Honest Burgers

Honest Burgers is a British casual dining restaurant chain founded in 2009 by Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles. The brand operates primarily in the United Kingdom and is particularly associated with London, where most of its restaurants have historically been located. Its menu centers on burgers and accompanying sides, with fries and milkshakes among the offerings associated with the chain. The business presents itself as a dedicated burger restaurant rather than a broad full-service restaurant group. The chain expanded beyond London over time, establishing restaurants in other British cities including Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester. By June 2024, the company was reported to have 39 restaurants. This footprint places Honest Burgers within the UK’s modern casual-dining and better-burger segment, serving customers through a network of branded, dine-in restaurants. The company has also faced employment and financial scrutiny. In February 2023, it reportedly threatened to dismiss and rehire employees who did not accept the removal of paid breaks. The episode brought attention to the relationship between the company and its staff and became a significant labor-related controversy associated with the brand. In December 2023, Honest Burgers entered a legal dispute with HM Revenue and Customs after an extension request relating to a tax bill was not accepted or acted upon. A winding-up petition was subsequently issued, but it was withdrawn after the company paid the relevant tax bill. The available reference material identifies Honest Burgers as an operating British restaurant chain, but does not provide verified information about its current ownership structure, detailed financial performance, website, executive team, or a fuller account of its menu and brand strategy. Those fields are therefore left unreported rather than inferred.

Honest Burgers was established in the United Kingdom in 2009 by Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles. From its origins, the business was structured as a casual dining chain centered on burgers, placing it within the British restaurant market rather than the conventional quick-service sector. London became the brand’s principal operating base and the location of most of its restaurants. The company subsequently developed a wider UK presence. Its restaurants expanded beyond the capital to include locations in Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester, demonstrating an intention to operate as a national, rather than exclusively London-based, chain. The available reference material describes the brand as having 39 restaurants by June 2024. No verified source in the supplied material identifies a separate parent company, publicly traded status, or current corporate owner. Honest Burgers’ food proposition is built around burgers served in a casual restaurant setting, with fries and milkshakes also associated with its typical product range. The supplied references do not provide enough detail to document individual product launches, named menu generations, ingredient specifications, pricing history, or formal advertising campaigns, so those aspects are not expanded here. The chain encountered a major employment controversy in February 2023. It was reported to have threatened to fire and rehire employees who did not accept the removal of paid breaks. Fire-and-rehire practices can materially alter employment conditions and therefore attracted scrutiny in connection with the company’s treatment of staff. The reference material does not establish the final resolution of the employment dispute or provide a complete account of any negotiations with workers. A separate financial and legal episode occurred in December 2023. Honest Burgers was involved in a dispute with HM Revenue and Customs after a request for additional time concerning a tax bill was ignored. HMRC then issued a winding-up petition. The petition was later withdrawn after the company paid the tax bill, preventing the reported petition from proceeding to a winding-up outcome. The available material does not state the amount of the tax bill or describe the company’s broader financial position. As of the June 2024 reference point, Honest Burgers remained an active UK restaurant chain with a substantial London concentration and additional regional locations. Information about present executives, ownership, financial results, corporate structure, and future plans is not established by the supplied sources.

• 2024

  Reported 39-restaurant network

  [1]Honest Burgersen.wikipedia.org

  The chain was reported to have 39 restaurants as of June 2024, mainly in London with further locations elsewhere in the UK.

• 2023

  Paid-break employment dispute

  [1]Honest Burgersen.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to have threatened fire-and-rehire action against staff who did not accept the removal of paid breaks.

• 2023

  HMRC winding-up petition withdrawn

  [1]Honest Burgersen.wikipedia.org

  A winding-up petition connected with an unpaid or disputed tax bill was withdrawn after Honest Burgers paid the bill.

• 2009

  Company founded

  [1]Honest Burgersen.wikipedia.org

  Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles founded Honest Burgers in the United Kingdom.

A British casual dining burger chain focused on burgers and accompanying restaurant items.

• Main dishes

  Burgers

  Burgers are the core product category associated with Honest Burgers and form the central focus of its casual dining restaurants. The supplied reference material does not specify the full range of recipes, meat or vegetarian options, ingredients, or current menu names.

• Side dishes

  Fries

  Fries are a principal accompaniment associated with the chain’s burger-led menu. The available sources identify fries as part of the typical product range but do not provide verified detail about varieties, preparation, or current pricing.

• Beverages

  Milkshakes

  Milkshakes are among the beverage offerings associated with Honest Burgers. The supplied material does not document the flavors, ingredients, or specific product history of the milkshake range.

• 2023

  Paid-break and fire-and-rehire controversy

  Honest Burgers was reported to have threatened to fire and rehire staff who rejected the removal of paid breaks. The supplied source does not establish the final resolution of the dispute.

  Source

• 2023

  HMRC tax dispute and winding-up petition

  After a request for an extension on a tax bill was reportedly ignored, HMRC issued a winding-up petition against Honest Burgers. The petition was withdrawn after the company paid the bill.

  Source

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• 2023

  Proposed removal of paid breaksStrategy

  Background

  The company’s employment terms became the subject of a dispute after reports that staff were being asked to accept the loss of paid breaks.

  Action taken

  Honest Burgers reportedly threatened to dismiss and rehire employees who did not accept the change.

  Aftermath

  The action generated public and labor-related controversy. The supplied reference does not document the final employment outcome.

  Source

• 2023

  Settlement of tax bill following HMRC petitionOther

  Background

  A dispute arose after an extension request relating to a tax bill was reportedly not accepted or acted upon, leading HMRC to issue a winding-up petition.

  Action taken

  The company paid its tax bill, after which the winding-up petition was withdrawn.

  Aftermath

  The petition did not proceed to a winding-up outcome. The amount of the bill and wider financial implications are not provided in the source material.

  Source

1. 1Honest Burgersen.wikipedia.org