Wagamama
British restaurant chain specialising in Japanese style cuisine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wagamama Limited (stylized in all lower capitals) is a restaurant chain based in London, England, that specialises in Japanese ramen bars and offers a variety of Asian food.
| |
| Formerly | China Diner Limited (1991–1992) |
|---|---|
Company type | Private |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Japanese-inspired Chinese restaurant + noodle bar |
| Founded | 29 April 1991 |
| Founder | Alan Yau |
| Headquarters | , England, UK |
Number of locations | 190+ |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Mark Chambers (CEO) |
| Owner | Apollo Global Management |
| Website | wagamama |
Food
History
Wagamama Limited was incorporated on 29 April 1991 as China Diner Limited.[3] Their first restaurant was opened in 1992 in Bloomsbury, London, founded by Alan Yau, who subsequently created the Chinese restaurants Hakkasan and Yauatcha, and Thai restaurant Busaba Eathai.[4] In June 2005, the restaurant's owner Graphite Capital sold the majority stake of 77.5% to Lion Capital LLP for £103 million.[5] In April 2011, the chain was sold to Duke Street Capital, for an estimated sum of £215 million.[6]
The chain was acquired for £559m by The Restaurant Group, owner of Frankie & Benny's & Chiquito in October 2018.[7] In October 2023 The Restaurant Group was taken over by Apollo Global Management[8] in a deal worth over £700m.
In September 2024, The Restaurant Group (TRG) announced plans to increase the number of UK restaurants from 161 to 200-220.[9]
Wagamama has taken the brand global with franchised restaurants in 22 countries across Europe and the Middle East.[10] There are also 8 company owned locations in the US.[11]
Previous countries served by the Wagamama brand include Australia from 2002 to 2014,[12][13] New Zealand until 2019,[14] and Belgium from 2005 to 2024.[15]
Wagamama has released three cookbooks in order to further extend its brand.
The first site on Streatham Street, Bloomsbury, London, closed permanently on 19 June 2016.[16]
Brand
News items
Environmental record
In November 2015, the chain was named by the Marine Conservation Society as one of seven restaurants surveyed that failed to meet a basic level of sustainability in its seafood.[19] However, this was later retracted, as Wagamama revealed more information about the origin of its seafood.[20]
Employment rights
In December 2017, Wagamama apologised after it was revealed some workers in Finchley were warned they would face disciplinary action if calling in sick over Christmas. The manager of the North Finchley branch asserted it was the responsibility of staff members, according to their contracts and handbook, to find somebody to cover their shifts. Wagamama said this was an isolated incident, not part of its employment policy.[21]
Covid/quarantine losses
During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine, Wagamama’s owner, The Restaurant Group closed 250 restaurants, with a loss of nearly 4,500 jobs.[22]
Cage-free eggs
In 2022, Wagamama committed to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs globally by the end of 2025.[23]
