The Restaurant Group
The Restaurant Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom under principal brands Wagamama and Barburrito, plus a Pub Restaurants division and an airport concessions business, serving general consumer diners in the casual and fast-casual segments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Restaurant Group does
The Restaurant Group (TRG) is a UK multi-brand restaurant and hospitality operator headquartered in Glasgow, founded in 1954 and owned since 2021 by Apollo Global Management following a take-private transaction. The Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom through four divisions: Wagamama (Asian cuisine), Barburrito (Mexican fast-casual, acquired in July 2022 for £7 million), a Pub Restaurants division (expanded via the 2025 acquisition of 10 pubs from Oakman Inns), and a Concessions business operating principally at UK airports. The principal trading brands are Wagamama and Barburrito. The Group employs over 10,000 people and serves general consumer diners across casual dining and fast-casual segments in the United Kingdom.
TRG's revenue model is direct-to-consumer food and beverage sales through owned physical restaurant and pub locations, with no disclosed proprietary technology platform, app, or API layer. Distribution runs through own-brand retail storefronts (high-street and travel-hub locations), with marketing primarily via LinkedIn and brand websites. The go-to-market is horizontal within UK hospitality, targeting general consumers seeking diverse dining options across Asian, Mexican, pub, and travel-concession formats. Pricing is variable by menu item and venue, with no publicly disclosed pricing structure typical of consumer hospitality businesses.
Operationally, TRG has been navigating a challenging period post-Apollo acquisition: revenue rebounded from the 2020 pandemic trough through 2022-2024 with positive EBITDA, but net income has remained negative and the Group shed approximately 2,000 jobs amid widening losses. Activist investor Oasis Management disclosed a stake in January 2023, and in February 2026 TRG joined UKHospitality's Sustainable Chicken Forum, replacing its prior Better Chicken Commitment membership as part of a cross-industry ESG initiative covering animal welfare, decarbonisation, and water efficiency.
The Restaurant Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Restaurant Group
- Legal name
- The Restaurant Group ltd
- Website
- https://trgplc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The Restaurant Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom under principal brands Wagamama and Barburrito, plus a Pub Restaurants division and an airport concessions business, serving general consumer diners in the casual and fast-casual segments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Restaurant Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA), Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)
Keywords
Where The Restaurant Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Restaurant Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Restaurant and Pub Operations: The Restaurant Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom, generating revenue through food and beverage sales to consumers at physical locations. The Group operates multiple dining brands including Wagamama (Asian cuisine) and Barburrito (Mexican fast-casual), as well as Pub restaurants and airport concessions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
The Restaurant Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Restaurant Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom through its principal trading brands Wagamama (Asian cuisine) and Barburrito (Mexican fast-casual), as well as a Pub restaurants division and a Concessions business trading principally at UK airports. The Group generates revenue primarily through food and beverage sales to consumers at its owned physical restaurant locations.
Product overview
The Restaurant Group operates a multi-brand restaurant and hospitality portfolio organized into four main divisions: two principal trading brands (Wagamama, an Asian restaurant concept, and Barburrito, a Mexican fast-casual brand acquired in 2022), a Pub Restaurants division, and a Concessions business serving UK airports. The Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wagamama: Principal trading brand - Asian cuisine restaurant chain
- Barburrito
- Pub restaurants
- Concessions
Products and services
- Wagamama Asian restaurant brand offering Japanese and Asian-inspired cuisine, operating as one of The Restaurant Group's principal trading brands and serving consumers seeking casual Asian dining experiences across the UK.
- Barburrito Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant brand acquired by The Restaurant Group in July 2022 for £7 million, serving as one of the Group's principal trading brands and targeting consumers seeking quick Mexican meals.
- Pub Restaurants Pub restaurant division operating multiple pub restaurants across the United Kingdom, offering traditional pub dining experiences to consumers.
- Concessions Airport concessions business trading principally at UK airports, providing dining and food service options to travellers at airport locations.
Companies that use The Restaurant Group
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Restaurant Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Restaurant Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UKHospitalitycoreThe Restaurant Group joined the Sustainable Chicken Forum (SCF) launched by UKHospitality. The SCF is a cross-industry initiative covering animal welfare alongside decarbonisation and water efficiency, replacing the Better Chicken Commitment membership. The Group was one of eight companies owning or franchising 18 brands that joined this initiative.
- Oakman InnsminorThe Restaurant Group (as Wagamama owner) acquired 10 pubs from Oakman Inns, expanding its pub restaurant portfolio. This acquisition represents a strategic expansion of the pub dining segment.
- BarburritocoreThe Restaurant Group acquired Barburrito for £7 million. Barburrito operates as one of the Group's principal trading brands. This acquisition expanded TRG's portfolio with a Mexican fast-casual dining concept.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Restaurant Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marston's: UK pub and pub restaurant operator. Directly comparable to TRG's pub restaurant segment with similar guest demographics and property-driven cost structure.
- PizzaExpress: UK casual-dining restaurant chain currently owned by a Cordia-style investor group. Overlaps directly with TRG's full-service / casual-dining portfolio on customer proposition and operating model.
- Greene King: UK pub and pub restaurant operator owned by CK Hutchison. Overlaps directly with TRG's pub restaurants division on operating model and consumer base.
- Fuller, Smith & Turner: Historic UK pub and pub restaurant operator. Comparable to TRG's pub division in concept, customer segment, and geographic footprint.
- SSP Group: UK-listed operator of food and beverage outlets in airports and travel hubs. Directly comparable to TRG's Concessions business, sharing the same captive travel-consumer channel.
- Mitchells & Butlers: UK-listed operator of managed pubs and restaurants (All Bar One, Toby Carvery, Harvester, Browns). Directly comparable to TRG's pub restaurant and full-service dining portfolio at similar scale.
- JD Wetherspoon: UK pub operator running ~900 Wetherspoon pubs. Comparable to TRG's pub restaurant division in operating model, consumer segment, and UK geographic exposure.
Broad incumbents
- Whitbread: Owner of Premier Inn, Beefeater, and Brewers Fayre — a large UK hospitality incumbent. Comparable in scale and UK full-service restaurant / pub operations overlap, though lodging-focused.
- Compass Group: Global contract foodservice and support services giant. Comparable as a broad foodservice incumbent with overlapping UK restaurant and concessions footprints, though primarily contract-led rather than consumer-brand-led.
Emerging players
- Nando's: Privately held UK fast-casual chain serving Portuguese-inspired grilled chicken. Comparable to Barburrito in segment, format, and UK high-street presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Restaurant Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Restaurant Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Restaurant Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Restaurant Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
The Restaurant Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Restaurant Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Restaurant Group
What does The Restaurant Group do?
The Restaurant Group operates hundreds of restaurants and pub restaurants across the United Kingdom through its principal trading brands Wagamama (Asian cuisine) and Barburrito (Mexican fast-casual), as well as a Pub restaurants division and a Concessions business trading principally at UK airports. The Group generates revenue primarily through food and beverage sales to consumers at its owned physical restaurant locations.
Is The Restaurant Group a public or private company?
The Restaurant Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was The Restaurant Group founded?
The Restaurant Group was founded in 1954. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The Restaurant Group based?
The Restaurant Group is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Restaurant Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: restaurant and Pub Operations.
Who are The Restaurant Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marston's, PizzaExpress, Greene King, Fuller, Smith & Turner, SSP Group, Mitchells & Butlers and JD Wetherspoon. Broad incumbents are Whitbread and Compass Group. Nando's is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Restaurant Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Restaurant Group.
What industry is The Restaurant Group in?
The Restaurant Group's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants, with a secondary code of CRANACAA, Neighborhood Bars & Taverns. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.