Prezzo has introduced a new name, menu, and brand identity as part of a major revamp aimed at revitalising the 25-year-old restaurant chain.
The casual dining group, which operates 96 restaurants and employs 1,900 staff, will rebrand as Prezzo Italian.
The first restaurant under the new Prezzo Italian name opens today in High Street Kensington, as the chain aims to reposition itself as the ‘home of Italian classics’.
Four locations - in Cambridge, Kings Lynn, Chelmsford, and Aberdeen - will be refurbished and rebranded in the coming weeks, with an additional 15 sites set to be converted by the end of 2025.
The relaunch features a new menu, lunchtime deals, a two-hour bottomless drink offer, and a specials programme, all of which will be available at all 96 locations by the end of the month.
The new menus have been designed to suit a variety of occasions, including corporate events, family gatherings, and date nights.
This comes as part of Prezzo's turnaround strategy, following the closure of 46 restaurants in 2023—about a third of its estate—due to challenges posed by rising costs.
Despite the challenges, the company reported a strong start to 2025, with sales rising by 9% compared to the same period last year.
James Brown, Prezzo's chief executive, said: “This new chapter is about more than just a new name and design, it represents an important and pivotal milestone in our journey to make Prezzo Italian the standout choice for your go-to Italian meal.
“With this relaunch, we want to build on success of the past 25 years, ensure we continue to deliver an outstanding guest experience for many more years to come, and reaffirm our position in the market as the ‘home of the Italian classics’.”
Founded in 2000, Prezzo expanded to 300 UK restaurants during the casual dining boom of the late 2010s.
Although it reduced the size of its estate in 2023, the chain experienced a post-pandemic recovery, posting a pre-tax profit of £5.4 million for the year, compared to a loss of £31.5 million in 2022.
Over the past year, Prezzo has made several changes to its senior team, including the appointment of former BrewDog Bars boss, Brown, as Chief Executive, and Hospitality Rising founder Mark McCulloch as Chief Marketing Officer.
Brown added: “Over the past six months we have formed a new leadership, delivered many strategic changes across our central office support function, simplified our operating structure and optimised our menu and drinks offering.”
