QSR & Street Food

The Lowdown

Will it be third time lucky for Chick-fil-A?

11-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

The controversial US chain has twice failed to gain a foothold in the UK. Now it’s back for a third attempt with plans to open five restaurants within two years.

Lena Lu Donuts to make UK debut

11-Oct-2024 By Restaurant

Australian donut brand Lena Lu Donuts will open its first three UK locations in the coming months.

Sandwich Sandwich expands catering service to London

11-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Bristol-based operator Sandwich Sandwich has expanded its catering service to London following the successful launch of its first outpost in the city earlier this year.

Popeyes ‘well positioned to continue growth ambitions’ as revenue rises

08-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Popeyes says it is ‘well positioned to continue growth ambitions’ after seeing revenues rise to £58.1m in 2023, up from £15m the year before.

It’s Bagels expands to Soho

08-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

New York-style bagel concept It’s Bagels is to open its first West End outpost later this month with a site on D'Arblay Street in London’s Soho.

Wendy’s sees UK turnover rise by nearly 50%

07-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Wendy’s saw a near 50% rise in turnover last year after doubling the size of its company-owned estate.

How smash burger brand Junk is looking to conquer the world

04-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

After building a strong foundation in France, restaurateurs Wissem Ben Ammar and Majed Mansour have brought their smash burger brand Junk to London with ambitions of taking the business global.

Other Side Fried to relaunch as Buster’s Hamburger Bar

04-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

London’s cult fried chicken brand Other Side Fried is to close its only restaurant in Brixton this month with its founders set to relaunch the site as Buster’s Hamburger Bar.

Boojum targets Birmingham for third mainland restaurant

02-Oct-2024 By Restaurant

Mexican brand Boojum is continuing its push across England since its acquisition by Azzurri Group with a third UK mainland restaurant on the cards.

Farmer J increases turnover and halves losses as it continues to expand

02-Oct-2024 By Restaurant

Farmer J has reported a strong performance in its latest financial year as it continues to expand.

Chopstix acquired by Swiss operator QSRP

02-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Chopstix has been acquired by Switzerland-based operator QSRP.

Boss Pizza plots 10 new sites

24-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Independent pizza chain Boss Pizza has announced plans to open 10 new venues across England and Scotland by the end of 2025.

Chopstix chooses Romania for European debut

19-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Noodle bar brand Chopstix is to open its first site outside of the UK and Ireland this month as it looks to push into continental Europe.

Basque cheesecake concept heads to Soho

18-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Basque cheesecake operator La Maritxu has signed for its second London location, on Soho’s Kingly Street.

Salsa brand Conchita’s to open taco and burrito bar in Selfridges

17-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Mexican salsa brand Conchita’s is to launch its first full-scale Mexican Kitchen, at Selfridges Foodhall, later this month.

Neat further reduces London estate as co-founder departs business

17-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Vegan QSR brand Neat is facing questions about its future following the departure of the group’s co-founder and a further reduction to its UK estate.

The Lowdown

What is with the UK’s current obsession with smash burgers?

13-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

In case the queues outside Supernova didn’t tip you off, the UK is in the midst of a smash burger storm.

Market Place heads to St Paul’s as it looks to double estate

10-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Market Place is to open a new site close to St Paul’s early next year under plans to double the size of its estate.

Smashburger returns to expansion trail with Cambridge opening

09-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

US fast food chain Smashburger has returned to the expansion trail in the UK with its first new opening since 2017.

Neat quietly shutters New York and Dubai outposts

09-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Neat, the vegan QSR brand backed by Lewis Hamilton and Leonardo DiCaprio, has shuttered its outposts in New York and Dubai in an apparent set back to its international ambitions.

Simon Champion to step down as Boxpark CEO

06-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Boxpark chief executive Simon Champion is stepping down after two and a bit years leading the business.

Boxpark Camden to open later this month with 60 traders

05-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Boxpark Camden will be home to more than 60 food and retail traders when it opens later this month, the company has revealed.

The Gentlemen Baristas acquired by Qima Cafe owner

04-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

London-based coffee shop chain The Gentlemen Baristas has been acquired by Origins 1450, the UK-based parent company of ‘tree-to-cup’ café concept Qima.

Shake Shack ‘actively in pursuit of further sites’ as trading landscape ‘continues to improve’

03-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Shake Shack is planning further expansion amid an ‘improved’ trading landscape with restaurant sales ‘increasing towards pre-pandemic levels’.

Yari Club will be London's first robotic yakitori restaurant

29-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

London will become home to the UK’s first automatic rotary yakitori machine-operated concept when it opens next month.

Chipotle reaches 20 site milestone in UK

28-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

US burrito brand Chipotle is to increase its footprint in the UK to 20 sites next month with a new opening on Gloucester Road in central London.

New operator steps in to run Peckham Levels

28-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Social enterprise The Trampery has taken over South London food hall and co-working space Peckham Levels after its previous operator fell into administration.

Judy Joo builds Seoul Bird estate with new sister brand and first airport site

28-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Judy Joo is pushing ahead with the UK expansion of her Korean fried chicken concept Seoul Bird with the launch of a new sister brand and a forthcoming airport debut.

Latest opening: Eat Momo

27-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Two Nepalese sisters have launched a fast casual dumplings restaurant under the arches near London Bridge.

Fish and chip prices rise by 50% in five years

27-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The average price for a portion of fish and chips has risen by more than 50% in the last five years, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Bleecker announces first new opening in five years to coincide with ‘National Burger Day’

22-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

London-based better burger brand Bleecker is opening its first new restaurant in five years today (22 August) to coincide with ‘National Burger Day’.

McDonald’s to open more than 200 new restaurants across UK as part of £1bn investment

21-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

McDonald’s is marking its 50th anniversary in the UK with plans to open a further 200 new restaurants in the next four years.

Wingstop reaches 50 site milestone

19-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Fried chicken brand Wingstop has opened its 50th UK site, with at least six more set to launch before the end of the year.

WH Smith launches first café concept

19-Aug-2024 By Finn Scott-Delany

WH Smith’s travel division has opened its first own-brand café with a focus on food to go.

Latest opening: Hot Dogs by Three Darlings

16-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Jason Atherton and Spencer Metzger are breathing new life into the gourmet hot dog category with this deftly executed and reassuringly expensive Harrods concession.

Birmingham's Baked in Brick 'goes full circle' by taking its Bakehouse brand to Digbeth

16-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Birmingham pizza and bakery group Baked In Brick has taken its café concept Bakehouse to the city’s Digbeth suburb.

Taco Bell looks to tap into late night crowd with new ‘encore hours’

15-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Taco Bell UK is hoping to tap into the late-night market through a new initiative that will extend closing hours at select restaurants located close to music venues.

Starbucks CEO leaves after just over a year

14-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan has left the role after just over a year following poor performance at the coffee chain.

The Salad Project reaches ‘significant milestone’ with multifaceted fifth site

13-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The Salad Project is to launch a multifaceted restaurant site on Fenchurch Street in the City of London that will also operate as a training academy and menu development hub.

Pizza brand Detroit Slims to launch in Manchester

13-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

The team behind Manchester venues Ramona, Diecast, and The Firehouse is launching a grab-and-go pizza brand this autumn.

Chopstix enters retail space with Wok Pot range

13-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Pan-Asian QSR group Chopstix has moved into the omnichannel retail space with the launch of its new Wok Pot range.

‘Evolving’ customer proposition and continued expansion drives growth at Burger King

12-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Burger King UK has reported an operating profit of £13.4m for the year ended 31 December 2023, a significant improvement on the loss of £20.7m it posted the year before.

McCain’s investment into street food start-ups tops £200,000

06-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

McCain Foodservice Solution’s (McCain FS) investment in its Streets Ahead initiative has passed £200,000 after a further seven street food businesses successfully secured funding through the programme.

Julian Metcalfe joins Knoops amid £5m fundraiser

05-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Pret a Manger and Itsu founder Julian Metcalfe has joined Knoops as a non-executive director alongside former Sanctuary Spa Group CEO Alice Avis.

Wingstop UK launches sale process

05-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the master franchisee for Wingstop UK, has hired Goldman Sachs to explore a sale of the business after six years of rapid growth.

KERB to launch new Holborn street food market

05-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

London-based street food market operator KERB is to launch a new weekly lunch market this week in Holborn that will help generate further funding for its KERB+ social enterprise.

Jerk Junction to open first shopping centre location

02-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Jerk Junction, the Caribbean street food brand that’s co-owned by former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard, is to open its first shopping centre location within the north-west city’s Trafford Centre.