19.6bn in 2028.
Friday five: the week’s top stories
The Gaucho ‘greenwashing’ row and a welcome comeback for Leeds chef Michael O’Hare were among this week’s most-read stories.
Hospitality feels the pinch as wholesale prices rise for sixth consecutive month
Food and drink prices in the hospitality sector rose by 0.7% in September - the sixth consecutive month of rising wholesale prices for the UK hospitality and foodservice sector.
12 ways to create a killer loyalty programme
Restaurant has published a free-to-access guide to creating a successful loyalty programme.
Kwenching the thirst of Gen Z: KFC opens first site under its new drinks-led brand
KFC has opened its first site under its drinks-led Kwench brand, in Liverpool’s city centre.
Deliveroo reveals most popular delivery items of 2025
A London-based bagel shop is responsible for the most ordered takeaway item on Deliveroo this year, the delivery company has revealed.
UK restaurant market to experience only marginal growth this year
The UK restaurant market is expected to grow marginally by just 0.9% in 2025, lagging behind the total eating out market’s growth of 2.6%.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
Pip Lacey and Calum Franklin’s restaurants at London’s new Guinness Open Gate brewery, and a spat over spud names were among this week’s most read stories.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
The closure of 68 Pizza Hut restaurants and The Devonshire team’s plans for a Covent Garden venue are among this week’s most read stories.
Pubs continue to outpace restaurants for sales growth
Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups saw a marginal increase in like-for-like sales growth, according to the latest data.
Hospitality numbers fall with 11 licensed premises closing a week over the past year
The number of licensed premises in Britain has fallen in the past year despite modest growth in the third quarter of 2025, new data shows.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
A second London restaurant from the group behind Carbone and the opening of a Japanese-inspired chophouse in Shoreditch are among this week’s most read stories.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
New restaurants from Hawksmoor and former Kiln head chef Meedu Saad were among this week’s most read stories.
Comment
From tuna sandwiches to lobster rolls: how big brands are borrowing from the independent playbook
The best brands must be both predictable and surprising. The challenge is knowing where to draw the line.
Soaring operational costs pile pressure on capex in hospitality sector
Rapid rises in operational costs are damaging hospitality’s capital expenditure programmes, new data shows.
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.
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.