Chiquito (restaurant)
{{Short description|United Kingdom restaurant chain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Chiquito
| logo = Chiquito logo.svg
| caption =
| image = Chiquito restaurant, Kingston St, Hull - geograph.org.uk - 258642.jpg
| image_caption = Typical Chiquito's standalone unit development, Kingston-upon-Hull with a previous logo.
| type = Tex-Mex Mexican themed restaurant chain
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| foundation = {{Start date and age|1989}}
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| location_country = United Kingdom
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| locations = 10
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| owner = {{ubl|The Big Table|{{smaller|(2023–present)}}}}
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| homepage = [http://chiquito.co.uk chiquito.co.uk]
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Chiquito is a restaurant chain based in the United Kingdom specialising in Tex-Mex foods.(4 March 2010). [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-220464698/go-mexican-hot-chain.html Go Mexican for a hot chain meal], Bristol Evening Post It also serves food via its virtual restaurants Cornstar Tacos and Kickass Burritos.{{Cite web|last=Beardsworth|first=Luke|date=2019-06-28|title=Restaurants accused of lacking transparency over 'virtual brands'|url=https://www.lancs.live/whats-on/food-drink-news/restaurant-groups-accused-lacking-transparency-16488888|access-date=2021-02-20|website=LancsLive|language=en}}
History
The company was established in 1989,{{cite news|last=Ritchie|first=Simon|title=Food & Drink - Chiquito, Clifton Moor, York|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/leisure/fooddrink/restaurantreviews/4001469.Chiquito__Clifton_Moor__York/|accessdate=12 October 2011|newspaper=York Press|date=27 December 2008|location=York|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505124438/http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/leisure/fooddrink/restaurantreviews/4001469.Chiquito__Clifton_Moor__York/|archive-date=5 May 2013|url-status=dead}} and at one stage had sixty eight restaurants across the country.{{cite web|title=Strong Brands, Focussed Strategy|url=http://www.ccruk.com/assets/pdf/2010_report/Strong_Brands_1.pdf|work=Annual Report 2010|publisher=The Restaurant Group plc|accessdate=12 October 2011|page=2}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} It dubs itself as 'The Original Mexican Grill & Bar', and has been described as the United Kingdom's best known Mexican chain.{{cite news|title=Mexican chain hits town|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/mexican-chain-hits-town-14769052.html|accessdate=12 October 2011|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|date=15 April 2010|location=Belfast}} Until 2023, the Chiquito units were part of the Restaurant Group (TRG).{{cite web|title=Restaurant Group serves up strong sales|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-restaurant-group-results-idUKWLB176420070912|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=12 October 2011|date=12 September 2007}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Sometime in-between 1998 and 2005, TRG began converting former Deep Pan Pizza restaurants into Frankie & Benny's, Chiquito and a selection of other brands under the same management.
Following the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced that restaurants of Chiquito would not be reopening after social distancing restrictions are lifted. In an announcement to the stock exchange on 18 March, owners The Restaurant Group announced their intention to place Chiquito into administration.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecaterer.com/news/chiquito-administration-the-restaurant-group|title='It's adios for now' – Chiquito to close majority of sites as group files for administration|date=27 March 2020|publisher=The Caterer|accessdate=12 May 2020}} The chain re-opened a limited number of its restaurants in August 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/18671114.ellesmere-port-chiquito-restaurant-reopen-month/|title=Ellesmere Port Chiquito restaurant to reopen this month|date=24 August 2020|publisher=Chester & District Standard|accessdate=11 October 2020}}
TRG announced in September 2023 that they would sell its loss-making assets (including Chiquito), to The Big Table, who own Café Rouge and Bella Italia for £7.5 million.{{Cite web |last=O'Boyle |first=Daniel |date=2023-09-11 |title=The Restaurant Group pays £7.5m to get rid of ailing Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/the-restaurant-group-frankie-benny-chiquito-wagamama-cafe-rouge-sale-loss-making-hospitality-b1106143.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}} On October 30, it was announced that the transaction had been completed.{{Cite web|url=https://in.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/RESTAURANT-GROUP-9590109/news/The-Big-Table-Group-Limited-acquired-of-75-Frankie-Benny-s-and-Chiquito-Restaurants-from-The-Resta-45188083/|title=The Big Table Group Limited acquired of 75 Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito Restaurants from The Restaurant Group plc.|work=MarketScreener|date=30 October 2023 |access-date=2024-01-12|language=en}}
Decor and style
The restaurants, which tend to feature a large bar and lounge style restaurant have rustic interior décor, based on traditional Mexican architecture and culture, where old Mexican posters and photos adorn the walls, alongside piñatas plates, balloons, castanets, fans, and sombreros.{{cite news|last=Lloyd|first=Jane|title=Eating Out|url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/eating-out-in-liverpool/2007/03/30/chiquito-cheshire-oaks-92534-18833670/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420222727/http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/eating-out-in-liverpool/2007/03/30/chiquito-cheshire-oaks-92534-18833670/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 April 2013|accessdate=12 October 2011|newspaper=Liverpool Daily Post|date=30 March 2007|location=Liverpool}} Spanish and Mexican music play throughout the restaurant.{{cite news|last=Anson|first=John|title=Chiquito's, Blackburn|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/dine/blackburn_restaurant_reviews/1980976.Chiquito_s__Blackburn/|accessdate=12 October 2011|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=19 January 2008|location=Blackburn}}
Notable past employees
Nick Frost, actor and writer, worked at the Staples Corner (London) branch where he first met Simon Pegg.{{cite news|last1=Stuart|first1=Husband|title=Nick Frost: 'It's about time I showed off my smokingly hot side'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10173588/Nick-Frost-Its-about-time-I-showed-off-my-smokingly-hot-side.html|accessdate=29 December 2017|agency=The Telegraph|date=18 July 2013}}
Environmental record
In November 2015, the chain was one of seven restaurants surveyed that failed to meet a basic level of sustainability in its seafood.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/18/family-restaurant-chains-unsustainable-seafood-wagamama-bella-italia|title=More than half of UK's family restaurant chains serving unsustainable seafood|first=Rebecca|last=Smithers|date=18 November 2015|newspaper=The Guardian}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://chiquito.co.uk}}
{{commons category|Chiquito (restaurant)}}
{{UK Food}}
Category:Restaurant chains in the United Kingdom