Company type | Fast casual restaurant |
---|---|
LGRS | |
Industry | Cafes Restaurants Bars |
Founded | 2002 |
Founder |
|
Number of locations | 213 (The Lounges) 36 (Cosy Club) 3 (Brightside) |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Website | loungers |
Loungers plc (trading as Loungers) is a British cafe-bar and restaurant chain founded in 2002 by Alex Reilley, David Reid, and Jake Bishop, with over 200 locations in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The chain operates three brands: Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside.
Loungers was founded by Alex Reilley, David Reid, and Jake Bishop, who collectively put together £10,000 to open their first Lounge (which was aptly-named Lounge) inside of a former opticians unit on North Street in Bedminster, Bristol in August 2002. Their original business model was not meant to include food as it was only meant to operate as a bar, though it was later introduced. [1] Five years later in 2007, after predominantly opening sites in England, they expanded into Wales, by opening Juno Lounge in Roath, Cardiff. [2] On 10 May 2017, they opened their 100th site, Capo Lounge, in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. [3] On 13 September 2023, they opened their 200th site, Verdetto Lounge in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire. [4]
In August 2010, Loungers announced plans to launch a new brand named Cosy Club, [5] which operates in historic and listed buildings. [6] The first branch to open was on 3 September 2010 in Taunton, Somerset. [5] In January 2020, the largest Cosy Club restaurant to date opened, inside of a Grade II listed three-floor former casino building on Victoria Street in Nottingham, East Midlands, which was purchased for £1 million after sitting empty for 17 years. [7] [8]
In November 2022, it was announced that Loungers would launch a new roadside dining brand named Brightside, which drew inspiration from the defunct chain, Little Chef. Gary Lloyd of The Morning Advertiser suggested the brand is also reminiscent of Happy Eater. [9] Loungers purchased three of the four restaurants used by American-diner chain Route Restaurants, to convert into Brightside locations. [10] The first Brightside location opened in one of these in February 2023, the former Happy Eater/Little Chef on the A38 in Kennford, near Exeter Racecourse. [11]
In April 2020, during the then-ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Alex Reilley stated that their directors' pay had been cut by 50 per cent while their branches closed in March as a way of saving money. The chain's lending banks, Santander and the Bank of Ireland, agreed to provide them with a revolving credit of £15 million over the course of 18 months to manage their capital throughout the pandemic. [12]
On 6 April 2021, as the pandemic conditions were easing up and businesses were re-opening, Reilley criticised the idea of government-introduced coronavirus passports having to be shown at bars and restaurants, saying the idea was "unreasonably targeting" the restaurant sector, and they should instead be shown at theatres, cinemas and sporting events, where tickets are already checked on entry. [13] On 12 April, Loungers were able to re-open their sites in phases, with 47 English sites opening for takeaway and outdoor dining only during the third national lockdown, while five sites in Wales were permitted to re-open with the same rules on 26 April. [14] All Lounges re-opened in May, and by October 2021, their revenue had almost doubled. [15]
In April 2012, Piper Private Equity acquired a minority stake in Loungers, investing £16 million. [16] In December 2016, Piper exited their investment following a £137 million deal with Lion Capital LLP who acquired a majority stake. During this time, Alex Reilley subsequently became the Executive Chairman. [17]
A diner is a type of restaurant found across the United States and Canada, as well as parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a combination of booths served by a waitstaff and a long sit-down counter with direct service, in the smallest simply by a cook. Many diners have extended hours, and some along highways and areas with significant shift work stay open for 24 hours.
A&W Restaurants, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain distinguished by its burgers, draft root beer and root beer floats. The oldest extant restaurant chain in the United States, A&W's origins date back to 1919 when Roy W. Allen set up a roadside drink stand to offer a new thick and creamy drink, root beer, at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans in Lodi, California. Allen's employee Frank Wright partnered with him in 1922 and they founded their first restaurant in Sacramento, California in 1923. The company name was taken from the initials of their last names – Allen and Wright. The company became famous in the United States for its "frosty mugs" – the mugs were kept in a freezer and filled with A&W Root Beer just before being served to customers.
Denny's Corporation is an American table service diner-style restaurant chain. It operates over 1,700 restaurants in many countries.
A theme restaurant is a type of restaurant that uses theming to attract diners by creating a memorable experience. Theme restaurants have a unifying or dominant subject or concept, and utilize architecture, decor, special effects, and other techniques, often to create exotic environments that are not normally associated with dining because they are inaccessible, no longer exist, are fictional or supernatural, or taboo. The theme may be further extended through the naming and choices of food, though food is usually secondary to entertaining guests.
Disney's Beach Club Resort is a beach-themed resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. It opened on November 19, 1990. The resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
Happy Eater was a chain of restaurants in England and Wales. Founded by Sir Michael Pickard in 1973, the chain wanted to compete against the British roadside restaurant category killer at the time, Little Chef. The chain was acquired by Little Chef's parent company, Trusthouse Forte, in 1986. In 1996, Granada purchased Trusthouse Forte, which led to a streamlining programme converting all Happy Eater sites to the Little Chef fascia by 1997.
Wimpy is a fast-food chain that was founded in the United States. It found its success internationally, mainly in the United Kingdom and South Africa. It has changed between being a table-service establishment and counter-service establishment throughout its history.
Little Chef was a chain of restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 by entrepreneur Sam Alper, who was inspired by American diners. The chain was famous for the "Olympic Breakfast" – its version of a full English – as well as its "Early Starter" and the "Jubilee Pancakes". The restaurants were mostly located on the roadside of Britain's main motorway grid, often paired with a Travelodge motel, a Burger King, and a petrol station. The chain, for a time, was also located alongside Moto service stations.
Ace Hotel is a chain of hotels headquartered in Los Angeles and New York City. Founded in 1999 in Seattle, it operates hotels primarily in the United States, with locations in Portland, Oregon; Brooklyn, New York City; Palm Springs, California; Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Kyoto, Japan; Toronto, Canada; Sydney, Australia; and Panama City, Panama.
Chiquito is a restaurant chain based in the United Kingdom specialising in Tex-Mex foods. It also serves food via its virtual restaurants Cornstar Tacos and Kickass Burritos.
Rosie's Diner is located in Rockford, Michigan. The dining car originally opened during the 1940s in Little Ferry, New Jersey, as the Silver Dollar Diner. After multiple commercials were filmed in the diner for Bounty paper towels with a fictional character named Rosie the Waitress, the diner was renamed Rosie's. Previously offered to the Smithsonian Institution, the restaurant was sold in the 1990s to a Michigan artist who had the building moved to its current location next to another diner. A third diner was later moved to the site from Fulton, New York. A series of replicas were built as part of a chain of restaurants in the Denver area.
Andy's Diner was a roadside diner, constructed from several decommissioned railcars, in Seattle, Washington, established in 1949 and closed in 2008. It was constructed on the former location of a more traditional diner that had been built in 1930.
Bunk Sandwiches is a sandwich restaurant chain, based in Portland, Oregon.
Ambassador Restaurant and Lounge is a restaurant and karaoke venue in Portland, Oregon.
The Nite Hawk Cafe and Lounge is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
The Queen's Head was an LGBT-friendly pub and lounge in Portland, Oregon, United States. Daniel Bund opened the restaurant in late 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Described as an inclusive drag bar and gay club, The Queen's Head hosted burlesque and talent shows, karaoke, poetry slams, trivia competitions, and other events.
The Peppermill is a restaurant located on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened on December 26, 1972, and features mostly American cuisine. The Peppermill is popular for its large portions, its interior design, and its Fireside Lounge. The restaurant and lounge are also well known among celebrities and have made various appearances in popular culture.
The Bristol-based business made it's[ sic ] first foray beyond the south west in 2007 when it opened Juno Lounge in Cardiff.
Loungers has launched nine Cosy Clubs across the UK with each of its venues based in historic buildings.