Tony Macaroni looks to franchising to grow business nationally

Casual dining Italian restaurant group wants to partner with the best operators in the country to bring the brand to people in England and Wales

Tony Macaroni is a rapidly expanding group of casual dining Italian restaurants offering authentic Italian home-cooked food in a fun and family-friendly environment.

Managing director Giuseppe (Sep) Marini has been working in the hospitality industry since 1988. 

In that time there’s no role he hasn’t performed and no area of the business he doesn’t know inside out. 

He is head of Scottish restaurant group Viva Italia, which boasts numerous brands including Mozza, Nardinis, Wine House 1821 and the PAPA industry award winning Tony Macaroni.

Tony Macaroni is a casual dining restaurant brand that has been bringing the winning combination of delicious, authentic Italian food at affordable prices to loyal guests since 2007. 

As at home on the high street as it is in retail parks and shopping centres, Tony Macaroni has a history of transforming the fortunes of every location it opens. 

Where many national chains have failed to make a site work, Sep and his team have opened a Tony Macaroni and enjoyed steady sales figures the previous tenants could only dream of. 

With 19 restaurants and five more opening by the end of 2021, Tony Macaroni is an unstoppable force on the Scottish dining scene. In fact, it’s comfortably the biggest independent operator in the country.

With such a proven track record of success, why is Sep now looking to franchising to grow the brand nationally? 

“Precisely because of that proven track record,” he explains. 

“Time after time, in a wide variety of locations, we’ve shown just how effective the Tony Macaroni model is. 

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time we open somewhere new, we follow the system that we know works - that’s what an experienced franchisee can do anywhere in the UK and build themselves a fantastic business that will stand the test of time. 

“We’ll be at 24 Tony Macaroni restaurants in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the end of the year. 

“We’re ready for the next chapter now, which is to partner with the best operators in the country to help them bring the brand to people all over England and Wales.”

Potential franchisees will be encouraged by the variety of locations and formats Tony Macaroni has proven itself in. 

From 150 cover restaurants in ultra-high footfall retail centres to cosier suburban sites and from prominent high street locations to bustling retail parks, Tony Macaroni never fails to bring in the crowds with its family friendly combination of choice, value and consistent quality. 

Loyal fans haven’t had to miss out on their menu favourites during lockdown either. 

With its long established takeaway and delivery system, called ‘Tony Mac Takeaway’, each restaurant has been happily providing locals with the fresh, delicious Italian classics they’re used to - and some new ones too. 

While 2020 proved challenging for many brands, Tony Macaroni enjoyed a 400 per cent increase in takeaway sales and won awards for Best Pizzeria, Best Pizza, Best Independent Operator and Outstanding Business of Lockdown.

“Our menu was redesigned, inspired and crafted by the amazing Italian celebrity chef Fabio Campoli and his team three years ago,” Sep says. 

“This brings standardisation to all our procedures, from prep to service, and ensures consistent quality throughout the group as we expand - perfect for franchising and a real selling point. 

“When you combine our incredible food with the fact Tony Macaroni is a great affordable choice for every kind of occasion, you can see why our turnover is so steady. 

“We’re about to open our second major retail park location in Edinburgh, closely followed by a prime site on the city’s famous Rose Street - I think ambitious operators are going to be excited by the potential to open a sizeable number of Tony Macaroni’s in their chosen territory.

“This is an exciting time for the industry, full of opportunity and there are some great deals to be done on desirable sites. 

“The smartest operators are already taking full advantage of the current situation in the marketplace - including less competition, cheaper rents and landlord incentives. Those people acting now will be the big winners in five years.”