Frankie & Benny’s back in profit as revamp launched
The group has unveiled a major brand refresh, with a new menu and brunch offering launched across sites nationwide.
The boss of New York Italian chain Frankie & Benny’s has revealed the group is set to return to annual profit after a swingeing overhaul to get the business back on track.
Debbie Husband, managing director of Frankie & Benny’s (F&B), said the once loss-making restaurant business had already swung to a £4 million profit so far in its financial year to October thanks to a major revamp and cost-cutting efforts.
The group is now unveiling what it claims is the biggest brand refresh in its near-30-year history, with a new menu rolled out across all sites this week boasting 38 new dishes and a launch into the popular brunch market.
It comes a year after F&B and sister chain Chiquito were sold to Bella Italia owner The Big Table Group – a deal which saw former owner The Restaurant Group pay £7.5 million in cash for Big Table to take the loss-making business off its hands.
Ms Husband told the PA news agency: “Over the last year we have stabilised the business and got the engine ticking well, now it is about driving awareness and connecting with customers so we can drive growth and move forward.”
She said the initial priority was to get the business on to a stable footing, with F&B “haemorrhaging” cash when Big Table first took it on.
