Revisiting the Casual Dining Sector

Earlier this year, we investigated how the casual dining industry was dealing with the coronavirus crisis. We found that many casual dining outlets were struggling even before the pandemic told hold earlier this year. A range of problems contributed to casual dining’s slow decline, including customers wanting to save money, excessive discounting, and even Brexit […]
Recovery Rates of Sector Verticals Through the Lens of Digital Data: Casual Dining

Over the last twenty years, the USA and the UK have endured several economic crises that affected almost all industries in varying severity. One sector that is hit particularly hard by periods of economic downturn is casual dining. As consumers have less income available for non-essential spending, casual dining suffers. Pre-coronavirus, the industry was already […]
Pizza Express: discounted to death?

As news circulates about the once much-loved pizza restaurant struggling with debt, how did such a stalwart of the casual dining scene get into this position? onefourzero investigated how consumers saw the brand and discovered a worrying correlation between demand for the brand and discounting promotions, leading us to question if Pizza Express has been […]
Mangia bene: what we can learn from the Italian casual dining sector

Italy has long been hailed the home of the best food money can buy – a country where you would struggle to not find a delicious place to eat on any corner. In recent years, the Italian casual dining sector may have faced some big challenges, but it now appears to be recovering as consumers […]
Net Sentiment: Can social data explain the Wagamama phenomenon?

This week, the Financial Times revealed that popular casual dining chain Wagamama, valued at up to £750 million, could be sold as early as this summer. Launched in 1992, the chain has grown to over 130 restaurants in the UK, alongside more than 60 abroad. Last year saw sales grow by 8%, in stark contrast […]
Could tech save the casual dining sector?

After a difficult start to 2018, this week brought more bad news for the UK restaurant sector. Casual Dining Group, owners of high-street chains Café Rouge and Bella Italia, announced losses of over £60 million, despite a small rise in sales. A string of other well-known chains has experienced closures, losses or difficulties in the […]
Casual Dining: Can It Survive the Delivery Boom?

While food delivery is by no means a revolutionary concept, the low-cost market entry for providers means that a plethora of platforms have sprung up in recent years. The services they provide include food delivery, matching gourmet chefs to consumers, farm to table food and platforms for supper clubs, to name but a few – […]