Wingstop CEO – UK average unit volumes now exceeding $3m: Michael Skipworth, president and chief executive of Wingstop, has said that average unit volumes (AUV) for its business in the UK are now exceeding $3m (£2.3m). Skipworth was sp … view

Young’s CEO – Budget has kicked the can to 2026-2027 before we get certainty and real change: Young’s chief executive Simon Dodd has said the Budget has “kicked the can to 2026-2027 before we get certainty and real change”. Chan … view

Sector braces for Budget onslaught: Sector businesses are braced for a Budget onslaught that they claim will drive up costs and threaten livelihoods. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will today (Wednesday, 30 October) hit corporate Britain with a … view

McDonald’s reports global lfls down 1.5% in third quarter with UK seeing fall in sales: McDonald’s has reported its global like-for-like sales fell 1.5% in its third quarter to 30 September 2024 compared with the previous year – wit … view

Honest Burgers reveals plans to quadruple in size by 2030 as it reports revenue hits £30m in first half of 2024: Honest Burgers, the Active Partners-backed business, has revealed it is aiming to quadruple in size by 2030 as it reported l … view

Minimum wage set to increase by more than 6%: The minimum wage is set to be increased by more than 6% next year putting further pressure on sector businesses. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to announce an increase that is well above infl … view

Exclusive – Doner kebab brand with almost 100 branches in Germany makes UK debut, three more in pipeline as it targets rapid expansion here: A doner kebab brand with almost 100 branches in Germany has made its UK debut, with three more … view

Half of UK’s hospitality businesses would cut jobs and cancel investment if business rates relief ends: Half of the UK’s hospitality businesses would cut jobs and cancel investment if business rates relief ends, sector trade bodies ha … view

Time Out confirms negotiations for new London market almost two years after abandoning previous plans: Time Out Group has confirmed it is in negotiations for a new food market in London – almost two years after scrapping plans to open a … view

Exclusive – Martin Williams steps down as CEO of Gaucho operator Rare Restaurants: Martin Williams has stepped down as chief executive of Rare Restaurants, the vehicle he helped to found that operates the Gaucho and M Restaurants brands … view

Exclusive – Pizza Pilgrims appoints advisors as it looks to embark upon next phase of its development: Neapolitan pizzeria brand Pizza Pilgrims has appointed advisors as it looks to embark on its next stage of growth, which will include … view

Exclusive – Rekom Group looks to make UK return with Proud Mary and Heidi’s brands: Rekom, which is backed by Danish private equity firm CataCap and operates circa 150 sites across Denmark, Finland and Norway, is looking to return to … view

Bagelstein aiming to make UK entry next year, in talks with franchisee about possible Midlands debut: French bagel brand Bagelstein has told Propel it is aiming to make its UK entry next year and is in talks with a franchisee about a poss … view

Starbucks suffers worst decline in sales since pandemic shutdown: Starbucks expects to report its worst decline in sales since the pandemic and suspended its annual forecast after global same-store sales fell 7% in the fourth quarter, acc … view

Sector sees sales rise 1.7% in September as restaurants lead the way: Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded year-on-year sales growth of 1.7% in September with restaurants leading the way, the latest edition of the CGA RSM Hospi … view

Exclusive – Papa John’s UK MD – we will return to profitability in 2025, refranchised stores performing up to 15% better: Papa John’s UK managing director Chris Phylactou has told Propel the business will return to profitability i … view

Exclusive – Fulham Shore to launch new crispy pizza concept called Super Club Roma: Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator, is to launch a new concept – Super Club Roma – before the end of the year, in London, Pr … view

Imbiba to open 65,000 square-foot hospitality and leisure venue in Canary Wharf: Serial sector investor Imbiba has agreed a deal with the Canary Wharf Group (CWG) to open a 65,000 square-foot hotel, restaurant and music venue at 12 Bank S … view

Hollywood Bowl reports record revenue driven by growing Canadian estate, UK lfl revenue flat reflecting ‘anticipated normalisation in trading’: Hollywood Bowl has reported record revenue for the year to 30 September 2024, driven by it … view

Hospitality bosses call for business rates action at the budget: A 170-strong cohort of business leaders from across the industry have backed UKHospitality's call for a lower level of business rates for the sector. In an open letter to th … view

McDonald’s UK sees FY pre-tax profit more than halve after impact of inflationary pressures: McDonald’s UK saw its pre-tax profit decline from £170,875,000 in 2022 to £66,327,000 last year, due to inflationary pressures impacting fo … view

Exclusive – Be At One co-founder to launch new concept Saviour Bars: Rhys Oldfield, the co-founder of the Be At One cocktail brand, is to launch a new concept called Saviour Bars, Propel has learned. The first site under the venture is … view

Deliveroo reports third-quarter UK orders rise 2% in ‘more stable but still uncertain’ consumer environment: Deliveroo has reported that UK orders rose 2% in the third quarter of 2024 to 39.5 million with gross transaction value (GTV) … view

Lithuanian ‘fast lunch but not fast food’ concept sets its sights on 100 UK sites after making international debut: Lithuanian “fast lunch but not fast food” concept iLunch, which uses smart technology to “deliver lunch in less … view

BrewDog sees pre-tax losses double in 2023, global bars sales up 12.3%: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has reported that its pre-tax losses more than doubled in 2023 but insisted it had seen a “significant improvement in profitabi … view

Whitbread accepts offers on 51 pub restaurants for total of £56m, five-year plan will see pre-tax profit increase by at least £300m: Whitbread has accepted offers on 51 of its pub restaurant sites for a total consideration of £56m. The … view

Bear – ‘2025 will be a year of really seeing what we can do as a brand’, exploring new regions: Craig Bunting, co-founder of coffee house, kitchen and bar business Bear has told Propel that “2025 will be a year of really seeing wh … view

Sector warns Labour that raising employer national insurance contributions will be ‘tax on jobs’: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned businesses that taxes will have to rise as she faced accusations of breaking a manifesto pledge on n … view

Galito’s planning UK entry, sees potential for it being brand’s biggest overseas market: South African peri peri chicken franchise Galito’s has told Propel it is planning to enter the UK and sees the potential for it being the brand … view

Papa John’s UK’s FY loss widen to £19.3m, lfl sales down 5.7%: Papa John’s UK saw its pre-tax loss for the year to 31 December 2023 widen to £19,289,000 (2022: £3,846,000), which was affected by the closure of 43 sites post year … view

Heron & Brearley Group names Mark Crowther as chairman: Mark Crowther, who is currently chairman of Portobello Starboard and Midlands pub company Pub People, has been named as the new chair of the Isle of Man-based Heron & Brearley. The f … view

Subjects: What the new Employment Rights Bill means for hospitality, a winning intersection of technology and genuine hospitality, are youngsters really drinking less alcohol, is a ‘best of breed’ technology stack the right way to go< … view

TGI Fridays agrees to pay staff after redundancy row: The restaurant group TGI Fridays has agreed to pay workers the money they are owed after being made redundant, despite initially refusing to do so. More than 1,000 staff lost their job … view

Patisserie Valerie turns to franchising to help rebuild its estate, plans 20 new locations by 2026: Patisserie Valerie, which is backed by Irish private equity firm Causeway Capital, has turned to franchising to rebuild its estate. The br … view

Toca raises $100m to accelerate global expansion: Toca Football, the soccer experience company, has raised circa $100m (£76.4m) in private offerings to accelerate its global growth by investing in new technologies, upgrade its Toca Socce … view

Luke Johnson acquires cinema and entertainment operator The Light: Cinema and entertainment operator The Light has been acquired by serial sector investor Luke Johnson and Risk Capital Partners along with a co-investment from Melcorpo, ci … view

Loungers CEO – decent like-for-like growth in Brightside, new menu saw virtually no price increase ‘for first time in some time’: Nick Collins, chief executive of café bar operator Loungers, has told Propel that its Brightside conc … view

Amid the buzz of party conference season, the awful weather and chatter about which politicians received free clothes, 30 September passed by almost unnoticed. I’m willing to bet mos … view

Marston’s FY lfl sales up 4.8%: Marston’s, the operator of 1,339 pubs, has reported a 4.8% rise in like-for-like sales for the 52 weeks to 28 September 2024, with food and drink occasions having “shown good momentum”. The company … view

KellyDeli UK launches new partnership with Morrisons, seeing positive like-for-like performance and improved profitability in 2024: KellyDeli, the owner of international sushi franchise Sushi Daily, has launched a new UK partnership with … view

Amber Taverns looking to expand geographical reach following Epiris deal, trading ‘solid’ in 2024: James Baer, chief executive of community pub operator Amber Taverns, has told Propel it will look to expand its geographical reac … view

Amber Taverns acquired by Big Table Group backer Epiris: Amber Taverns, the community pub operator, has been acquired by Epiris, the private equity backer of Big Table Group, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition has been made through E … view

Blind Tiger Inns’ ‘adult playground’ concept could be ‘blueprint for future venues’, challenges ‘encouraging us to explore new opportunities’: Blind Tiger Inns managing director Chris Tulloch has told Propel its new “adul … view

D&D owners could finalise rescue bid for TGI Fridays this weekend: The owners of D&D London could finalise rescue bid for TGI Fridays this weekend, salvaging more than 2,000 jobs. Sky News has reported that Breal Capital and Calveton, whi … view

Exclusive – Sir Tim Martin – my ambition is to double JD Wetherspoon revenue to £4bn in ten years: JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has told Propel he is aiming for the company to double its sales to £4bn in the next ten years … view

Exclusive – Wendy’s UK turnover passes £30m: Wendy’s UK, the British arm of the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, saw its turnover pass £30m in the year to 31 December 2023. Its revenue grew from £21,266,567 … view

We Do Play co-founder – Flip Out thriving, new concept Activate will be UK ‘game changer’, experiential sector ripe for consolidation: Richard Beese, the co-founder of multi-concept experiential leisure operator We Do Play, has reve … view

Exclusive – New World Trading Co to undergo restructuring process, to close three sites: Graphite Capital-backed pub restaurant group The New World Trading Company (NWTC) intends to restructure its business to focus on its large Botanis … view

Inception Group FY turnover up 16.7%, international expansion on the horizon for Mr Fogg’s: Inception Group, the London hospitality group, has said international expansion is on the horizon for its Mr Fogg’s brand. It comes as the com … view

Piano Works founder Alan Lorrimer leaves business: Alan Lorrimer, founder of The Piano Works, has left the business after starting it nine years ago with operations director Tristan Moffat. Chief financial officer and founding shareholder … view

Shepherd Neame reports a ‘positive and encouraging’ year with record revenue, current tenanted pub lfl income up 3.1% versus rest of 2024: South east brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has reported a “positive and encouraging” yea … view

Swiss QSR platform acquires majority stake in Chopstix to drive expansion in UK and new European markets: Switzerland quick service restaurant platform QSRP has acquired a majority stake in Chopstix, the fast-growing, quick service restau … view

Swiss QSR platform acquires majority stake in Chopstix to drive expansion in UK and new European markets: Switzerland quick service restaurant platform QSRP has acquired a majority stake in Chopstix, the fast-growing, quick service restau … view

Foodservice inflation eases again but beverages drive month-on-month rise: Year-on-year inflation in foodservice eased to 2.8% in August 2024, the latest Foodservice Price Index report from Prestige Purchasing and CGA by NIQ shows. It is … view