The popular fast-casual restaurant chain, known for its halloumi burgers and waffle fries, collapsed into administration in December and has been forced to shut 22 locations
Popular fast food high street chain Leon has axed 244 positions after tumbling into administration in December. The beloved restaurant brand, renowned for its halloumi burgers and waffle fries, was compelled to close 22 outlets following its downfall.
Yet there appears to be little relief in sight, as administrators Quantuma Advisory revealed the company now employs just 573 staff. It recorded losses of £12.5million in 2023, £8.3million in 2024, and nearly £10million on provisional figures for 2025.
The chain had established its reputation on natural, fast-casual cuisine, reports the Express. Nevertheless, the business has foundered since being purchased for £100million by Asda owner EG Group in 2021.
At its peak, Leon ran 85 restaurants throughout the UK and internationally in 2022. Under the Issa brothers, British-Indian billionaire entrepreneurs who established the group, it also expanded rapidly into petrol forecourts and Asda supermarket locations.
Co-founder John Vincent repurchased the business from Asda in October last year. Mr Vincent attributed the troubles to “increasingly unsustainable taxes” but also acknowledged that Leon had strayed from its “core values”.
“In the last two years, Asda had bigger fish to fry, and Leon was always a business they didn’t feel fitted their strategy,” he said, adding that he hoped to be “providing jobs to many more people once we have returned to profitability and can continue to grow again”. Leon had previously stated it would attempt to relocate staff to alternative restaurants, provide redundancy packages where relocation wasn’t feasible, and establish a pathway for impacted workers to seek positions at Pret A Manger.
Administrators have put forward a company voluntary agreement (CVA), which represents a restructuring method allowing businesses to continue operating whilst renegotiating their debts. Administrators have simultaneously been in discussions with landlords regarding rent reductions.
Leon was established in 2004 by John Vincent, Henry Dimbleby, and chef Allegra McEvedy. Their inaugural restaurant launched on London’s Carnaby Street with an ambition to demonstrate that “fast food” needn’t equate to “junk food”.
They branded it “naturally fast food,” emphasising Mediterranean-influenced, seasonal produce.
Within six months, The Observer crowned it the “Best New Restaurant in Great Britain”.
The co-founders also played significant roles in UK food policy, with Mr Dimbleby and Mr Vincent jointly penning the Government’s School Food Plan in 2013 aimed at enhancing children’s nutrition.