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PizzaExpress, Ask and Zizzi owner Gondola has overtaken pub operator Mitchells & Butlers as the UK's largest restaurant group with 525 venues.
The new entrants this year are food-led pub group Laurel (thanks to its acquisition of the La Tasca Spanish tapas bar chain) and Paramount (formerly Groupe Chez Gerarde) which more than trebled its number of outlets when it bought Caffè Uno from The Restaurant Group.
These figures are reported in British Hospitality: Trends and Statistics 2007, published by the British Hospitality Association.The full report (which is free to BHA members) can be bought for £195 (for the printed version) or £146.25 (for a PDF file). For enquiries or orders, phone 0207 404 7744 or contact bob.bacon@bha.org.uk.See the top quick-service restaurant groups for further listings >>The top restaurant groups from the 2006 report can be viewed here >>
TOP 20 UK RESTAURANT GROUPS IN 2006-2007 (by number of outlets)
2007 outlets
2006outlets
Selected brands
525
505
PizzaExpress, Ask, Zizzi
477
799
Harvester, Browns, Toby
402
510
Chef & Brewer. Two for One, Miller's
284
279
Frankie & Benny's, Garfunkels
252
250
Wimpy
237
157
230
235
Little Chef
228
162
Café Rouge, Bella Italia, Strada, Belgo, Ma Potters
168
132
Hungry Horse, Loch Fyne
142
133
Nando's
89
56
La Tasca
87
Madisons, Bitz and Pizza, Bradwells
78
Prezzo, Ultimate Burger
76
25
Groupe Chez Gerard, Livebait, Cafe Fish, Bertorelli's, Caffè Uno
70
57
Tootsies, Bombay Bicycle Club
66
Jim Thompson's, Country Carvery
53
48
Ponti's, Caffè Alba
51
39
Wagamama
45
Scotts
31
Old Orleans
+ Little Chef is now owned by private equity group RCapital after falling into administrative receivership in January 2007Source: Horizons
Using foraged ingredients is nothing new but the trend has become more mainstream over the past two years. However, the wider use of foraged food in restaurants also carries a certain amount of danger.
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