RoadChef
Encyclopedia
Roadchef is a company which operates twenty motorway service areas in the UK
. Behind Moto
and Welcome Break
, it is the third largest motorway service area operator (followed by Extra
).
Over the years Roadchef have acquired a portfolio of 20 sites. A large expansion occurred in 1998 when Roadchef agreed to purchase Blue Boar Group and Take A Break for £80 million and thus proceeded to integrate these acquisitions into an enlarged Roadchef Group. At the time, Blue Boar was the fourth largest operator of motorway services areas in the UK with three operational sites and one development site. The acquired Watford Gap
site was the first motorway service area to be opened in the UK in 1959 and is one of the UK’s best known sites. A few years ago (according to Google Finance), "Roadchef Motorways was one of the largest Motorway Services Area (MSA) operators in the UK, with 21 sites representing 24% of the market and serving some 60 million visitors each year."
Roadchef recently announced a multi-million refurbishment programme and their newly refurbished Clacket Lane services
on the M25
is one of the largest sites in the UK. They are also very proud of their Strensham services
on the M5
which contain a wealth of new brands and included the successful trials of McDonalds, WHSmith
and The Hot Food Company (Restaurant); this occurred as a result of the 2008 refurbishment and has also given the services a number of unique brands which include Soho Coffee Co, Pizza Hut
Express, Subway
and Cotton Traders
.
and McDonald's
. Throughout 2007, the independent site Motorway Services Online had Roadchef listed as the operator with the lowest rating. This role has now been taken by First.
well known food at high street prices. Sites with a McDonalds are generally signed as "McDonalds Costa" on the motorway so as to draw in customers.
have just a few motorway outlets and in the Roadchef chain is found at Strensham Northbound
only.
sandwich chain can be found at Strensham Northbound
only (in the forecourt). This is just their second motorway outlet.
, Italian coffee (along with other drinks, snacks and sandwiches/toasties) is served at all Roadchef service areas. The replacement of an own-brand coffee shop with a high street name was pioneered by Roadchef in 2007 whilst also pioneering advertising brands such as Costa on motorway signage through a legal loophole. Moto followed soon after (also using Costa
) and later Welcome Break utilised Starbucks. Roadchef are currently refurbishing and expanding their Costa outlets as part of their £12,000,000 refurbishment project.
during their 2008 refurbishment and this remains the only site. They provide coffee, snacks, small meals and a salad bar.
's own-brand shops after a successful trial at Toddington and this was copied by Welcome Break
and eventually Roadchef
where it has been deemed a massive success. The stores stock WHSmith
's usual travel store range which includes food, drinks, newspapers and magazines, stationery, books and much more at typical high street prices. WHSmith can be found at every Roadchef saervice area.
clothes shop is only available at Strensham
.
from Premier Inn in September 2010.
, Esso
, Shell
, Texaco
and Total
to provide fuel at all their service areas. It is also thought that Roadchef will follow Welcome Break
's lead and allow Ecotricity
to install vehicle fast-charging and standard-charging points at their motorway service area across the UK to improve the uptake of electric vehicles and attract different customers for longer (whilst their vehicles charge). It has been mooted that at Roadchef service areas Ecotricity
would build Wind Turbines to allow Electric vehicles to recharge directly from the Wind and thus be even more environmentally-friendly.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Behind Moto
Moto Hospitality
Moto Hospitality is a company which operates 58 motorway service stations across the UK.Moto is owned by a consortium of shareholders including Australian Pension Funds and European and New Zealand Infrastructure Funds and is asset managed by Macquarie Investment Bank...
and Welcome Break
Welcome Break
Welcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
, it is the third largest motorway service area operator (followed by Extra
Extra (service areas)
Extra MSA Services Ltd is a company which operates motorway service stations in the United Kingdom, as well as areas on primary routes. It is based on Castle Hill, Lincoln close to Lincoln Cathedral. It is also known as Extra MSA Forecourts Ltd....
).
History
Roadchef was founded in July 1973 by Lindley Catering Investments and Galleon World Travel. The company was originally family owned but in November 1995 was sold to a management team and its most recent change of ownership was to the Delek Group.Over the years Roadchef have acquired a portfolio of 20 sites. A large expansion occurred in 1998 when Roadchef agreed to purchase Blue Boar Group and Take A Break for £80 million and thus proceeded to integrate these acquisitions into an enlarged Roadchef Group. At the time, Blue Boar was the fourth largest operator of motorway services areas in the UK with three operational sites and one development site. The acquired Watford Gap
Watford Gap
The Watford Gap is located at a minor gap between two slight hills in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Engineers from Roman times onwards have found it to be an appropriate route connecting the Midlands with the South East....
site was the first motorway service area to be opened in the UK in 1959 and is one of the UK’s best known sites. A few years ago (according to Google Finance), "Roadchef Motorways was one of the largest Motorway Services Area (MSA) operators in the UK, with 21 sites representing 24% of the market and serving some 60 million visitors each year."
Roadchef recently announced a multi-million refurbishment programme and their newly refurbished Clacket Lane services
Clacket Lane services
Clacket Lane services is a motorway service station on the M25 motorway in Surrey, United Kingdom that is owned by RoadChef. Services are located on either side of the motorway between Westerham, Kent and Limpsfield, Surrey....
on the M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
is one of the largest sites in the UK. They are also very proud of their Strensham services
Strensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
on the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
which contain a wealth of new brands and included the successful trials of McDonalds, WHSmith
W H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
and The Hot Food Company (Restaurant); this occurred as a result of the 2008 refurbishment and has also given the services a number of unique brands which include Soho Coffee Co, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
Express, Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
and Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders is a British clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith....
.
Facilities
Roadchef motorway service areas have varying facilities but despite this all sites provide two hours free parking, toilets and food 24 hours a day, seven days a week.generally have Costa CoffeeCosta Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
and McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. Throughout 2007, the independent site Motorway Services Online had Roadchef listed as the operator with the lowest rating. This role has now been taken by First.
Restbite (Restaurant)
Available at most service areas, this is Roadchef's own brand self service, free-flow restaurant. It is slowly being phased out due to changing customer demands.Hot Food Company (Restaurant)
Available at Roadchef service areas which lack a Restbite (Restaurant), this has been designed to reflect changing customer demands as less time is spent in the restaurant. It offers similar food to the former Restbite (Restaurant) but utilises counter service as opposed to a free-flow self service environment. This is so as to save space and reduce queues.The Burger Company
This own-brand fast food outlet is available at most Roadchef service areas and replaced the failing Wimpy chain. It is presumed to be a quick fix until the site is to be refurbished to gain a McDonalds outlet of which Roadchef is a fairly recent franchisee.McDonalds
The famous golden arches are coming to many Roadchef service areas as part of their £12,000,000 refurbishment plans. The Burger Company (which replaced the former Wimpy) is being replaced with this franchised outlet which aims to provide McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
well known food at high street prices. Sites with a McDonalds are generally signed as "McDonalds Costa" on the motorway so as to draw in customers.
Pizza Hut Express
Pizza HutPizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
have just a few motorway outlets and in the Roadchef chain is found at Strensham Northbound
Strensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
only.
Subway
A branch of the SubwaySubway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
sandwich chain can be found at Strensham Northbound
Strensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
only (in the forecourt). This is just their second motorway outlet.
Costa Coffee
Courtesy of CostaCosta Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
, Italian coffee (along with other drinks, snacks and sandwiches/toasties) is served at all Roadchef service areas. The replacement of an own-brand coffee shop with a high street name was pioneered by Roadchef in 2007 whilst also pioneering advertising brands such as Costa on motorway signage through a legal loophole. Moto followed soon after (also using Costa
Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
) and later Welcome Break utilised Starbucks. Roadchef are currently refurbishing and expanding their Costa outlets as part of their £12,000,000 refurbishment project.
Soho Coffee Co
This was introduced to Strensham SouthboundStrensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
during their 2008 refurbishment and this remains the only site. They provide coffee, snacks, small meals and a salad bar.
WHSmith
WHSmith originally replaced all of MotoMoto Hospitality
Moto Hospitality is a company which operates 58 motorway service stations across the UK.Moto is owned by a consortium of shareholders including Australian Pension Funds and European and New Zealand Infrastructure Funds and is asset managed by Macquarie Investment Bank...
's own-brand shops after a successful trial at Toddington and this was copied by Welcome Break
Welcome Break
Welcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
and eventually Roadchef
RoadChef
Roadchef is a company which operates twenty motorway service areas in the UK. Behind Moto and Welcome Break, it is the third largest motorway service area operator .-History:...
where it has been deemed a massive success. The stores stock WHSmith
W H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
's usual travel store range which includes food, drinks, newspapers and magazines, stationery, books and much more at typical high street prices. WHSmith can be found at every Roadchef saervice area.
Fonebitz
Fonebitz is available at seven Roadchef locations and offer a small selection of pay as you go phones and phone accessories along with advice and expertise. The outlets vary greatly in size from a tiny kiosk to a moderately sized store.Cotton Traders
The Cotton TradersCotton Traders
Cotton Traders is a British clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith....
clothes shop is only available at Strensham
Strensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
.
Days Inn
This budget hotel chain operates all the motels sited at Roadchef motorway service areas after being rebranded to Days InnDays Inn
Days Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
from Premier Inn in September 2010.
Fuel
Roadchef use a range of forecourt operators which include BPBP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
, Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
, Shell
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
and Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
to provide fuel at all their service areas. It is also thought that Roadchef will follow Welcome Break
Welcome Break
Welcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
's lead and allow Ecotricity
Ecotricity
Ecotricity is a green energy company based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England specialising in selling and generating wind power. It is built on the principle of heavily reinvesting its profit in building more of its own windfarms.-History:...
to install vehicle fast-charging and standard-charging points at their motorway service area across the UK to improve the uptake of electric vehicles and attract different customers for longer (whilst their vehicles charge). It has been mooted that at Roadchef service areas Ecotricity
Ecotricity
Ecotricity is a green energy company based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England specialising in selling and generating wind power. It is built on the principle of heavily reinvesting its profit in building more of its own windfarms.-History:...
would build Wind Turbines to allow Electric vehicles to recharge directly from the Wind and thus be even more environmentally-friendly.
See also
- Motorway Service Areas
- MotoMoto HospitalityMoto Hospitality is a company which operates 58 motorway service stations across the UK.Moto is owned by a consortium of shareholders including Australian Pension Funds and European and New Zealand Infrastructure Funds and is asset managed by Macquarie Investment Bank...
- Welcome BreakWelcome BreakWelcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
- ExtraExtra (service areas)Extra MSA Services Ltd is a company which operates motorway service stations in the United Kingdom, as well as areas on primary routes. It is based on Castle Hill, Lincoln close to Lincoln Cathedral. It is also known as Extra MSA Forecourts Ltd....
External links
- Roadchef Official Website
- http://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Roadchef Motorway Services Online - Roadchef
- General motorway services reviews Motorway Service Areas - Reviews
- The Interview: Roadchef's Simon Turl Sarah Bridge, Financial Mail 23 August 2009, 12:00am