All articles by James McAllister – Page 6
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NewsMcDonald’s Corporation: ‘Our international markets continue to demonstrate that our playbook is working’
The US fast food giant saw comparable sales across its international operated markets rise 1.5% in Q2 of FY26, led by continued momentum in the UK, Germany and Australia
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NewsPizzaExpress chooses Stevenage for first Houston Hot Chicken site
The Nashville-style hot chicken brand will land in the UK this autumn with plans to roll out 50 restaurants nationwide over the next three years
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NewsWingstop UKI soars past £200m turnover as it nears 100 restaurant milestone
The fast-growing fried chicken chain saw revenue increase 73% in FY25, driven by both expansion and good underlying sales growth
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InterviewsHarts Group teases new concept as turnover rises
CEO Sam Hart tells MCA the group will launch an ‘exciting new project’ later this year and remains confident about its Middle East prospects despite recent instability in the region
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NewsUKH: ‘Expanded holiday tax will hike costs for families’
The trade body warns government plans for nationwide holiday tax will cost 33,000 jobs and hike the cost of a family holiday
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Analysis & InsightQSR continues to outperform wider eating-out market
The UK QSR market is forecast to reach £18.0bn in 2026, according to data from Lumina Intelligence, with turnover growth of 2.6% and outlet numbers increasing by 0.7%
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NewsOpenings of the week
MCA rounds up this week’s biggest openings stories including a second London location for Parisian smash burger import, Dumbo, and the European debut of Australian frozen yogurt brand Yo-Chi
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Analysis & InsightUK restaurant market to be valued at £18.7bn in 2026
Data from Lumina Intelligence shows the segment will see turnover growth of 1% despite a 0.9% decline in outlets to 25,915
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NewsThe Salad Project sees year of ‘significant and deliberate investment in growth’
The London-based premium salad concept saw turnover jump 47.3% in 2025, powered by new site openings, product ranges and the launch of a direct business catering offer
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Analysis & InsightWorld Cup lifts deliveries as restaurant at-home sales grow 3.3% in June
Deliveries continued to gain share of the at-home market at the expense of takeaways, the latest NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker shows, with sales rising 7.5% on a like-for-like basis
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NewsAuntie Anne’s system sales rise 10% in H1
The hand-baked pretzel franchise says the strong growth was driven by new store openings and higher order values
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NewsOne pub a day disappeared from the UK last year, analysis shows
New data reveals that former pubs are being repurposed more than any other building type as struggling venues are increasingly converted into residential properties, retail outlets or other commercial spaces
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NewsOrigin Coffee enters RTD category
The speciality coffee company’s iced black coffee can is being produced in-house at the roaster’s dedicated cold brew brewery in Cornwall and will be available in dedicated 24-pack trade cases
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NewsUniversity College Birmingham invests £15m in hospitality venues
UCB has acquired the former The Cube Hotel and Marco Pierre White restaurant sites in the first stage of an investment programme to deliver three new hospitality venues across Birmingham
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InterviewsGreggs ‘much more resilient’ in 2026
Speaking after the bakery chain delivered strong first-half growth in 2026, CEO Roisin Currie credited the success of new food and drink ranges
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InterviewsAtis enters ‘period of reinvention’
Having opened its 16th site at the end of last year, co-founder Philip Honer tells MCA it felt like ‘a natural inflection point for a change in strategy’ in 2026 built around a series of menu launches
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News‘Continued strength’ in UK helps drive international sales growth at Starbucks
The coffee giant beat Wall Street expectations in its fiscal third quarter and has raised its full-year earnings outlook amid a continued return to sales growth
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NewsShake Shack planning ‘significant growth’ in next three to five years
The premium QSR burger brand says it is now ‘well positioned for national expansion’ with turnover passing the £60m mark in FY25
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NewsGovernment to introduce free apprenticeship training for all eligible under-25s
The measure, which have been welcomed by UKHospitality, forms part of a wider package of support targeted at giving young people the skills, qualifications and experience local employers need
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NewsIn pictures: Five Iron Golf launches UK flagship
The US-founded experiential golf concept has opened its first UK outpost at Broadgate in the City of London amid plans to eventually open 10 locations across the UK