31.

Bella Italia

Founded: 1991
Sites: 75 (76)

The Big Table-owned Italian brand started life as two small restaurant chains - Pastificio and Pizzaland - which were part of the Grand Metropolitan group which were purchased in 1991 and rebranded Bella Pasta. In 2002 it became Bella Italia with the first sites opening under its new branding opening in Leeds the same year. In 2020 around 35 sites were closed as part of then owner Casual Dining Group’s attempts to shore up the business during the Covid pandemic. The brand has a presence in four Center Parcs locations – Longleat, Sherwood, Whinfell, and Elveden.

32.

Leon

Founded: 2004
Sites: 72 (82)

Leon was founded by John Vincent, Henry Dimbleby, and Allegra McEvedy with a focus on healthy fast food. The company operated 44 restaurants in the UK when it underwent a CVA in December 2020 that later saw it being acquired by EG Group in 2021. In October 2023, EG Group’s UK and Ireland business has been owned by the Asda, which has given Leon a platform to also expand into supermarkets.

33.

Franco Manca

Founded: 2008
Sites: 72 (69)

Franco Manca was at the forefront of the Neapolitan pizza movement in London that has since swept across the UK over the past decade and a half. The business was founded Giuseppe Mascoli and Bridget Hugo in 2008 with the opening of the restaurant in Brixton Market. In March 2015, it was bought by The Fulham Shore and the chain has expanded to around 70 sites in the UK in the past 15 years. At the end of last year, the brand made its debut in Liverpool, opening a 110-cover restaurant on Bold Street, and also opened a site on London’s New Oxford Street. Franco Manca pizzas have been available in retail since the end of 2022.

34.

Slim Chicken

Founded: 2003
Sites: 69 (43)

Slim Chickens was founded by Tom Gordon and Greg Smart in the US in 2003 where it operates more than 200 restaurants. It launched in the UK in 2018 and has grown rapidly under its owner Boparan Restaurant Group. In the last year alone it has grown by over 50%. The brand’s core products are chicken tenders, burgers and crispy wings and is targeted at a similar customer base to that of Popeyes. Nine of its sites are located within Boparan’s recently launched The Restaurant Hub, a Sainsbury’s-based mini food court concept that features other Boparan-owned brands.

35.

ASK Italian

Founded: 1993
Sites: 66

Taking its name from the initials of its founder Adam and Samuel Kaye, ASK became ASK Italian in 2010. Now part of Azzurri Group, which also owns Italian chain Zizzi, the brand has attempted to have a community feel with interiors often featuring bespoke artwork. The first ASK Italian for four years opened in late 2023 in Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley.

36.

Chicken Cottage

Founded: 1994
Sites: 64 (54)

Launched 30 years ago, Chicken Cottage has held its own against larger rival KFC with its range of halal grilled and fried chicken. The company’s sites are predominantly based in London and the southeast but does have a presence in the north and The Midlands as well as one site in Scotland, in Glasgow. The brand offers both UK and international franchise opportunities and has sites in Africa and South Asia and the Middle East.

37.

Wimpy

Founded: 1934
Sites: 62

Operated by Famous Brands, Wimpy made its UK debut in 1954 and at its peak operated some 380 restaurants in the UK under its then owner United Biscuits. Today the brand still has a strong geographical spread and is characterised as having a larger burger menu than its QSR competitors with a triple burger, a double quarter pounder cheeseburger, and a triple quarter pounder cheeseburger featuring on its menu alongside the iconic Big N Mighty - once called Bender in a bun - and its range of breakfasts.

38.

Frankie & Benny’s

Founded: 1995
Sites: 60

Last year The Restaurant Group offloaded its leisure brands to Big Table Group, which included 60 sites of its New York Italian inspired concept Frankie & Benny’s. The brand’s estate has more than halved in size from its heyday with The Restaurant Group selling sites and converting them into Wagamamas before striking a deal with Big Table. The brand has a focus on hearty American Italian food but has added a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes to its menus over the past few years to keep up with changing eating habits.

39.

Wingstop

Founded: 1994
Sites: 57 (25)

Wingstop made its UK debut in 2018 and has doubled its presence on these shores over the past 12 months. Late last year, Lemon Pepper Holdings - the master franchisee for the chicken wing chain in the UK and Ireland – sold the business for over £400m to California-based investment firm Sixth Street. In its most recent financial year, Wingstop UK reported a a pre-tax profit of £3.5m up from a £2m loss the year before. The group saw revenue increase 122% to £84.7m in the year to 31 March 2024, up from £38.2m in 2023. The UK business has the goal of reaching 200 locations within the next five years. Wingstop now operates more than 2,000 restaurants worldwide.

40.

Popeyes

Founded: 1972
Sites: 53 (21)

Popeyes recently celebrated its 50-site milestone, but this includes its circa 13 dark kitchen sites. The Louisiana-founded fried chicken brand has been one of the most successful fast food US imports in recent years establishing a truly nationwide presence in just a few years. Led by Tom Crowley in the UK, Popeyes doubled its presence on these shores last year. In 2024, TDR Capital increased its shareholding in Popeyes UK in a move that saw it take effective control from dual investor Ring International Holdings, which remains invested on a minority basis. The brand operates restaurants in high street locations as well as retail parks and drive-thrus and looks set to swell its estate significantly in 2025 and beyond.