Food Feedback: Ed's Easy Diner at Euston Station
Published: 22 April, 2010
Coverpoint’s Jonathan Doughty serves up his regular shopping centre foodservice review. This month he visits Ed’s Easy Diner at London’s Euston Station
‘Authentic’ American Diners have never really taken off in the UK in terms of volume of units, nationwide coverage and shopping centre locations. OK Diners, the market leader, has eight units, mainly in Central England and predominantly located adjacent to major A-Roads and in service stations. And Eddie Rockets, an institution in Ireland, has made it as far as Liverpool and Swansea.
This may all be about to change with the purchase of Ed’s Easy Diner by European investor Rankvale in May 2009. The brand has been trading in the UK for nearly 25 years but with only three core units – Soho, London’s Trocadero and Bluewater, with a unit in Brent Cross since taken over by Wagamama.
Since the sad death of Barry Margolis, the ‘larger than life’ entrepreneur who owned the business, the company was held in Trust and growth did not appear on the group’s agenda. However, the exciting news is that, with the backing of the well-funded Rankvale, including a number of significant characters in the restaurant industry, the group has just opened its first unit in London’s Euston Station.
Located on the Piazza, sandwiched between Prêt and Caffe Nero, the 1,600-sq ft unit is the first in a planned roll-out of the brand. Rankvale has set its sights on growing the current estate to 11 restaurants in the next three to four years, with target locations in airports, stations and shopping centres, and a unit set to open in Lakeside.
We visited the Euston unit one evening with the need for a burger, fries and shake ‘experience’. The unit is well presented, combining an open kitchen with booth seats, sit-to counters, 50’s juke boxes and lashings of neon lights – very Pulp Fiction!
Service was exceptional – engaging and friendly and the food and drink prepared swiftly and delivered efficiently – this was authentic American-style customer care. The food and drink bill came to £23.00 for a ‘Big Bubba’ burger, an all day ‘Breakfast Bubba’ and two freshly made shakes – value for the portion sizes.
Railway stations are becoming increasingly like shopping centres in their retail and foodservice provision and we believe the Ed’s format is now well placed to capitalise on this cross-over. A good, family orientated, affordable casual dining offer, we expect the brand to appear in more shopping centre locations in the near future.
Food ★ ★ ★
Service ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Value ★ ★ ★ ★
