RE: Little Chef to shut 67 outlets
Thursday 12th January 2012
Little Chef is to close 67 of its 161 sites, with the loss of up to 600 jobs - and the possibility of making finding a familiar roadside fry-up just a little bit harder - it's been announced today.
But the sites set to close have been trading unprofitably for years, says the company, and that the move is essential to allow it to focus on and develop its remaining sites, of which 13 have already been upgraded, partly using advice from the revamping of several sites by TV chef Heston Blumenthal in 2008.
Little Chef to shut 67 outlets
Embattled roadside eatery to axe more than a third of its sites
Little Chef was saved back in 2007 by investment group RCapital, which brought the company out of administration and saved 193 of the chain's 235 outlets.
The restaurant chain, which opened in 1958, had become a roadside staple by the 1980s, but 21st century competition from drive-through fast food franchises and roadside 'family' pub/restaurants has caused the Little Chef to haemorrhage money and branches for much of the past decade. The chain will retain around 1500 employees.
PHers are already talking about the closure of Little Chefs here
Pics: Richard Croft and Mark Evison
Discussion
known affectionately as "The Little Thief" in this neck of the woods. Last one I went into was years ago and the tables were all sticky so never went back! Most round here have been gradually closing over the last few years to an extent where I dont think there can be many left?
Cherry pancakes and ice cream used to be tops tho!
Cherry pancakes and ice cream used to be tops tho!
Never been inside one, never wanted to. I always use to look at them and get that odd feeling i used to get when i looked inside a whimpy like,i might catch something, then headed over to the BP next door.
Still its a shame for the 600 that will become jobless, but its not like it will come as a shock.
Still its a shame for the 600 that will become jobless, but its not like it will come as a shock.
Edited by AngryPartsBloke on Wednesday 11th January 16:59
I remember going to them a lot as a kid. No particular meal sticks in my mind, but the tension at the checkout wondering if you were going to get a complementary lolly pop was palpable. I still have all the faces of those cashiers who didn't yield etched in my memory. Faces of pure evil 
cathalm said:
AngryPartsBloke said:
I always used to looka the and get that odd seeling i used to get when i looked in a wimpy
You did a what now? scarecrow said:
That's terrible for the 600 who will loose their jobs.
No matter where I eat there are still somedays when onle a little chef Olympic breakfast will do!
Super market cafs have killed little Chef.
To be fair I think fast food chains and drive thrus have killed them more. Although I suppose with the growth of out of town shopping parks (many just off major dual/motorways, they've not helped.No matter where I eat there are still somedays when onle a little chef Olympic breakfast will do!
Super market cafs have killed little Chef.
They perhaps belong to a bygone era of family days out, when there was a lot less choice, and a lot more time. These days skipping breakfast at home I might have considered an Olympic but I'd rather not pay a tenner, wait 15mins, when the hole could be filled by a sausage, egg mcmuffin meal, that can be scoffed on the move. (cue faux outrage about driving and eating)
ETA: perhaps their new model ought to look at a high quality fast food version, but, of normal, or perhaps healthy food... To be a USP.
Edited: for terrible predictive text.
Edited by Northern Munkee on Wednesday 11th January 17:04
GreigM said:
scarecrow said:
Super market cafs have killed little Chef.
No, horrific prices for absolutely abysmal food and shocking service have killed Little Chef. I speak from recent experience.The prices are rediculous for cheap nasty food.
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