Jamie’s Italian and JD Wetherspoon have been named the Nation’s Favourite Restaurant and Pub Brands at the inaugural Eat Out Awards 2013. Eat Out is the publication aimed at the High Street pub and restaurant market.
After teaming up with Livebookings, the search began back in October to crown the pub and restaurant brands consumers love the most. Voting closed in December and over 5,000 votes were received through Bookatable email campaigns, social media promotion and the Eat Out website.
Clare Riley, editor of industry magazine Eat Out, said the winning brands are two of the most successful companies in the sector: “It’s great to see Jamie’s Italian and JD Wetherspoon taking home these awards. To be voted the nation’s favourite entirely by consumers is something to be very proud of.”
The awards evening saw a total of ten awards presented. The full list of winners:
Nation’s Favourite Restaurant Brand in association with Livebookings
Jamie’s Italian
Nation’s Favourite Pub Brand in association with Livebookings
JD Wetherspoon
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY
BE AT ONE: Be at One developed a clever, creative concept with a mobile app that didn’t lose sight of the overall guest experience and with relatively low investment. Appi Hour for example resulted in a £28,000 revenue boost across the whole estate. Judges loved the idea of shaking your phone for randomised cocktail suggestions, encouraging guests to try something new.
BUSINESS TURNAROUND
LA TASCA: in 2011, La Tasca was suffering from four years of sales decline getting over 80 complaints letters a week. After overhauling its operation, sales returned to growth in Autumn 2012. Staff have just four service steps to follow compared with the previous 70 and the guest recommendation score has risen to over 90%. Judges said the nature and depth of the overhaul was impressive, showing great passion and belief.
CSR AND ENVIRONMENT
CAFÉ ODE: Judges described winner Café Ode as a template for how to build and run a sustainable business from scratch. Good food at affordable prices complement the impressive eco-friendly solutions. 100% renewable energy, staff uniforms made from organic cotton and bamboo, and compostable cutlery are just some of the measures in place.
MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
RED HOT WORLD BUFFET: Red Hot began using social media when the company didn’t have the infrastructure to cope with its rapid growth. By engaging and marketing online, customer comments are responded to in 30 minutes and in just four months the brand has 25,000 likes on Facebook. Judges commended their use of creativity on a budget, keeping the customer as the core focus of their campaign.
TEAM OF THE YEAR
T.G.I FRIDAY’S: T.G.I Friday’s demonstrated true engagement with its staff which translated into solid teamwork. The Friday’s Family extends right across the business and each member of staff is encouraged to show pride, personality and passion. For its 25th birthday, £250,000 was set aside to reward all 3,000 staff with prizes. Employee turnover is just 40%.
NEW CONCEPT OF THE YEAR
CABANA: Developed in May 2011 by Jamie Barber and David Ponte, Cabana has quickly established a name for itself in the premium casual dining sector. Judges said the brand has tapped into a new market with its funky and vibrant branding. It’s a scalable business that focuses on delivering a great authentic experience. Big things are predicted for Cabana.
PUB COMPANY OF THE YEAR
OAKMAN INNS: Judges were excited by this forward-looking pub business which set out a vision for the ‘modern pub’ back in 2007. Since then, company turnover has grown to over £9 million annually with year on year sales growth of around 30%. Judges were particularly impressed with its multi-session service and community involvement. Judges agreed that if you had a local, you’d want it to be an Oakman Inn.
RESTAURANT COMPANY OF THE YEAR
PREZZO: Prezzo was highly praised by all the judges as one of our industry’s biggest success stories. Offering a good value menu, the Prezzo business is intuitive and stable. Judges said the brand has helped overturn the negative assumption about High Street dining and is well placed financially to continue its expansion. One judge said: ‘Restaurant brands should look at Prezzo for a lesson in how to rollout’.
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