Harden's survey result
Summary
Boy, this chain has shrunk over the years: there are just nine nationally now, of which four are in London: Covent Garden, Tottenham Court Road, South Kensington and Westfield. Needless to say, there’s nothing like the volume of feedback it once generated, but it’s all good with no disasters and a number of “really top-class burgers” enjoyed this year.
Summary
Now down to a dozen outlets nationally and just four in London from its 2018 peak of 67, this early ‘better burger’ chain has dropped ratings across the board this year. But, compared to other chains, feedback is far from rock-bottom – indeed complaints are notably absent – so perhaps there are still some legs in the brand?
Summary
Back from the brink? After a tumultuous couple of years, a CVA, sale, the closure of over half its branches, and new CEO, ratings have steadied at this well-known burger chain. It may only be “standard burger fayre”, but most reports say it “ticks so many boxes”.
Summary
The jury is still out on whether this once-trailblazing posh burger chain deserves to be saved, and indeed whether saving it is feasible. Having undergone a CVA in 2018, in June 2020 the chain brought in the administrators, who sold the brand to new owners Calveton. In the process, it lost 31 restaurants and 651 workers, leaving only 20 of Byron’s 51 branches open. In May 2021, it opened its first new branch in five years on the Wembley retail park and soon after announced a new CEO. Meanwhile our reporters are in two minds about the whole situation. Even fans can find it “formulaic” although they feel “it’s everything you need from a burger joint without trying too hard”. Critics, though, find “there’s not much to commend” in its current performance: “dreadful”.
For 33 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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