The Restaurant Group (TRG) has started trialling its delivery-only concept, Burger Burger, chief executive Andy McCue has told MCA.
The concept launched six weeks ago from the Joe’s Kitchen under TRG’s head office in Marshalsea Road, Borough, and is available through Deliveroo.
McCue said the format had since been rolled out to other locations but stressed it was too early to gauge is performance.
The menu offers three beef, one chicken and one veggie burger as well as a build-your-own option, with prices ranging from £7 to £8.50 at the Borough site. A range of sides is available along with a chocolate fudge cake for dessert and a list of soft drinks and beers.
McCue said TRG remained on track to convert four sites from the existing estate to its fledgling Firejacks brand. MCA understands these will be the Coast to Coast sites in Basildon, Chester, Solihull and Stevenage.
Asked whether he agreed with Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group chief executive, Jon Knight, who yesterday told MCA the group needed to “come off the discount drug”, McCue said: “Discount activity has intensified across the sector in the past 12 months, and its something we constantly review. Our long-term aim is to offer the right level of promotional activity to the right customers at the right time.”
On the acquisition of four Ribble Valley Inns sites this week, McCue said: “We don’t really see this as a group acquisition because we took four of the five and we used the same criteria that we would use in looking at an individual deal. We look at the alignment with the Brunning & Price customer, which we feel there is. We are going to invest in the assets and we will put the Brunning & Price stamp on them.”
He said the Concessions side of the business was operating in an increasingly competitive side of the market but continued to perform well. He said he expected new partnerships to be announced in the coming months.
