Tony Macaroni, the award-winning Italian casual dining brand, is ready to expand its restaurants into England and Wales. The Glasgow-based chain is part of the Viva Italia Group which also includes Mozza, Nardini and The Wine House 1821.
Tony Macaroni currently has 19 restaurants across Scotland and Northern Ireland with five more scheduled to open by the end of the year.
Sep Marini, managing director of Tony Macaroni, said that he is looking to bring the brand to towns and cities down south, fulfilling a long-held ambition to have a Tony Macaroni restaurant on every high street throughout the UK.
Marini commented: “While 2020 has proved to be challenging for many brands, we have continued to enjoy success. We’ll be standing at 24 Tony Macaroni restaurants in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the end of the year, and we are now ready for the next chapter.
“We want to partner with the best operators in the country to help them bring the Tony Macaroni brand to people all over England and Wales. Our brand is much-loved throughout Scotland, because we follow a formula that works. I firmly believe we can emulate this success the length and breadth of the UK with experienced franchisees who can build themselves a fantastic business.”
Tony Macaroni opened its first restaurant in 2007 and now employs around 500 people across Scotland and Northern Ireland. The company says that its restaurants offer authentic Italian food at affordable prices, with everything cooked to order under the direction of a head chef.
Last year, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said it saw a 400 per cent increase in takeaway sales and was recognised in the Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards by winning the title of Restaurant Chain Award 2020. The award category was for chains with over 10 sites and looked at how the business ‘weathered the storms of Covid-19’.
Marini continued: “Our menu was redesigned, inspired and crafted by the amazing Italian celebrity chef Fabio Campoli and his team three years ago. This brings standardisation to all our procedures, from prep to service, and ensures consistent quality throughout the group as we expand – perfect for franchising and a real selling point.
“When you combine our incredible food with the fact Tony Macaroni is a great affordable choice for every kind of occasion, you can see why our turnover is so steady. I think ambitious operators are going to be excited by the potential to open a sizeable number of Tony Macaroni’s in their chosen territory.
“This is an exciting time for the industry, full of opportunity and there are some great deals to be done on desirable sites. The smartest operators are already taking full advantage of the current situation in the marketplace – including less competition, cheaper rents and landlord incentives.”
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