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Wagamama

Wagamama Limited (stylised as wagamama) is a restaurant chain based in London, England, that specialises in Japanese ramen bars and offers a variety of Asian food.

Food

Wagamama sells dishes including bao, curries, donburi, teppanyaki grill noodles, ramen and pho.[1] As of 2021, they committed to a menu with 50% vegan dishes.[2]

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 £103million.[5] In April 2011, the chain was sold to Duke Street Capital, for an estimated sum of £215million.[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

The word wagamama (わがまま) is Japanese for "self-indulgent", "self-centred", "picky", "fussy", "disobedient", or "wilful".[17] Wagamama brands itself as following the process of kaizen.[18]

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]

See also

  • List of Japanese restaurants

External links

References

  1. Wagamama menu - Summer 2025 https://www.datocms-assets.com/99160/1753109047-main-menu.pdf^
  2. Wales Online https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/wagamama-launches-vegan-menu-pledge-19609402^
  3. Wagamama Limited overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK Companies House, 1991-04-29, retrieved 2024-05-07^
  4. about wagamama Wagamama, retrieved 9 October 2012^
  5. Brendan Scott. Investcorp and Morgan Stanley to tuck into Wagamama Real Deals, 4 November 2010, retrieved 9 October 2012^
  6. Duke Street buys Wagamama from Lion Capital unquote.com, 1 April 2011, retrieved 9 October 2012^
  7. Wagamama sold to Frankie & Benny's owner – BBC News BBC, 30 October 2018^
  8. "Wagamama owner agrees takeover in £701m deal" The Independent, 12 October 2023, retrieved 7 January 2025^
  9. Sophie Witts. Plans for Wagamama to reach 200 UK restaurants the caterer.com, 5 September 2024, retrieved 7 January 2025^
  10. wagamama.com/franchise wagamama.com, 7 January 2025, retrieved 7 January 2025^
  11. restaurant locator wagamama.us, 7 January 2025, retrieved 7 January 2025^
  12. Eloise Keating. Wagamama Australia goes into liquidation as all stores close SmartCompany, 2014-09-30^
  13. Noodle chain collapses InsideRetail, 2014-09-29^
  14. Ireland Hendry-Tennent. Wagamama closes New Zealand restaurants Newshub, 2019-07-03^
  15. Stefan Van Rompaey. Wagamama déclarée en faillite en Belgique RetailDetail BE, 2024-11-19, retrieved 2024-11-24^
  16. restaurants – wagamama^
  17. wagamama translation Jim Breen's JMdict, retrieved 28 December 2022^
  18. about wagamama^
  19. Rebecca Smithers. More than half of UK's family restaurant chains serving unsustainable seafood The Guardian, 18 November 2015^
  20. Wagamama open up and jump up the ratings - Fish2Fork retrieved 28 November 2016^
  21. Wagamama apology for 'don't be sick' staff notice BBC News, 24 December 2017^
  22. Wagamama owner slumps to £235m loss due to Covid lockdown The Guardian, 6 October 2020^
  23. Matthew Chalmers. Wagamama promises to stop using eggs from caged hens by 2025 thehumaneleague.org.uk, January 26, 2022, retrieved 2025-12-31^