John Lewis is replacing its long-standing The Place To Eat café brand with a new concept called Platter John Lewis, backed by a multi-million pound investment in its in-store dining estate, with the first refurbished sites reopening this month.

The brand will replace its longstanding The Place To Eat brand, with its first location in Chichester opening on Thursday. Refurbishment work is underway at two other stores in Reading and at its London flagship on Oxford Street. The latter is set to receive the most extensive transformation, with the restaurant due to reopen in early August following a thirteen-week refit. The redevelopment is part of John Lewis’s multi-year £800 million investment in its stores.

John Lewis said it intends to have all 32 refurbished locations reopened and rebranded by the end of 2027.

The overhaul reflects growing commercial importance of food and drink for the retailer. John Lewis currently operates 62 cafés and restaurants across its store estate, with hospitality accounting for more than 20 per cent of in-store transactions and sales in the category rising by nearly 10 per cent over the past year.

“Customers are spending more time in our shops, and food and drink is an increasingly important part of that experience,” said Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality for John Lewis. “Platter John Lewis will give customers a more modern, welcoming place to pause, meet and enjoy something delicious while they shop.

“This is an exciting investment in our hospitality offer and an important part of how we’re making John Lewis shops even better places to visit,” she added.

John Lewis has appointed hospitality operator Benugo to transform and run the new restaurants. The partnership builds on an existing ten-year relationship; Benugo already operates cafés under its own name in 10 John Lewis shops, as well as venues at cultural destinations including the Natural History Museum, the V&A and the British Museum.

Platter John Lewis will sit alongside the retailer's wider food and drink offer, which includes Benugo, Ori cafés, Huffkins tea rooms, Jamie Oliver Cafe and Kamakura at Oxford Street. The new brand will retain existing customer favourites and membership perks, including free hot drinks and cake for My John Lewis members.

---