All Opinion articles – Page 2
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OpinionByron: What’s next for the embattled burger brand?
Having just avoided collapse for the fourth time in a decade, and with only seven restaurants remaining, MCA explores what the future might hold for the ‘proper hamburger’ business under 21-year-old investor, and founder of Niyamo Capital, Akshat Tibrewala - its new majority shareholder
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OpinionSacha Lord: ‘How can pubs survive hammer blow budget?’
Night Time Industries Association chairman Sacha Lord has described Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcement on business rates reform as “an act of shocking betrayal”, with some businesses to see their rates rise by 400% or more.
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OpinionCharlie Gilkes: ‘Reeves has hammered final nail in coffin of pubs’
The Inception Group co-founder has said the huge rise in business rates bills from increased valuations “spells disaster for the hospitality sector”, and has urged the government to reconsider
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OpinionSt Austell CEO: ‘Budget heaps more cost and pain on a sector that simply cannot bear it’
Kevin Georgel says the combined impact of the 2024 and 2025 autumn budget’s will force St Austell Brewery “to scale significantly scale back our investment plans”, and accuses the government of doing ”the opposite” of its promise to rebalance business rates
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OpinionBusiness rates changes ‘gaslighting at its worst’
Promising to level the playing field with online giants, the government’s new business rates plan is leaving many hospitality operators facing material increases in their tax burden
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OpinionDid Andrew Rennie talk himself out of a job?
The Domino’s Pizza Group CEO abruptly departed after overseeing a period of challenged trading and sliding share price, the failure to acquire a second brand, and a regrettable interview where he appeared to suggest there was little growth left in the pizza market
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OpinionDownbeat assessment of a government ‘that’s throttling us’
Describing the restaurant trade as simply “not great fun” right now, senior leaders spoke of a deterioration in trade which in some dayparts bordered on “catastrophic”
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OpinionPub titans of years gone by: where are they now?
MCA columnist Dominic Walsh looks back at the talented, forward-thinking and controversial pub operators of his 28 year journalism career, and checks in on the likes of Ted Tuppen, Giles Thorley, Adam Fowle and Tim Clarke
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OpinionSimon Emeny: ‘Chancellor needs to find ambitious and innovative ways to drive growth’
The country “cannot tax our way to victory – there must be an alternative approach and that needs new ideas and new thinking”, the Fuller’s CEO writes in The Standard.
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OpinionHow hospitality should prepare for business rates changes in the November Budget
Colliers’ John Webber argues against the introduction of new lower multipliers, warning they will harm rather than protect the high street
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OpinionInflation and inventing new rules on margin
With inflation still a threat to hospitality, David Read, founder of Prestige Purchasing, sets out eight strategies to combat it
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OpinionTrouble at the top
A war of words is brewing between two of the premium restaurant sector’s top CEOs, whose musical chairs seem to have contributed to a growing sense of acrimony
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OpinionHomecoming: the latest chapter for Leon
As the ownership of Leon comes full circle, could the return of co-founder and former CEO John Vincent be just what the brand needs to reignite its place in consumers’ hearts?
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OpinionCan McDonald’s successfully pull off an international flavour heist?
The UK business has launched global menu favourites including Australia’s Pineapple McSpicy and Japan’s Sakura sprite. Innovation may reinvigorate the brand amid a sales slump and growing competition.
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OpinionPizza Hut Restaurants’ slow slide into irrelevance
Shifting consumer preferences, increased competition, and an uninspiring product were no doubt factors in the brand’s latest round of closures, even if being fashionable was never part of Pizza Hut’s ambition
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OpinionRestaurants need to start seeing service charge the same way diners do
Gaucho insists broadening its tronc scheme to cover a wider breadth of staff will offer an ‘equitable distribution’ of service payments, but diners aren’t going to see it that way
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OpinionGaming mogul follows in late mentor’s footsteps
Dominic Walsh charts the parallels between former Scottish & Newcastle director Trevor Hemmings, and new Preston North End chairman Ian Penrose, as well as Sir Tim Martin’s international franchise plans for Wetherspoons
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OpinionTransforming Côte is going to require a little je ne sais quoi
Karali Group has built a solid footing in the QSR and fast casual space, but taking on high street brassiere brand Côte is a whole new challenge
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OpinionNo longer cheap as chips – QSR embraces the £5 meal deal
Amid a clamour for customers, more and more QSR operators are introducing their own meal deals all pitched around the same price point in a hopeful bid to demonstrate value
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OpinionMeat and two veg: the changing face of our food
Despite environmental arguments, the move away from meat-based diets is not a straight forward one for many consumers. David Read, founder of Prestige Purchasing examines the changing role of animal protein in the UK and what the future could look like