John Lewis is expanding his cafeteria and restaurants in a renewed effort to boost the footprint, improve the experience in the store and re -establish ITELF as a fate retail for Middle England.
The department store has announced plans to open five new coffees and restaurants in its heritage this year, which reflects what it called the “growing importance of food and drink” in the department store strategy.
The measure occurs when one in five transactions in the store now takes place in a hospitality environment, with hospitality sales in 6% in the 12 months to April. The company said the elevation reflects the growing desire for a more experimental visit that goes beyond retail trade.
“While purchases are in the heart of the experience, the customer is also due to a broader visit in the store,” said Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality in John Lewis.
“By continuing to invest and bringing new and exciting gastronomic concepts, we can improve loyalty and increase the fans of customers” for their local store. “
John Lewis will extend his Ori Caffè concept with Mediterranean theme to his branches of Liverpool and Solihull this year, and will open a new coffee in Southampton, carrying the total number of coffees and restaurants in the store at 62.
Ori Caffè currently operates in eight locations and is part of a broader hospitality impulse that saw an increase of 750,000 visions instead to eat restaurants last year. The new opening has included a Caffè Nero in White City, a new Ori Caffè in High Wycombe and the relaunching of the roofing space of Oxford Street as the bar & Kitchen on the roof of 1864.
Seasonal emerging windows are also part of the strategy. This month, to coincide with the Chelsea Flower Show, the atrium of the Peter Jones store in Chelsea will become a floral theme wine bar that serves a variety of English wines.
The more high profile addition is a new school and coffee of Cookry Jamie Oliver, which opened this week on the flagship of Oxford Street. The 4,600 square feet space has two classrooms and a 50 -seat coffee on the third floor, further positioning the brand as a lifestyle destination.
The expansion of hospitality is part of a broader response plan headed by Jason Tarry, the former Tesco executive who assumed the position of president last September. His predecessor, Lady Sharon White, faced criticism about the reduction of aggressive costs, which included store closures and bonus reductions, and fought to adapt to changing consumption habits.
Tarry is trying to return the business to its retail roots, restore its famous “never wisely low” commitment, was reduced in 2022, and focusing on quality, value and customer service. John Lewis is also investing in his physical stores and offers customer service to all personnel.
The efforts seem fruits. The John Lewis association reported a profit gain of £ 126 million for the year until January 25, 2025 from £ 42 million the previous year with sales with 3% to £ 12.8 billion.
“These are solid results, which show that our client is responding well to our investments,” Tarry said. “We have made good progress, with much more to do.”
As the retail street retailers continue with changing purchase habits, John Lewis bets on that good meal, attractive experiences and excellent service are key to converting browsers into buyers and bring customers back through the doors.
Jamie Young
Jamie is a senior reporter of Business Matters, who brings more than a decade of experience in commercial reports of the United Kingdom. Jamie has a business administration title and participates regularly in conferences and industry workshops. When he does not inform about the last business development, Jamie is passionate about the mentoring of promising journalists and businessmen to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
