Free advance tickets are still available for the upcoming 2019 Casual Dining show in late February, as CGA data reveals both the challenges and opportunities confronting the sector at the moment.
More than 220 exhibitors and 5,000 visitors are expected at the show, which takes place on 27th and 28th February in the new home for 2019 of London’s ExCeL. CGA experts will be out in force, presenting the findings from our exclusive 2019 Business’ Leaders Survey and revealing the big trends, priorities and prospects facing the casual dining sector as we move deeper into 2019.
As well as a session for operators and suppliers from CGA client directors Fiona Speakman and Chris Jeffrey, vice president Peter Martin will be leading head to head interviews with a host of influential leaders, including BrewDog retail CEO David McDowall, Hawksmoor founder Will Beckett, Loungers founder Alex Reilley, Casual Dining Group CEO Steve Richards, Pizza Hut CEO Jens Hofma and Carluccio’s CEO Mark Jones. He will also lead a panel session on international growth with Beckett, Competitive Socialising co-founder Matt Grech-Smith, Social Entertainment Ventures CEO Toby Harris and Jane O’Riordan, a board member of brands including Nando’s, Flight Club and Turtle Bay.
Casual Dining comes as data from CGA’s Coffer Peach Business Tracker reveals that leading managed restaurant groups continue to record decent growth, with total sales including new openings up by 1.7% in 2018. Although the pace of openings from casual dining operators slowed last year, distinctive small and medium-sized brands are still expanding fast.
CGA’s consumer-side data meanwhile illustrates the enormous scale of the casual dining sector. More than three quarters (78%) of British consumers—a total of 27.6 million people—have visited a casual dining brand in the last six months.
Casual Dining 2019 takes place at ExCeL on 27th and 28th February. Tickets are free for industry professionals, and you can register for a place here. Information about the show and speaker programmes is here.
