Restaurants expansion

The increase in the number of people eating out has led to restaurant chains looking for additional premises for their outlets. Although they have strict criteria in terms of space, footfall and neighbours, most will consider town centres, main road sites and out-of- town shopping centres. There is a marked increase in the simplification of the food offer accompanied by an increase in the quality. By default this increases the price and therefore turnover, providing there is sufficient money in the local economy, hence their careful analysis of location.

TGI Fridays, Cafe Rouge, Byron Hamburgers and Five Guys are all looking for new sites; they are keen to do to the hamburger what Starbucks did for coffee. Brewers with managed pubs are building new, and converting existing buildings: Greene King with Hungry Horse, Mitchells and Butler with Toby Carvery and Harvester and Marston's are falling over each other for the best new pub sites.

Existing chains are investing in refurbishments, Pizza Hut (Pepsi Co.) have invested £60 million in the UK, McDonald's £500 million over eight years into 1,200 UK restaurants and now attract three million customers every day.

John Norman