UK QSR leaders to gather in London for the biggest annual fast-food conference
The event is for one whole day only.
Senior executives from across the UK quick-service and fast-casual industry will come together on 22 June at Park Plaza Victoria London for the QSR Media UK Redcat Conference and Awards 2026, with profitability, loyalty, and brand-led growth at the centre of the day's agenda.
The full-day programme will bring together operators, founders, and marketers to address the central tensions facing the UK quick-service industry — protecting profitability without defaulting to discounting, building loyalty in a price-aware market, and scaling without losing brand identity.
James Whitehorn, Chief Financial Officer of KFC UK and Ireland, will take part in a fireside chat on the brand's continued growth amid intensifying competition in the chicken category. Sohail Ali, Co-Founder of Chaiiwala, will also appear in a separate fireside session.
The Leaders Panel will feature Khalil Rehman of Caprinos Pizza, which posted 14% like-for-like growth in 2025 and is targeting 200 UK stores by 2030; Aoife Dannatt, Managing Director of Chipotle Europe, whose UK estate is expanding by 20% in 2026; Jemma Smoker, General Manager of EMEA at Gong cha, which recently signed a franchise deal for more than 225 UK stores; and Jon Lake, Managing Director of Chopstix.
The Marketing Panel will include senior marketers from Taco Bell, Black Sheep Coffee, Itsu, and Eatphoria. The programme also features panels on operations and food innovation, alongside a founders session with the co-founders of SushiDog, B Bagel, and Urban Barista.
Meanwhile, the QSR Media UK Awards 2026 will be held during the lunch break, recognising outstanding performance across the UK QSR industry.
