Living Ventures, the group led by Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts, has launched a home delivery service at Gusto, its chain of Italian restaurants.
“Gusto at Home” is being trialled at four sites - Alderley Edge, Cookridge, Didsbury and Knutsford - and will be rolled out to Living Venture’s other four Gusto sites - Edinburgh, Heswall, Liverpool and Newcastle - later this year.
Bacon said: “We will get it right at these four locations and then take it to the other four outlets. One of the really interesting things so far about this is that it is driving business at our restaurants - the home ordering and delivery service is driving awareness of Gusto - and driving eat-in sales.”
The company is selling starters, pizza, pastas, salads and a range of desserts plus drinks for home delivery, but has held back its signature dishes, such as fillet steak and grilled lobster, purely to be served at the restaurants.
Customers can place order online and can select set menus such as “Movie Night”, “Family Fun with Gusto” and “Poker Night”, which comes complete with a deck of cards.
The Gusto portfolio of restaurants comprises venues that used to trade as Est Est Est and were previously operated by The Restaurant Group, which has a 40% stake in living Ventures.
Living Ventures also operates six other restaurants, four of which trade as Blackhouse, a premium grill offer specialising in steaks and seafood.
