Harden's survey result
Summary
“Many, many times GBK provided me with happiness in the last 12 months” – strong support from regulars and continued high ratings suggest London’s original posh burger chain is a brand worth saving, despite its recent travails. In late 2020 it was bought out of administration by Midlands chicken tycoon Ranjit Boparan in a deal that saw the closure of 26 of its 61 branches. Launched 21 years ago in Clapham’s Northcote Road by a group of Kiwis including chef Peter Gordon, its “simple and basic – but perfect – burgers” were a massive hit, and the chain was valued at £120m by 2016.
Summary
“Hitting the spot when nothing but a burger will do”, say devotees of the original upmarket burger chain that started with a single outlet in 2001. Losses of £4.6million in 2018 led to the closure of 24 sites around the country, but the number of reporters complaining of “generally indifferent” meals was still relatively minor compared to those who still saw it as “a safe bet for the kids” or “sensibly priced and reliable, suggesting it was a franchise worth saving. That’s exactly what tycoon Ranjit Boparan did in September 2020 when a further pandemic-related restructuring saw a further 26 restaurants shuttered, leaving 35 in operation.
Summary
“Hitting the spot when nothing but a burger will do”, say devotees of the original upmarket burger chain that started with a single outlet in 2001. Losses of £4.6million last year led to the closure of 24 sites around the country, but the number of reporters complaining of “generally indifferent” meals is still relatively minor compared to those who still see it as “a safe bet for the kids” or “sensibly priced and reliable, suggesting it’s a franchise worth saving.
Summary
Fans of London’s original upmarket burger chain still acclaim the “best patties around” but this stalwart brand is looking “a little tired and worn out” nowadays. In summer 2018, its owners Famous Brands announced they were ‘considering their strategic options’ after a £2m loss at the group, although many reporters feel “there’s nothing really wrong with the concept”.
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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