Wagamama founder opens Singapore site, argues doner kebab market ‘ripe for brand leader': Wagamama founder Alan Yau has opened his first site in south east Asia, a concept called Madame Fan at The NCO Club in Singapore's South Beach tha … view

What have Prezzo, Zizzi, ASK … view

Starbucks UK trial leads to 150% rise in re-usable cup use: Starbucks UK has seen a 156.6% rise in re-usable cup use in the first six weeks of a trial that charges customers 5p for ordering drinks supplied in a paper cup. The three-month … view

Jamie Rollo – no quick caffeine fix for Whitbread, ten questions: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has said Whitbread investors need to believe in more than a demerger of Costa Coffee to make an outsized return. Issuing an ‘ … view

Staff to strike next week at five McDonald’s UK branches: McDonald’s workers at five UK branches are set to strike next week as a union demands £10 an hour for staff. Workers will strike at both the company’s restaurants in Watford … view

Costa demerger details: Brittain said the demerger process would run paral … view

Whitbread to demerge Costa: Whitbread has announced its intention to demerge Costa Coffee. The company stated: “Over the last few years Whitbread’s board has rigorously and regularly reviewed its strategy and structure and has for som … view

Wagamama strengthens US management team: Wagamama has strengthened its US management team with the appointments of Scott Burger as chairman and Janine DiGioacchino as managing director. The move follows a decision by the group’s current … view

Boston Tea Party becomes first coffee chain to ban disposable cups, owner admits move is ‘huge risk’ as £1m in sales under threat: Sam Roberts, owner of all-day casual dining cafe Boston Tea Party, has admitted to Propel its move to … view

Boston Tea Party becomes first coffee chain to ban disposable cups, owner admits move is ‘huge risk’ as £1m in sales under threat: Sam Roberts, owner of all-day casual dining cafe Boston Tea Party, has admitted to Propel its move to … view

Karen Jones to head Prezzo as Hendry Pickup leaves: Prezzo chief executive Jon Hendry Pickup is to leave the company after steering it through a restructuring that will result in the closure of almost 100 outlets. Hendry Pickup, who joine … view

Industry figures to launch artisan organic ketchup under resurrected Curtice Brothers banner: A group of restaurant leaders and food lovers, including former Vapiano executive board member Mario C Bauer and Sticks ‘n’ Sushi UK boss An … view

Consumers and operators clash over importance of menu versus experience: There is a divide between what consumers want from a place to eat and what the industry thinks they want, according to a new survey by ordering-technology provider P … view

Pizza Hut UK management completes buy-out: Pizza Hut’s UK bosses have taken control of the restaurant brand in a deal estimated to be worth £100m. Rutland Partners, which bought the UK franchise from US owners Yum! Brands in 2012 for � … view

CGA report reveals UK brands with ‘momentum’: Costa, JD Wetherspoon, M&B’s Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery and Miller & Carter and Greggs are among the businesses or brands with the most momentum in the out of home eating and drinking se … view

Just Eat-backed CityMunch returns to Seedrs in £150,000 expansion bid: London-based startup CityMunch, which aims to fill restaurants at quieter times of the day and has received investment from Just Eat, has return to crowdfunding platf … view

Takeaway delivery expected to be worth £5bn in two years as market soars: The delivery phenomenon is continuing to shake up Britain’s takeaway foodservice industry, growing 73% in the past decade to £4.2bn as of February 2018, accordi … view

Debenhams report success of Loaf & Bloom food format as food sales increase 10%: Debenhams has reported food sales have grown 10% in its First Half to 3 March driven by further roll-out of new offers and operational improvements introduce … view

UK’s ‘first dedicated hospitality festival’ to launch in August: The UK’s “first dedicated hospitality festival” is to launch in August. PX+ Festival will take place at Duchess Farms in Sawbridgeworth, Essex, from Friday, 24 A … view

Costa Coffee pledges to boost coffee cup recycling scheme: Whitbread’s Costa Coffee brand has pledged to recycle as many disposable cups as it sells by 2020 in a bid to reduce landfill waste. Under the scheme 500m coffee cups a year wou … view

Restaurant numbers hold up, licensed premises fall just 0.3% as drink-led venues lead closures: Restaurant numbers have held up while there was only a small decline in licensed premises in 2017, according to the latest Market Growth Monit … view

Restaurant numbers hold up, licensed premises fall just 0.3% as drink-led venues lead closures: Restaurant numbers have held up while there was only a small decline in licensed premises in 2017, according to the latest Market Growth Monit … view

Diversey and Zenith merge: Diversey and Zenith Hygiene Group have announced the completion of the transaction by Bain Capital Private Equity which will combine the two companies, creating the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturer and su … view

Wagamama highlights rise of the ‘nano lunch’: A new report compiled by Wagamama has revealed a rise in the “nano lunch” trend, where people take fewer than 15 minutes for their lunch break. Publication of the “Lunch Report” fo … view

Punch appoints Clive Chesser as new chief executive: Punch has appointed Clive Chesser as its new chief executive. Chesser will join Punch on Monday, 4 June and brings more than 25 years of industry experience, having run Greene King’s … view

ETM Group secures £10m funding package to support growth plans: ETM Group, the 14-strong bar and restaurant company, has secured a £10m funding package from HSBC to support its growth plans. The next site to open will be Maple in Westfi … view

JD Wetherspoon to close Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts: JD Wetherspoon is to close down its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts for its individual pubs and head office. The company, which has almost 900 pubs across the UK a … view

Deliveroo trials delivering food to airport departure gate: Deliveroo and HMSHost International are trialling the delivery of food to passengers at the gate at Amsterdam Schipol airport. A pilot service has involved passengers flying from … view

Sector enjoys strong Easter but sees March like-for-likes fall 3.1%: Strong trading over the Easter holiday weekend helped lift the gloom for Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups after a snow-hit March. The latest Coffer Peach Bu … view

SA Brain chief executive to depart: Brewer and retailer SA Brain has announced chief executive Scott Waddington is to step down as part of a board succession planning process being undertaken by chairman John Rhys. The search for his succ … view

Greene King has reported like-for-like sales down 1.8% in first 49 weeks: Greene King has issued a pre-close trading statement in which it reported like for-likes down 1.8% in its first 49 weeks of the financial year. The company stated: … view

TGI Friday’s UK staff ballot to strike over pay and tips: TGI Friday’s UK staff will ballot to strike in a dispute over wages and tips. The Unite union said it would hold strike ballots at two branches every week from Friday (13 April … view

Leon to launch first Thai fast food restaurant: Leon has announced the launch of a Thai fast food pop-up Tuk Shop – a joint venture with Bangkok-based food group Aylmer Aaharn. The restaurant will debut this spring in an existing … view

Thai brand seeks equity investor as it opens its 13th site: An award-winning Thai brand is seeking an investor following the successful opening of its 13th branch, this time in Hove in Sussex. Led by Minhaz Nasir, who opened his first Lem … view

Online distributor EeBriaTrade launches craft beer tendering technology: Beer distributor EeBriaTrade has launched tap tendering technology that allows the UK on-trade to source craft beer from more than 400 breweries online. The process … view

Coffee shops to overtake pubs by 2030: New research commissioned on behalf of The London Coffee Festival has found 3.3 new coffee shops opening daily across the nation. This growth sees the coffee shop industry pouring £9.6bn into the UK … view

Innventure expansion on hold in high-cost environment, diversifies into holiday let and art gallery business: Innventure, the gastro-pub operator led by former Mitchells & Butlers executive Chris Gerard, has put its expansion plans on hol … view

C&C Group managing director Andrea Pozzi – ‘failure of Matthew Clark and Bibendum would have had ripple effect on sector’: C&C Group managing director Andrea Pozzi has argued it’s good for the UK hospitality sector that Bibendum a … view

C&C Group to ‘go back to basics’ with Matthew Clark and Bibendum, ‘deal brings period of uncertainty to end for operators’: C&C Group managing director Andrea Pozzi has told Propel the company plans to “go back to basics” wit … view

C&C Group to buy Bibendum and Matthew Clark: C&C Group has announced, that with the support of AB InBev, it is in advanced discussions to acquire the entire issued share capital of Matthew Clark (Holdings) Limited and Bibendum PLB (Topco … view

Italian investors hit £300,000 crowdfunding target to expand clubhouse concept in London: Matteo and Ioana Cerri, who are behind venture capital company Made by Italians (i2i.london) and social media and events firm #EatDrinkLoveItalian, … view

Be At One promotes Andrew Stones to MD, reports Ebitda boost as turnover exceeds £40m: Cocktail bar specialist Be At One has made a trio of key strategic appointments as it looks to further accelerate its growth. The appointments come as … view

Two-thirds of Brits would boycott brands that ‘lack ethical conscience’: Two-thirds (67%) of UK consumers would boycott brands that lack an ethical conscience, according to research by Fourth, the software partner to the hospitality i … view