Denny’s eyes UK expansion as master franchise hits market: American diner chain Denny’s is again looking to expand in the UK, with offers being considered for its master franchise for the region. Advisory firm FRP Corporate Finance has been appointed to assess potential partners to acquire the franchise of this restaurant brand, which operates circa 1,500 diners globally. As part of the sale process, FRP is also marketing Denny’s proof of concept store, which opened at Parc Tawe in Swansea in 2017. It said that the diner provides a “full omnichannel model, with a loyal local dine-in customer base, supported by a bespoke loyalty app and a range of delivery services, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat”. The diner is co-located with complementary retailers and experiences such as Odeon Cinema, Ninja Warrior and Ten Pin Bowling. It said: “Supporting more than 13,500 dine-in orders each year, the Swansea site has generated strong margins and provides the basis for franchise investors to bring the Denny’s brand to city centres, airports, service stations and drive-thru sites across the UK. Established in 1953, Denny’s operates in 15 countries – including in Australasia, South East Asia, the Middle East, South America and North America, where it has more than 1,300 restaurants. More than 95% of its operations are franchised. A recent UK sentiment survey rated Denny’s ahead of brands including Nando’s, PizzaExpress, Five Guys and Wagamama as a preferred dining experience for consumers.” Alex Patey, director at FRP, said: “Denny’s is one of the most iconic names in global casual dining, with a proven model that combines strong consumer appeal, affordable family dining and scalable unit economics. The Swansea diner has already demonstrated the household brand’s potential in the UK, and with clear opportunities across high streets, airports, service stations and drive-thru sites – as well as to introduce new models including self-service – we expect strong interest from ambitious operators looking to bring the Denny’s experience to more UK consumers in a segment where this type of offering has been lacking for many years.” Denny’s launched in the UK in early 2017 with an opening at Parc Tawe in Swansea. The company followed this with an opening at a former Toby Carvery near Intu Braehead in Glasgow, which subsequently closed. At the end of 2017, Denny’s franchisee Magic Brands Group, which is owned by Leon Esfahani, secured a seven-figure funding package from HSBC to help with the roll-out of the 24-hour diner brand. Denny’s will feature in the next issue of Propel’s UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, which is exclusive to Premium Club subscribers and currently features 360 companies. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Finalists announced for 2025 Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards: Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) has revealed the shortlist for its 2025 Spotlight Awards, which celebrate the achievements of Black, Asian and ethnic minority individuals and businesses working across the UK hospitality, food and drink sectors. Now in their fourth year, the awards will take place on 13 October at Quaglino’s in London, where winners across 15 categories will be announced. Be Inclusive said that more than 300 nominations were submitted for this year’s awards, demonstrating what it said is “growing recognition of the breadth of diverse talent within the industry”. Finalists were selected by a judging panel of 24 hospitality leaders including BBQ chef and writer Melissa Thompson, Umbrella Training chief executive Adele C. Oxberry, and writer and academic Anna Sulan Massing. “I may well say this every year, but since I am not part of the judging process, it truly is the case,” said BIH founder Lorraine Copes. “I reviewed the finalists with genuine intrigue and excitement. The finalist list spans the UK, with representation from Northern Ireland, Wales, and across England from Sunderland to Sussex. The quality of entries for individuals and businesses is at an all-time high. I am delighted that these awards are recognised so widely, as this has always been my intention.” The 2025 finalists are for Chef of the Year: Ben Allen – The Parakeet Pub, Emmanuel Offei – HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Ayesha Kalaji – Queen of Cups, and Nina Matsunaga – The Black Bull Inn, Sedbergh; for Rising Star: Jenny Barry – Jenny’s Jerk Chicken, Nazli Ramadan – Jurkish, Eron Mibo – Tales and Tails UK, and Angelo Gonzalez – Shakara; for Beverage Innovator of the Year: Chris Crocker – GOOD KOFFEE, Tina Chen – HumaniTea, Sherwin Acebuche – Tarsier Southeast Asian Spirit, and Femi Aseru – Mothers & Suns Kombucha; for Head Office Impact: Jayeeta Palit – Climpson & Sons, Jane Wilson – PPHE Hotel Group, Gina Knight – Flat Iron Steak, and Kan Koo MBE FIH MIoD – Cosmo Group. In the Cuisine categories, for African Food they are Ngwafu Tansie – Gwafuvegan, Hammed Obikoya – Mama Bobo, Michelle Igwilo – Ogoisfooding, and Khadim Mane – Little Baobab; for Caribbean Food: Jordan Johnson – Jam Delish, Nikki Whyte – Patois, Ryan McVay – The Calabash Tree, and Tyron Salih – Twerk ‘N’ Jerk; for East and Southeast Asian Food: Guirong Wei – Master Wei, Kaneda Pen – Mamapen, Haydon Wong – Cantoast, and Wenjun Xiang – Xi Home Dumplings Bay; for South Asian Food: Kanthi Thamma – The Spice Circuit, Sohini Banerjee – Smoke and Lime, Raj Radia – Raj Foods, and Ranji Thangiah, Rosh Olivelle, Thana Sivasambu, Krish Puwanarajah – Sri Lankan Culture Collective; for Middle Eastern Food: Sara Kiani – Kiani Tea, Shadia Al Hili – Cuzena, Jad Youssef – Lebnani Restaurant, and Mona Roudsari – Rzari Foods. In the Business categories, for Bar/Pub of the Year: Sly Augustin – Trailer Happiness, Ryan Chetiyawardana – Seed Library, Deano Moncrieffe – Hacha Bar, and Gento Torigata – Waltz Bar; for Brand of the Year – Creative Nature, The Flygerians, Zimasa Vodka, and Hot ‘N’ Juicy Shrimp LDN. Voting for the People’s Choice Awards is now open, allowing the public to champion their favourite restaurant and hospitality professional from the finalist shortlists via the Be Inclusive Hospitality website. People’s Choice Person of the Year: Mauritz Borg – The Kernel Brewery, Sadish Lalli – Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham, Gina Knight – Flat Iron Steak, and Emanuele Mensah – The Connaught Bar; People’s Choice Restaurant of the Year: Sham Mahabir – Limin Southbank, Pino Edward Sinaga – Toba, Maria Bradford – Shwen Shwen, and Nora Gower – Nora’s Kitchen.