QSR & Street Food

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.

Copenhagen’s famed Gasoline Grill to pop up at The Standard, London

31-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Cult Copenhagen restaurant Gasoline Grill is bringing its smash burgers to the capital by means of a four-week pop-up at The Standard, London.

Kaspa’s Desserts to make central London debut with Soho site

30-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Fast casual dessert brand Kaspa’s Desserts will make its central London debut early this month with a flagship location in Soho.

Boston Tea Party launches delivery-only brand

29-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

All-day cafe brand Boston Tea Party has launched a delivery only concept in its founding city of Bristol.

Bunsik takes Chinatown site for next London opening

26-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Korean QSR brand Bunsik has taken a site on Wardour Street in London’s Chinatown for its next opening in the capital.

Three Uncles heads west with Ealing site

26-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

London-based Cantonese restaurant chain Three Uncles has chosen Ealing for its largest restaurant yet.

Chaiiwala revs up its drive thru business

26-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Chaiiwala has launched a second drive thru restaurant and says it plans to open a further three Chaiiwala Drive Thru sites by the end of the year.

Campaign launched to save Boxpark Shoreditch - updated

25-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

A campaign has been launched to save Boxpark’s original site in London’s Shoreditch after a planning requirement forced it to announce that it would close this summer.

Farmer J makes West London debut with Hammersmith site

25-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Fast casual ‘farm-to-fork’ restaurant chain Farmer J will launch its first site in West London at the end of this month.

Tortilla sees half-year revenue fall as a result of new delivery strategy

24-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Tortilla has reported a fall in revenue for the first half of the year, amid several new strategic initiatives at the business.

Insomnia Cookies ‘poised to accelerate growth’ after Krispy Kreme sells majority stake

23-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Insomnia Cookies says it is ‘poised to accelerate growth’ after Krispy Kreme sold its majority stake in the business to Verlinvest and Mistral Equity Partners.

Lost Boys Chicken relaunches pub residency after closing Brighton restaurant

23-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Brighton-based fried chicken brand Lost Boys has returned to its roots and relaunched its original pub residency at The Joker near Preston Circus following the closure of its only restaurant.

Latest opening: Sandwich Sandwich London

19-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

The Bristol-based operator has arrived in London to deliver hench sarnies and an abundance of savoury pastries and sweet treats. Just be prepared for a long queue.

Benito's Hat owner launches pizza brand

19-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

The owner of Mexican mini group Benito’s Hat has launched what is describes as an ‘edgy, pizza slice brand’.

Boxpark confirms Shoreditch closure

19-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Boxpark will close its original site in London’s Shoreditch by end of the summer ahead of plans to open new locations in Camden and Liverpool Street later this year.

Pret scraps its five-a-day coffee subscription

18-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Pret A Manger is scrapping its five-coffees-a-day Club Pret subscription offer in favour of a more traditional discount model.

Promotion

Samarkand Palav: Bringing Authentic Uzbekistan Flavours to London's Streets

16-Jul-2024 By McCain FS

Meet the dynamic husband-and-wife team who found success through McCain’s Streets Ahead Programme by crafting authentic Uzbek dishes.

Sandwich Sandwich looks to take on Pret and Subway as it plots further London expansion

16-Jul-2024 By Dan Riley

Bristol-based operator Sandwich Sandwich has said it’s looking to challenge the likes of Pret and Subway as it prepares for the official launch of its debut London site this week.

Mercato Metropolitano Ilford finally opens its doors

12-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Food market Mercato Metropolitano has finally opened its long-awaited Ilford site nearly four years after plans for it were first announced.

Analysis

New dogs, old tricks. Can the gourmet hot dog make it big this time round?

11-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

They might have failed to capture the UK market in the same way gourmet burgers have, but that hasn’t stopped chefs from trying to elevate the humble hot dog. Can this new wave of hot dog hopefuls succeed?

How I Got Here: Oliver Zon

10-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

The founder and general manager of Italy-born QSR brand Kebhouze, which operates a three-storey site on London's Oxford Street, on not being blinded by ambition and how to stay motivated.

Pizza Express to trial new format within Tesco stores

08-Jul-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

Pizza Express is looking to grow its presence in the retail space with the opening a new concept within Tesco stores.

Wingers opens five new sites as expansion continues

05-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Chicken wing brand Wingers has opened five new franchised store openings this year as part of its plans to have 20 stores by the end of 2024 and 50 by 2028.

Italian street food brand Dez Amore launches first London restaurant

04-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Italian street food concept Dez Amore has opened its first permanent restaurant on Fulham Road in London’s Chelsea.

Boojum heads to Nottingham for second England site

02-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Ireland-based Mexican restaurant brand Boojum will open its second UK mainland restaurant this autumn in Nottingham.

Itsu looks to double its UK portfolio

02-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Asian-inspired fast food chain Itsu has appointed Savills as it seeks to double its existing 80-store strong portfolio.

Karali Group becomes the UK’s largest Taco Bell operator

02-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

The Karali Group has become the UK’s largest Taco Bell operator after acquiring 46 restaurants under the brand from a single franchisee.

McDonald's won't be rolling out the McPlant in the US

01-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

The future of the McPlant in the US looks doomed following unsuccessful tests of the plant-based burger by McDonald’s.

Wingstop named fastest growing UK restaurant group

28-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

Wingstop UK has been named as the fastest growing restaurant group in the UK by The Sunday Times 100 for the second year in a row.

White Rabbit acquires full control of Island Poké

27-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Hospitality incubator White Rabbit Fund has acquired full control of Island Poké by way of a pre-pack administration.

It’s Bagels heads to Notting Hill

26-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

New York-style bagel concept It’s Bagels will open a second London site in August following the success of its location in Primrose Hill.

Donutelier to double London estate with Carnaby Street opening

26-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Israeli bakery and café group Roladin is to open a second London store under its boutique bakery brand Donutelier later this year having secured a site on Carnaby Street.

Tortilla rolls into France with acquisition of Fresh Burritos

25-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Tortilla has acquired France’s largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant group, providing a platform to accelerate its ambitions to franchise across Europe.