Next time you visit your local John Lewis café, be prepared for it to look a little different, as major changes are underway in the department store’s food halls. In an announcement shared today, the retailer revealed plans to replace its long-standing The Place To Eat brand across all 32 cafés, with the first refurbished spaces reopening from this month.
New Concept: Platter
Created and operated in partnership with hospitality chain Benugo — which already runs cafés under its own name in 10 John Lewis shops — the new concept, Platter, will feature ‘a refreshed menu’. Exact details of what this will entail remain under wraps, but a previous statement from Benugo founder Ben Warner suggests we can expect deli, bakery and pizza dishes ‘made with fresh, quality ingredients’ among the offering.
Customer Favourites Retained
It was also confirmed that ‘customer favourites, as well as popular membership offers such as free hot drinks and cake’ won’t be going anywhere — much to fans’ delight. ‘A slice of cake and a cuppa in the “Place to Eat” is so underrated,’ said @thought_foxx on a recent Reddit thread, to which @hotairballoonpolice added: ‘Especially when you get it for free on JL rewards!’
Part of £800 Million Investment
The move forms part of John Lewis’ £800 million multi-year investment in its brand, stores and customer experience — which Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality, claims food and drink is ‘an increasingly important part of.’ ‘Platter John Lewis will give customers a more modern, welcoming place to pause, meet and enjoy something delicious while they shop,’ she said in a statement.
Growing Importance of Food and Drink
The 62 cafés and restaurants in John Lewis’s estate now account for more than 20% of its total in-store transactions, while sales in the category have gone up by 10% over the past year. According to the company, which also recently added Warabi-Mochi Kamakura and a new seasonal champagne bar to its in-store dining roster, this increase is due to customers spending ‘more time enjoying food and drink as part of a day out shopping’.
Phased Rollout
Although some John Lewis cafés aren’t due to be upgraded until ‘the end of 2027’, work has already begun in the Chichester, Reading and Oxford Street branches. The latter is receiving the most extensive refurb, with this flagship London Platter (located on the fifth floor) slated to open in August, following a 13-week transformation. Elsewhere, the scale of the changes will vary between stores.
