Category Nominations for 2025
VOTE NOW for your choice of winners at the sector’s most anticipated awards evening.
All finalists will be celebrated and winners revealed at London’s Guildhall on the evening of March 13th.
You are voting across ten categories with finalist nominations decided by the senior sector, as well as the omnichannel category with its shortlist selected by the MCA team from company submissions.
Emerging Concept
This award celebrates a promising multi-site business that looks set to deliver scale and sustainable success.
Nominees:
- Brother Marcus
- Sandwich Sandwich
- Permit Room
- Sushi Dog
- Nell's Pizza
- Boojum
Award sponsor: Greene King
Best New Opening
This award goes to a 2024 site opening which combines a great location, outstanding design and exceptional customer appeal.
Nominees:
- OMA, Borough Market
- Albert's Schloss, Piccadilly
- Caravan, Manchester
- The White Hart, Lewes
- Ambassadors Clubhouse, London
- AngloThai, London
Award sponsor: Chapman Ventilation
Best Pub Company
This category recognises an outstanding multi-site pub group, greatly admired by the senior industry for its quality proposition and strong leadership.
Nominees:
- Young's
- Urban Pubs & Bars
- JD Wetherspoon
- Heartwood Collection
- Greene King
- Fuller's
- Loungers
Award sponsor: Aspall Cyder
Best Pub or Bar Concept
This award recognises a brand, concept, or format, either independent or part of a wider group, which is delivering for consumers and investors alike.
Nominees:
- Cahoots (Inception Group)
- The Devonshire
- Drake & Morgan
- Pergola (Incipio Group)
- BOX (Arc Inspirations)
- Albert's Schloss (Mission Mars)
Best Restaurant Company
This category recognises a standout multi-site restaurant group, which demonstrates an exceptional offering and strong leadership.
Nominees:
- Nando's
- Dishoom
- Pho
- Flat Iron
- Wagamama
- Pizza Pilgrims
- Rudy's Pizza
Best Coffee Shop/Café Group
Incorporating coffee shops, cafés, dessert parlours and dine-in bakeries, this award recognises companies which have demonstrated strong growth and customer appeal.
Nominees:
- Caffè Nero
- Gail's
- WatchHouse
- Blank Street
- Ole & Steen
- Knoops
- Caravan
Best Experiential Concept
In the fast-growing space of experiential leisure, this award highlights the best-in-class competitive socialising and immersive concepts which are shaking up the hospitality sector.
Nominees:
- Flight Club
- Electric Shuffle
- F1 Arcade
- Swingers
- Roxy Ball Room
- Big Fang Collective
Deal of the Year
This category recognises the stand-out M&A or investment event of the last 12 months, which delivers an opportunity to maximise the business’ potential.
Nominees:
- TDR Capital acquires controlling stake in Popeyes
- McWin's acquisition of Sticks'n'Sushi
- Caffè Nero's acquisition of 200 Degrees
- Admiral's purchase of 37 Fuller's pubs
- Amber Taverns acquired by Epiris
Award sponsor: Alix Partners
Consumer Choice
In partnership with Lumina Intelligence, this award drills into data around consumer satisfaction, recommendations, and experience to highlight which brand is delivering most consistently for its customers.
Award sponsor: Lumina Intelligence
Best Use of Technology
This award goes to an operator which has led the way with innovative technology, to enhance its business and boost engagement with consumers.
Nominees:
- Stonegate's media platform and app MiXR
- McDonald's AI drive-thru technology
- Wagamama's Soul Club loyalty app
- PizzaExpress' AI-informed loyalty scheme
- Popeyes' voice ordering technology
- Azzurri's Openr data platform
Award sponsor: Nory AI
Best Omnichannel Brand
This award recognises businesses which diversified into new sales channels such as digital, delivery and retail. Nominations for this category are via the MCA team, with the senior industry to decide the winner.
- Azzurri Group - for Zizzi's in-house retail range, and Coco di Mama's multi-format expansion strategy
- Fulham Shore - for growth in its leading The Real Greek retail range and premium Franco Manca retail pizza offering
- Gregg’s - for its made to order channel, multi-format locations, and digital and loyalty schemes
- itsu - for its tweaked loyalty scheme, B2B offer and leading retail range and meal deals
- Leon - for its book publishing, retail range and digital offer
- PizzaExpress - for its substantial retail business, 3m-strong loyalty app, and in-house delivery channel
- wagamama for its Soul Club loyalty app, optimised delivery business and retail range
Best QSR Company
Recognising the impressive growth of the quick-service sector, this award goes to a brand that has demonstrated strong growth, seamless execution and exceptional value.
Nominees:
- Wingstop
- Popeyes
- Five Guys
- Greggs
- McDonald's
- KFC
- Burger King
- itsu
Award sponsor: Venners
Lifetime Achievement Award
Decided by MCA’s editor, this award recognises the exceptional achievements and impact an individual has had on the sector over multiple decades.
Award sponsor: Brakes/Sysco
The following three categories are judged by independent specialist panels. These assess an original, evidenced submission from the business as well as an exploratory interview for each finalist, written by the MCA editorial team.
Leader of The Year
This award recognises the outstanding leader of the year, as decided by the MCA Hospitality Awards Academy, made up of senior UK operators, suppliers and MCA subscribers.
Nominees:
- Tom Crowley, Popeyes
- Nick Collins, Loungers
- Shamil Thakrar, Dishoom
- Laura Harper-Hinton, Caravan
- Roisin Currie, Greggs
- Steve Holmes, Azzurri Group
Award sponsor: Uber Eats
Rising Star
This award goes to an outstanding individual in a multi-site management team who is rising through the ranks and is seen as a future star of the business.
Our finalists are:
- Vicki Appleton Catering Director, Moto Hospitality
- Ben Atkinson Division Director, Urban Pubs & Bars
- Chantelle Christy People & Culture Director, Drake & Morgan
- Tom Cousins Operations Director, Rosa’s Thai
- Poppy Midley Social Media Manager, Rare Restaurants
- Clive Watkins Managing Partner, Pizza Pilgrims
Award sponsor: Red Bull
Sustainability Award
This award goes to a company or brand that has gone above and beyond in demonstrating its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment.
Our finalists are:
- Caravan
- Mitchells & Butlers
- Pizza Pilgrims
- Punch Pubs & Co
- Rare Restaurants
- Shepherd Neame
- Wahaca
Award sponsor: Pernod Ricard
Diversity Leadership Programme
This award recognises the business which has done the most to demonstrate its commitment to promoting and supporting employees from under-represented and minority backgrounds on their journey from the front line to the boardroom.
Our finalists are:
- Caravan
- Chopstix
- Greene King
- Malmaison/Hotel du Vin
- Moto Hospitality
- Nightcap
- Pizza Pilgrims
Award sponsor: Britvic