ASK Italian
ASK Italian is a UK-wide casual dining restaurant chain serving Italian pizza and pasta to families, social groups, and corporate customers across more than 30 years, operating dine-in, takeaway, and delivery under holding company Azzurri Central Limited.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ASK Italian does
ASK Italian is a UK-based casual dining restaurant chain specialising in Italian cuisine, operating as a trading brand of private holding company Azzurri Central Limited. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in London (Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, NW1 5DH), the company runs a UK-wide estate of full-service restaurants spanning town centres, city centres, and high streets from Scarborough to Cornwall, with flagship sites including London Paddington and Lichfield. Core menu offerings centre on stone-baked pizzas (including the 2025-launched Pizza a Mano line made with 100% Wildfarmed regenerative flour, the first such commitment by a UK chain), fresh pasta, and Italian classics, alongside a dedicated kids' menu, gluten-free options, and an aperitivo programme.
The underlying technology platform is a conventional restaurant operating stack: a Pronto Order and Pay QR-code webapp for in-meal ordering and payment, the ASK Perks loyalty mobile app (iOS/Android) for points, cash vouchers, and birthday perks, Design My Night for table reservations, Stripe for card processing, and integrations with three UK delivery aggregators (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat). No proprietary AI/ML or data flywheel is disclosed; the primary data assets are first-party CRM and transactional data used for Meta and Google lookalike-audience remarketing.
The business model is predominantly transaction-based, with five identifiable revenue streams: dine-in covers, takeaway and delivery through aggregators and call-and-collect, physical and e-gift cards, corporate and group bookings (including private dining and Christmas events), and ancillary Pennies micro-donations routed primarily to FareShare. Customer segmentation is horizontal and consumer-facing, with primary personas of families with children and social dining groups, and secondary segments of couples, corporate/business, and aperitivo seekers. Marketing is multi-channel, combining organic social, paid remarketing, email via the perks app, content marketing through The Slice blog, and high-profile PR partnerships including a flagship deal with broadcaster Roman Kemp for The Slice is Right gameshow experience rolling out nationally in 2026. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
ASK Italian firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ASK Italian
- Legal name
- ASK Italian Restaurants Limited
- Website
- https://askitalian.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ASK Italian is a UK-wide casual dining restaurant chain serving Italian pizza and pasta to families, social groups, and corporate customers across more than 30 years, operating dine-in, takeaway, and delivery under holding company Azzurri Central Limited.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ASK Italian industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Italian Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ), Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)
Keywords
Where ASK Italian is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
ASK Italian business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Core revenue from customers dining in restaurants, ordering from the full menu including pizzas, pastas, mains, desserts, and drinks. Includes service charges for parties of 6+ (10% discretionary) and London sites.
- Takeaway and Delivery: Orders placed for collection or delivery through third-party aggregators (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat) and call-and-collect.
- Gift Cards and Gift E-Codes: Sale of physical gift cards in restaurants and e-gift codes through the website. Gift cards cannot be used for online orders or with delivery partners but can be used for Call and Collect.
- Corporate and Group Bookings: Revenue from work events, corporate dining, private dining, and group bookings. Includes set menus for events.
- Pennies Micro-Donations: Optional micro-donations added to customer bills, with 90% going to FareShare or local foodbank partners and 10% to Pennies charity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids' 3-course set menu at £6.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pizza a Mano from £13.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family deal - 4 for £42 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family deal - 4 for £46 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Aperol Spritz at £3 during football tournament |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Eat Free - up to 2 kids' meals free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
ASK Italian product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ASK Italian operates a UK-wide chain of Italian casual dining restaurants serving stone-baked pizzas (including its Pizza a Mano signature line), fresh pasta, mains, desserts, and drinks for dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery. The chain supports its restaurants with a mobile loyalty app (ASK Perks), QR-based in-restaurant ordering and payment (Pronto Order and Pay), online table booking, and physical and digital gift cards.
Product overview
ASK Italian is a UK-based Italian restaurant chain operating as a unified restaurant service with integrated digital products. The core offering is dine-in restaurant service featuring stone-baked pizzas (including the Pizza a Mano line) and fresh pasta dishes. Digital products include the ASK Perks rewards app for customer loyalty, table booking functionality, Pronto Order and Pay QR-based payment, and online takeaway ordering via third-party delivery partners (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat). The company also offers gift cards, a dedicated kids' menu, and The Slice content platform. Private dining and group booking services are available at select locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ASK Italian Restaurant (dine-in casual Italian dining) Full-service Italian casual dining offered across the UK restaurant estate, featuring stone-baked pizzas (including the Pizza a Mano line), fresh pasta, Italian mains, desserts, and drinks, with table service and private dining rooms at select locations.
- Takeaway & Delivery Takeaway collection and home delivery service for ASK Italian menu items, fulfilled through third-party delivery aggregators (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat) and the call-and-collect service where customers can also pay with gift cards.
- ASK Perks Rewards App ASK Italian's loyalty rewards mobile application (iOS and Android) that lets customers earn lemon-stamp tiers, unlock cash reward vouchers, and access monthly perks, exclusive offers such as Kids Eat Free, and birthday treats.
- Gift Cards and E-Gift Codes Physical gift cards sold in restaurants and e-gift codes available online through the ASK Italian website, redeemable for food and beverage at participating restaurants (call-and-collect compatible; not valid for online/delivery orders via aggregators).
- Pizza a Mano signature pizza line ASK Italian's signature 14-inch hand-stretched, stone-baked pizza menu line with nine varieties (meat, vegetarian, vegan options), made with 100% Wildfarmed regenerative flour dough, topped edge-to-edge and cut at the table with scissors for an artisanal experience; prices start from £13.50.
- Kids' Set Menu A dedicated three-course children's set menu (starter, main, dessert, and babyccino) including options such as Happy Face Pizza, Build Your Own Pasta, Chicken Goujons, Crinkly Veggie Dippers, and Build Your Own Sundae; priced at £6.95 per child.
- Group and Private Dining bookings Bookable group dining and private dining experiences for parties, corporate events, work parties, and team gatherings, with set menus, dedicated private dining rooms at select locations, and a dedicated group bookings contact channel.
Quantifiable outcome
- First UK chain restaurant to switch to 100% Wildfarmed regenerative flour
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ASK Italian
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ASK Italian technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature3 records
ASK Italian partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- FareSharecoreFareShare is ASK Italian's primary charity partner receiving 90% of Pennies micro-donations from customer bills. FareShare works to tackle food waste and support those facing hunger and hardship.
- DeliveroocoreDelivery partner for takeaway and delivery orders, handling logistics and last-mile delivery to customers.
- Uber EatscoreDelivery partner for takeaway and delivery orders, handling logistics and last-mile delivery to customers.
- Just EatcoreDelivery partner for takeaway and delivery orders, handling logistics and last-mile delivery to customers.
- WildfarmedcoreSupplier of 100% regenerative flour for all pasta and pizza dough. ASK Italian was the first UK chain restaurant to switch to Wildfarmed flour in 2024, supporting British farmers and sustainable agriculture.
- Design My NightcoreBooking software partner used for restaurant table reservations, including large party bookings and card authentication for groups of 8 or more.
- PenniescoreCharity organization for micro-donations. Receives 10% of Pennies donations from customer bills. Helps protect and grow micro-donations at ASK Italian.
- Blue Light CardminorDiscount partnership offering key worker discounts to Blue Light Card and Defense Discount Service members. Some restaurant and day exclusions apply.
- Tesco ClubcardminorTesco Clubcard vouchers accepted at participating ASK Italian restaurants (excludes Wells, Bluewater, Park Street London, Scarborough, and Lichfield).
- Local Food BanksminorEach ASK Italian restaurant partners with a local food bank counterpart, receiving donations from Pennies micro-donations to support local communities.
- Roman KempflagshipBroadcaster and brand ambassador fronting the Pizza a Mano launch campaign and The Slice is Right gameshow experience. ASK Italian's biggest talent collaboration to date.
- Facebook/Instagram (Meta)minorSocial media advertising partner using Facebook Lookalike Audiences for targeted marketing and online advertising.
- GoogleminorOnline advertising partner using Google Similar Audiences for targeted marketing and remarketing campaigns.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ASK Italian competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zizzi: UK Italian casual dining restaurant chain serving pizza, pasta, and Italian-inspired dishes in full-service format. Direct competitor to ASK Italian with overlapping family, social, and couple occasions across the UK high street.
- Bella Italia: UK Italian restaurant chain operated under Casual Dining Group serving pizza, pasta, and Italian classics in a full-service, family-friendly setting. Directly competes with ASK Italian on family dining occasions.
- Prezzo: UK-based Italian casual dining chain with full-service restaurants offering pizza, pasta, and Italian small plates. Comparable in segment, price point, and dine-in experience to ASK Italian.
- Strada: UK-based Italian casual dining restaurant chain with a menu centred on pizza, pasta, and Italian regional cuisine. Comparable mid-market positioning and dine-in experience model.
- Carluccio's: UK Italian casual dining chain with restaurants and in-store retail elements. Historically a direct competitor though has undergone administration; comparable menu and dine-in experience to ASK Italian.
- Pizza Express: UK-based Italian casual dining chain focused on pizza and pasta with dine-in, takeaway, and delivery. Directly comparable as a long-established UK Italian mid-market chain with similar menu positioning and customer demographics.
- Franco Manca: UK pizzeria chain specializing in sourdough, stone-baked pizzas at accessible price points. Competes with ASK Italian specifically on the pizza occasion, especially value-conscious family and casual diners.
Emerging players
- Pizza Pilgrims: UK pizzeria chain focused on Neapolitan-style pizzas with growing restaurant footprint. Competes for pizza-focused casual dining occasions and targets younger urban demographics overlapping ASK Italian's social groups segment.
Broad incumbents
- Nando's: UK casual dining chain with comparable footprint and family-oriented positioning. Competes with ASK Italian for family and group dining occasions across UK high streets and retail parks.
- Wagamama: UK-based Asian-inspired casual dining chain also operated under Azzurri Central Limited historically. Comparable as a UK full-service casual dining sibling operating in a similar restaurant economics environment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ASK Italian social profiles
Digital presenceASK Italian compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ASK Italian financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ASK Italian leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ASK Italian funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ASK Italian M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ASK Italian
What does ASK Italian do?
ASK Italian operates a UK-wide chain of Italian casual dining restaurants serving stone-baked pizzas (including its Pizza a Mano signature line), fresh pasta, mains, desserts, and drinks for dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery. The chain supports its restaurants with a mobile loyalty app (ASK Perks), QR-based in-restaurant ordering and payment (Pronto Order and Pay), online table booking, and physical and digital gift cards.
Is ASK Italian a public or private company?
ASK Italian is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ASK Italian founded?
ASK Italian was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ASK Italian based?
ASK Italian is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ASK Italian make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are takeaway and Delivery, gift Cards and Gift E-Codes, corporate and Group Bookings and pennies Micro-Donations.
Who are ASK Italian's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zizzi, Bella Italia, Prezzo, Strada, Carluccio's, Pizza Express and Franco Manca. Pizza Pilgrims is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Nando's and Wagamama.
Does ASK Italian have an API?
No public API is recorded for ASK Italian.
What industry is ASK Italian in?
ASK Italian's product category is Italian Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAC, Family-Style Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAJ, All-Day Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 72251 and its SIC code is 5812.