The noodle bar chain has opened six restaurants in the UK this year STUART WALLACE/THE TIMESCasual dining may be in the doldrums yet while the likes of Jamie’s Italian, Byron and Prezzo undergo painful restructurings and closures, Wagamama is bucking the trend. While most of its rivals are losing sales, the noodle bar chain yesterday reported an 8.2 per cent jump in its UK like-for-like sales in the third quarter, an acceleration on the 7.1 per cent growth seen in the second quarter. Its total turnover rose by 12.5 per cent to £72.1 million in the three months to January 28, lifting revenues for the first 40 weeks of its financial year to £229.5 million, up 13.5 per cent. Underlying earnings for the year to date are up 0.9 per cent to £35.1 million amid supply chain and wage cost…

Source: The Times March 01, 2018 17:01 UTC