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Mitchells & Butlers reports sales recovery, Pho EBITDA jumps 15%, and industry data reveals the 'anchor effect' of stable management on staff retention.

Collated, not reported. Ops Club did not break these stories, the trade press did. This is a signpost to them.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

Results & trading updates: Mitchells & Butlers returns to growth after weather-hit third quarter; Pho posts 15% EBITDA jump despite wider industry pressures; Welcome Break non-fuel sales climb 6%; Parkdean Resorts hits record on-park spending

Trends & market data: Delivery growth masks flat like-for-like restaurant sales

New openings: Individual Restaurants debuts new pub concept; Chick-fil-A prepares for first UK drive-thru; Heard to launch Covent Garden flagship; Zambrero targets 36 London sites by 2030

Promotions & people moves: Stuart Hills named UK CEO at COREcruitment

Other industry news: Burnham suggests ending football stand alcohol ban

Sources

Propel Hospitality Info - Propel Morning Briefing

Propel Hospitality Info - M&B reports year-to-date like-for-like sales up 2.1%

Correction: an earlier version of these notes also listed The Caterer as a source, and the audio credits The Caterer for the story on alcohol in football stands. Every story in this edition came from Propel Hospitality Info. The error was ours, not theirs.

The full rundown, with a link to every original story, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-25.

For longer conversations with the people running the sector, find the Hospitality Ops Club podcast at ops-club.com/podcast.

Three things to think about

If your site-level staff turnover is north of 80%, have you looked at how long your GM has actually been in the building?

With delivery taking over two-thirds of at-home revenue but takeaway revenue falling for 17 months, is it time to re-evaluate your third-party commission costs?

Are you tracking your manager retention as a formal KPI with a specific sit-down review at the 24-month mark to prevent the 'anchor effect' from fading?

Supply chain pressure persists as sugar and dairy prices climb, while McDonald's unveils an $8.5bn global modernisation plan for the next decade.

Collated, not reported. Ops Club did not break these stories, the trade press did. This is a signpost to them.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

Trends & market data: Hospitality site numbers mask high levels of churn and sector flux; Employment costs for 18-year-olds climb 40% in ten years

Acquisitions & investment: McDonald’s pledges $8.5bn for decade-long restaurant overhaul; Star Pubs puts £524,000 into Exeter site as managed model expands; David Wood Craft Bakery saves Sayers and Poundbakery; Millennium & Copthorne buys Kensington Holiday Inn for £280m

Results & trading updates: Vaulkhard Group boosts EBITDA to £2.17m despite cost headwinds; Lake District hotelier flags NI hike as major future challenge

New openings: Camile Thai sets sights on matching Irish estate size in the UK; The Coffee House hits 50 sites with Yorkshire debut; The Salad Project makes international move to Paris; Cotti Coffee picks Birmingham for first regional UK site

Promotions & people moves: Milena Floyd named CEO of Creative Restaurant Group

Other industry news: Jinseon Korean BBQ wins £100,000 Uber Eats top prize; BBPA calls for 30% draught tax relief boost to save pubs

Sources

Propel Hospitality Info - Propel Thursday News Briefing

Propel Hospitality Info - Update: Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year winner

Propel Hospitality Info - Foodservice price inflation persists

The Caterer - Milena Floyd appointed CEO of Creative Restaurant Group

The full rundown, with a link to every original story, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-24.

For longer conversations with the people running the sector, find the Hospitality Ops Club podcast at ops-club.com/podcast.

Three things to think about

If food inflation is currently being masked by seasonal UK produce, do you have a plan for when supply shifts back to volatile global commodities like dairy and sugar this winter?

With 7% of sites in flux despite stable headline numbers, are you watching your local competitors closely enough to grab a prime site if a 'stable' neighbor suddenly fails?

Hiring an 18-year-old now costs 40% more than a decade ago - does your current training and retention strategy actually justify that higher entry-level wage, or are you just paying more for the same output?

Industry bosses call for VAT, rates and duty overhaul while Stonegate attracts £300m interest and Pepper Lunch eyes a UK debut.

Collated, not reported. Ops Club did not break these stories, the trade press did. This is a signpost to them.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

Results & trading updates: Odeon ticket price hikes fail to offset widening losses; Stonegate disposals achieve high multiples

Acquisitions & investment: Giggling Squid co-founder takes over Thai Express UK; PizzaExpress owners explore potential sale; Whitbread shareholder demands board representation

New openings: Japanese giant Pepper Lunch targets London for European debut; TRG Concessions brings Jones the Grocer to UK rail; Apple Music Hall to launch at Battersea; Monkey Town plots UK indoor play rollout

Promotions & people moves: BrewDog recruits Monster Energy veteran as CMO; Creative Restaurant Group names new CEO

Other industry news: Greene King CEO warns only 'bold reform' will save growth; Scottish hospitality leaders demand 10% VAT rate; McDonald's trials third-party ads on menu boards

Sources

Propel - Wednesday News Briefing

The Caterer - Industry News Hub

Hospitality & Catering News - Latest News

The full rundown, with a link to every original story, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-23.

For longer conversations with the people running the sector, find the Hospitality Ops Club podcast at ops-club.com/podcast.

Three things to think about

If Michelin-starred chefs are choosing to downsize because the tax burden makes growth impossible, have you stress-tested your own five-year plan against a 'no-reform' scenario?

With Stonegate achieving 15x multiples on site sales, is it time to review your own portfolio and see if the cash value of your best-performing site is actually worth more than its projected ten-year earnings?

McDonald's is now monetising its customer's waiting time with third-party ads - could your digital estate or kiosks be doing more to generate high-margin revenue beyond just taking orders?

Wahaca prepares for regional growth, Gwynedd halts tourism tax plans, and new data reveals stability in the UK late-night economy.

Collated, not reported. Ops Club did not break these stories, the trade press did. This is a signpost to them.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

Results & trading updates: Wahaca targets regional growth after 18-month reset; Popeyes loyalty scheme hits 100,000 members in one week

Acquisitions & investment: Giggling Squid acquires Thai Express out of administration; BrewDog lacks funds to settle multi-million pound debts

New openings: Chinese giant Dumpling Xi makes central London debut; Pret plans 100 new store openings next year; La Maritxu brings Basque cheesecake to Bicester Village

Promotions & people moves: Marston's splits estate into five divisions for southern push; Creative Restaurant Group names Milena Floyd as CEO

Other industry news: Gwynedd council shelves tourism tax after major backlash; Hungry Horse begins delivery trial via Uber Eats

Sources

Propel - Propel Tuesday News Briefing

The Caterer - Giggling Squid buys competitor Thai chain from administration

The Caterer - Welsh council suspends holiday tax plans after backlash

Hospitality & Catering News - Hungry Horse and Macmillan Develop New Rice Bowl for Autumn/Winter Menu

The full rundown, with a link to every original story, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-22.

Three things to think about

With early evening spend now outperforming prime time, have you adjusted your rotas and happy hour windows to capture the 5pm to 7pm crowd?

If '4pm is the new 9pm', is your current menu too focused on dinner? Could a stronger afternoon bakery or snack offering drive higher margin daytime sales?

Are you prepared for the regulatory gap Peel Hunt warned about, where scale allows big groups to absorb new taxes that could cripple smaller independent sites?

Jersey Mike's appoints a UK CEO for its 400-site rollout, while Burger King explores new brands and Costa Coffee pivots away from breakfast dominance.

Collated, not reported. Ops Club did not break these stories, the trade press did. This is a signpost to them.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

Results & trading updates: Hydes Brewery hits record £41.2m turnover despite profit squeeze; Diageo distillery staff to strike for three weeks

Acquisitions & investment: Burger King UK hunts for new brands to fuel growth; Giggling Squid snaps up Thai Express from administration; HOSPA grows events arm with conference acquisition

New openings: KFC aims for 60-plus new restaurants in 2027; Haldiram's eyes UK-wide expansion after London debut; Pret A Manger to open 100 new stores next year; Chicken Cottage targets more global territories

Promotions & people moves: Giles Fry departs TGI Fridays UK

Trends & market data: Costa Coffee sees lunchtime and snacks overtaking breakfast; Bakery leaders dismiss fears of brand consolidation

Other industry news: Universal UK resort tipped as wake-up call for attractions; McDonald's and suppliers aim for £1.5m charity target

Sources

Propel - Propel Monday News Briefing

The Caterer - Milena Floyd appointed CEO of Creative Restaurant Group

The Caterer - Giggling Squid buys competitor Thai chain from administration

The Caterer - Pret to open 100 stores next year

Hospitality & Catering News - HOSPA Expands Events Portfolio with Acquisition of Leading Industry Conference

Hospitality & Catering News - McDonald's and Suppliers Target £1.5m for Ronald McDonald House UK on First McHappy Day

The full rundown, with a link to every original story, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-21.

Three things to think about

Costa and Burger King are both pivoting their menus toward snacks and functional drinks to capture changing afternoon habits. Do you have a specific plan to bridge the gap between your lunch and dinner trade, or are your sites sitting half-empty at 3:30pm?

Hydes managed to improve gross margins by a full percentage point despite massive cost headwinds. When did you last conduct a line-by-line margin review to see where pennies are leaking from your P&L?

With KFC and Jersey Mike's both hunting for hundreds of sites, the fight for prime drive-thru and retail park space is about to get much more expensive. Have you locked in your pipeline for the next 24 months, or are you going to be outbid by the big brands?

Costa Coffee and Burger King UK target massive 'white space' for drive-thrus, while Simon Rogan warns new tourist taxes could freeze British investment.

Scripted and read by AI from the Ops Club written edition. The stories are the trade press's, the selection is ours.

In this briefing

• Pub food spending hits record high despite draught beer slump (Propel)
• Wagamama sustains momentum with a 5.2% sales lift (Propel)
• F1 Arcade turnover climbs to £47m following site expansion (Propel)
• Hand Picked Hotels buys four Cotswold properties (The Caterer)
• The Padel Club secures £3m to triple its footprint (Propel)
• Costa and Burger King identify huge 'white space' for drive-thrus (Propel)
• Gail's bakeries on track for 30 new sites this year (The Caterer)
• Major Food Group brings a new concept to Mayfair (Propel)
• Wagamama appoints James Margison as finance director (Propel)
• Caravan names Ruth Carpenter as marketing director (Propel)
• Simon Rogan warns tourist tax is 'strangling' investment (Propel)

Sources: Propel Hospitality Info, The Caterer, Hospitality & Catering News

We collate, we don't report. The full rundown, with links back to the original journalism, is at ops-club.com/news/2026-09-18.

For longer conversations with the people running the sector, find the Hospitality Ops Club podcast.