Casual dining may be in the doldrums yet while the likes of Jamie’s Italian, Byron and Prezzo undergo painful restructurings and closures, Wagamama is bucking the trend.
While most of its rivals are losing sales, the noodle bar chain yesterday reported an 8.2% jump in its UK like-for-like sales in the third quarter, an acceleration on the 7.1% growth seen in the second quarter.
The group, backed by Duke Street and Hutton Collins, has opened six UK restaurants and two in America this year while adding eight new overseas franchises, including three in Madrid. It has 185 restaurants, of which 129 are in the UK.
