Lawry’s The Prime Rib steakhouse brand looks to enter UK market

The group currently has 11 The Prime Rib restaurants worldwide, including The Prime Rib brand in Las Vegas and Beverley Hills as well as Akasaka, Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Jakarta, Taipei, Shanghai, and Ebisu.

It also operates The Tam O’Shanter, which it says is Los Angeles’ oldest restaurant; Five Crowns, a replica of an English country inn in California, and its sister gastropub SideDoor.

The group says the UK will provide ‘multiple opportunities’ for restaurants in its major cities with the potential for up to three steakhouse in London, with Canary Wharf, the West End and Mayfair, and west London cited as potential locations.

Menu items include Lawry’s ‘classic prime rib dinner’ of five different cuts of meat: a lighter California cut; English cut (three thin slices); its traditional Lawry cut; an extra thick bone-in Jim Brady cut; and a double sized bone-in Beef Bowl cut. Other dishes include trio of lobster tails, Chilean seabass; half roasted chicken; steak tartare; shrimp, corn and jalapeno fritters; and a range of soups and salads.

‘The UK has the highest concentration of Michelin starred and top restaurants in Europe, so by opening with Lowry’s an operator is provided with the opportunity to compete at this high level’ the company says in a prospectus for licensees.

The group says it is looking for sites typical of its restaurant footprint of around 250 covers with space for a standalone bar and private dining rooms.

It says its restaurants provide ‘best in class’ return on investment, and are among the ‘highest grossing restaurants per square foot’ with annual revenues of between $5m and $14m.

It offers partners six weeks of training at its own sites and encourages a calendar of events such as ‘live jazz and wine tastings’.