What The Big Table Group does

The Big Table Group is a UK-based, privately-held multi-brand casual dining operator formed in August 2020 when Epiris-backed management acquired Las Iguanas, Bella Italia, and Café Rouge from the administration of the former Casual Dining Group. The group subsequently expanded through the 2022 acquisition of Pan-Asian chain Banana Tree and the 2023 acquisition of The Restaurant Group's Leisure Division (Frankie & Benny's, Chiquito, Coast to Coast, Filling Station, EST, Firejacks), reaching over 230 restaurant locations across the UK and Ireland with 5,000-5,500 employees. The portfolio is organised around ten distinct cuisine-led brands spanning Italian, Latin American, American-Italian, Mexican, French, Pan-Asian, and American dining concepts, with strategic concessions in Center Parcs Villages (four brands across five sites welcoming 2.1m visitors annually) and an international franchise programme covering sites in India, Gibraltar and other markets.

Revenue is generated primarily through direct restaurant operations — food and beverage sales from owned and managed sites — supplemented by gift card revenue (The Restaurant Card, valid across five brands for 24 months) and franchise fees/royalties from international licensees. Reported group sales for the year ending 27 October 2024 were £316.7m with EBITDA of £13.9m, an increase of £1.3m YoY and margin improvement of 0.7 percentage points. Customer segments span family diners, experiential diners, value-conscious consumers, and gift card users, served through direct-operated locations, Center Parcs concessions, and franchise partnerships. Distribution extends to high streets, shopping centres, leisure parks, and holiday villages, with national reach from Inverness to Plymouth.

Technology deployment is operational rather than product-differentiated: the group uses Ideagen Supply Chain for ingredient traceability and Modern Slavery Act compliance, Feed It Back for guest satisfaction measurement, Wagestream for employee financial wellbeing, Exponea for CRM, and DAC for performance media analytics across four flagship brands. The company piloted Pudu Robotics BellaBot service robots at Bella Italia Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, becoming the largest UK restaurant chain to introduce robot technology, and holds an exclusive UK partnership for Magnifica Cachaça, the proprietary spirit used in Las Iguanas' signature Caipirinha cocktails. Marketing is multi-channel, combining paid digital, organic social, brand-specific websites, and charity partnerships (e.g. Dreams Come True in 2025).

Name

The Big Table Group

Legal name

The Big Table Group Limited

Website

https://bigtablegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Big Table Group is a UK-based multi-brand casual dining operator owned by Epiris, running over 230 restaurants across 10 heritage brands — including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Café Rouge, Frankie & Benny's, Banana Tree, and Chiquito — serving millions of family and experiential diners annually through owned sites, Center Parcs concessions, and international franchise partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

Keywords

• Casual dining restaurants
• Multi-brand restaurant operator
• Restaurant franchise licensing
• Center parcs concessions
• Restaurant gift card program

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining Revenue: Core revenue from operating over 230 restaurant locations across UK and Ireland, serving millions of meals annually through owned brands including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Frankie & Benny's, Banana Tree, Café Rouge, Amalfi, and Chiquito
2. Gift Cards / Restaurant Card: The Restaurant Card gift card program allowing customers to load funds for use across participating brands including Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas, Amalfi, and Banana Tree. Valid for 24 months from activation or last spend
3. Franchise Fees and Royalties: International franchise partnerships allowing operators to open branded restaurants with support for site selection, training, marketing, and operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Big Table Group is a UK-based multi-brand restaurant operator running approximately 230 casual dining restaurants under brands including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Frankie & Benny's, Café Rouge, Banana Tree, Chiquito, Amalfi, Coast to Coast, Filling Station and EST. The group also generates revenue from an international franchise program, concession sites within Center Parcs Villages, and a multi-brand gift card program known as The Restaurant Card.

Product overview

The Big Table Group operates as a multi-brand restaurant company managing a portfolio of distinct dining concepts across the UK casual dining sector. The portfolio includes Italian casual dining (Bella Italia, Amalfi), Latin American (Las Iguanas), American-Italian (Frankie & Benny's), Mexican (Chiquito), French (Café Rouge), Pan-Asian (Banana Tree), and American concepts (Filling Station, Coast to Coast, EST). With over 230 restaurant locations nationwide, the group also offers a restaurant gift card program (The Restaurant Card) usable across participating brands. The brands operate across diverse settings including high streets, shopping centers, leisure parks, and Center Parcs villages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bella Italia Italian casual dining restaurant chain operating over 70 locations across the UK, serving traditional Italian cuisine including pizza and pasta with authentic food and warm hospitality.
• Las Iguanas Latin American restaurant chain operating 44 locations across the UK, serving boldly spiced dishes from Brazil, Mexico and beyond with signature Caipirinha cocktails made with proprietary Magnifica Cachaça distilled in Brazil.
• Frankie & Benny's American-Italian casual dining chain serving hand-stretched sourdough pizzas, pasta and burgers in a family-style relaxed setting.
• Chiquito Mexican restaurant chain serving classic Mexican dishes including fajitas, tacos and signature Cheesy Garlic Tortilla, incorporating flavours from each region of Mexico.
• Café Rouge French-inspired restaurant chain operating over 25 UK locations featuring Parisian décor, serving French cuisine from breakfast through dinner with an extensive wine and cocktail range.
• Banana Tree Pan-Asian street-food inspired restaurant chain operating 22+ locations, featuring authentic dishes from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia with 40% plant-based menu options.
• Amalfi Premium Italian casual dining concept offering contemporary twist on Italian classics with an open kitchen, hand-stretched stone-baked sourdough pizzas and homemade dishes.
• Filling Station American cuisine restaurant with Scottish influence serving dishes like cheesy burgers and loaded sandwiches, located in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
• Coast to Coast American dining chain in Manchester serving classics such as cheesy burgers, loaded club sandwiches, cheeseburger pizza and BBQ loaded chicken.
• EST Italian Modern Italian restaurant located in Manchester's Trafford Centre for nearly 20 years, offering fresh pastas, pizza and more in a relaxed dining setting.
• The Restaurant Card (Gift Card) Prepaid gift card redeemable across participating brands including Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas, Amalfi and Banana Tree, valid for 24 months from activation or last spend.
• International Franchise Program Licensed franchise offering providing operators access to established Big Table Group brands with support for site selection, training, marketing and operations across multiple regions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of restaurant kitchens have received 4- and 5-star ratings under Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, pilot and minor.

• Center ParcscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with Center Parcs operating restaurant brands including Las Iguanas, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, and Amalfi within five UK holiday villages. Extended six-year deal in 2021 with plans for full refurbishments and new openings. Center Parcs welcomes 2.1m visitors annually.
• Dreams Come TruecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor charity partnership launched in 2025 with Dreams Come True, the UK's only dedicated charity delivering life-changing dreams for children with serious or life-limiting conditions. The Big Table Group's brands will unite to raise vital funds and awareness throughout 2025.
• WagestreamsupportingOthersFinancial wellbeing platform providing employees access to budgeting tools, savings options, financial coaching, and flexible pay access up to 40% of monthly earnings. Partnership expanded to Banana Tree employees.
• Each PersonsupportingOthersReward and recognition scheme offering in-moment thank yous, ability to fund eco-projects, and healthy spending habits through e-points store.
• Remit TrainingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry-leading apprenticeship provider partnered with The Big Table Group to deliver apprenticeships across restaurant brands in kitchen, front of house, and management roles.
• Alain Ducasse EnterprisessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership covering training and consultancy for international franchise operations.
• Pudu RoboticspilotTechnology or IntegrationGlobal leader in commercial service robots. Pilot partnership deploying BellaBot retrieving robots at Bella Italia Center Parcs Whinfell Forest. The Big Table Group became the largest UK restaurant chain to introduce robot technology.
• DACsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational media agency hired to enhance digital media strategy across four key brands: Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny's, Las Iguanas, and Banana Tree. Implementing new tracking and reporting tools to optimize media spend.
• UK HospitalitysupportingOthersIndustry body that convened the Sustainable Chicken Forum after multiple restaurant chains including The Big Table brands left the Better Chicken Commitment. The forum covers animal welfare alongside decarbonisation and water efficiency.
• ADASminorOthersAgricultural and environmental consultancy providing data cited by the Sustainable Chicken Forum, including analysis that slower-growing chicken breeds could reduce European poultry production by 44% and increase greenhouse gas emissions by over a quarter.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Restaurant Group (TRG): UK-listed multi-brand casual dining operator (Wagamama, Brunning & Price, pub restaurants). Former owner of Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito divested to BTG in 2023; directly comparable multi-brand casual dining strategy and UK high street exposure.
• Stonegate Group: UK's largest pub and bar operator (~4,500 sites) including Slug & Lettuce, Be At One, and Premium Country Pubs. Comparable multi-brand casual dining and drinking-place operator serving similar family and experiential diner segments across the UK.
• Mitchells & Butlers: FTSE-listed UK restaurant and pub group operating Harvester, Toby Carvery, All Bar One, Miller & Carter, and Browns. Closest like-for-like multi-brand casual dining operator with comparable site footprint and family dining focus.
• Prezzo: Italian casual dining chain operating ~150 UK restaurants. Direct head-to-head competitor with BTG's Bella Italia, Amalfi, and EST brands for Italian casual dining occasions across high streets and leisure locations.
• Zizzi: Italian casual dining chain with ~130 UK restaurants under private equity ownership (Bridgepoint). Directly competes with BTG's Italian brand portfolio in similar high street and out-of-town locations.
• Wagamama: Pan-Asian casual dining chain owned by The Restaurant Group, operating ~150 UK sites. Closest direct competitor to BTG's Banana Tree brand and competes for similar experiential diner occasions.
• Tortilla Mexican Grill: AIM-listed fast-casual Mexican chain with ~70 UK sites. Direct competitor to BTG's Chiquito brand in the Mexican casual dining segment, with comparable value-conscious positioning.
• Nando's: Multi-channel casual dining chain with ~350 UK restaurants serving peri-peri chicken. Comparable multi-site operator targeting family and experiential diners in high street, retail park, and concession locations similar to BTG's estate.

Broad incumbents

• Whitbread: FTSE 100 owner of Premier Inn, Beefeater, and Brewers Fayre. Larger hospitality incumbent with overlapping restaurant brands and a comparable UK high street footprint, but lodging-centric rather than dining-focused.
• Greene King: Owned by CK Asset Holdings; one of the UK's largest pub and restaurant operators (~2,700 sites) including Hungry Horse and Farmhouse Inns. Broader incumbent in UK casual eating and drinking with overlapping customer demographics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lasiguanas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-big-table-group

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Big Table Group