Happy Eater
| Locations: | up to 85 |
| Introduced: | 1973 |
| Removed: | 1996 |
| Predecessors: | Welcome Break |
| Successors: | Little Chef |
Happy Eater was a family restaurant chain which became a common sight in the 1980s, especially in the southern England. It was known for its distinctive yellow branding, animal-shaped outdoor play areas and its slightly unwell-looking red mascot.
Each restaurant had a yellow theme, with yellow light shades hanging from the roof and yellow Formica tables, with bright red plastic edging and steel legs.
Forte considered Happy Eater to be the most upmarket roadside brand they owned, with the comparatively low-rent Little Chef being the least. The Happy Eaters were more spacious, had better play areas and separate kitchens. Childrens' caps and badges were provided saying "I'm a Happy Eater", as well as Lego and games. In 1983, Parents Magazine declared Happy Eater the best restaurant chain for families.
Happy Eaters were especially busy on Sundays, as families would head out of town for the day. On weekdays the trade came mostly from businessmen. Meals included English breakfasts and fish and chips, and the children's 'Dougal's Delight'.
In 1991, the brand came to be associated with then-Prime Minister John Major, who was seen dining at one while on his way to a speech and reportedly visited regularly.
Much has been said about Happy Eater's unfortunate logo. It was actually redrawn in 1993 to remove the hand (example), but by then most branches had already closed.
Company History
Happy Eater was set up in 1972 by Michael Pickard, who decided to leave the Trust Houses group when they merged with Forte. The first branch opened in Ripley in May 1973, and the company was owned by Courage Brewery, itself owned by the Imperial Group.
Michael Pickard was later joined by former Trust Houses colleague Allen Jones, who had previously set up Welcome Break restaurants. Most of those restaurants had been re-branded as Happy Eater by 1978, with the Welcome Break name retained for a future venture.
Sandy Ross, Commercial Director, 1985
By 1980, Happy Eater had 21 restaurants. These mostly used existing pubs and cafés, usually next to a petrol station. They had been looking for "a straight road approach, easy access and good parking facilities".
At this point they began to scale up their operation, with a standard building design that could be constructed quickly, and a partnership with Esso that helped them plan new sites, and new bright yellow colours were introduced. Most sites were leased from a garage or petrol station; a few were owned and one was franchised.
The number of restaurants had grown to 85 before Imperial Group were acquired by Hanson Trust in 1986, which sold its hospitality chains to Trusthouse Forte that August. Forte immediately curtailed a few projects they found unprofitable, including a planned Happy Eater video game - that was later launched under another brand, 'Dizzy'. In general Forte approved of Happy Eater, noting its careful site selection and long opening hours. They wanted to expand it to 200 branches.
A report found that the average spend on a meal in 1986 was £3, with hamburgers priced at £2.75. During the two takeovers, Allen Jones and Jane Pickard left Imperial Group and went on to form a similar chain, AJ's.
With 220 Little Chef restaurants already open, the Monopoly and Mergers Commission were called in to investigate the purchase. They concluded that a merger of the two was no threat to the public interest, as it would be easy for a new firm to enter the industry. Forte continued to grow both Little Chef and its imitation Happy Eater, but Little Chef appeared to take priority.
Closure
Trusthouse Forte were bought by Granada in 1995, who described both restaurant chains as "tired". Granada believed in the power of a strong brand and economies of scale, so they decided to convert all the Happy Eaters to Little Chef.
This meant that Little Chef were now competing with themselves, which eventually led to a mass-closure of restaurants.
Sir Rocco Forte supposedly had a gentleman's agreement with the Whitbread Group that they would buy Happy Eater if Forte ever faced a hostile takeover, implying they wanted Happy Eater to have a long legacy. However, Forte had already started closing Happy Eaters before they were purchased, as Little Chef was more lucrative and Forte needed the cash. What is definitely true is that Forte were planning to quit the roadside restaurant industry, and had signed off a deal to sell both Happy Eater and Little Chef to Whitbread, on condition that the Granada deal fell through.
A chain of restaurants in Mauritius now operates under the 'Happy Eater' name, with a very similar logo. They say they were founded in 1996.
The rights to the Happy Eater name in the UK continue to be owned by Kout Food Group (after they took over Little Chef), despite frequent Wikipedia rumours that Happy Eater has been sold again.
Specifically, the Happy Eater name is owned by Kout's subsidiary Hybrid Dining Ltd, who's only assets are the Little Chef and Happy Eater brands. In October 2019 they stated that they are "focusing efforts" on monetising these. Note that this does not necessarily mean that they are seeking to open new restaurants, but that they may not turn down an opportunity if one arose.
Locations
See also: Map of Happy Eater restaurants
Happy Eater operated at the following locations.
Note that the branch numbering was not always consecutive, or consistent. In the Forte era, some planned Little Chefs and Happy Eaters were swapped around as construction started, causing confusion in the historical records: we believe our list is an accurate record of what actually opened as a Happy Eater.
Where further information is available on the service area, you can tap its name for details.
| Branch Number | Restaurant | Road (at the time) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 078 | Andover North | A303 | |
| 079 | Andover South | A303 | |
| 048 | Apex Corner | A1 | Closed circa 1994 (not converted). |
| 098 | Attleborough | A11 | |
| 062 | Baldock | A1 | |
| 039 | Barham | A2 | Closed circa 1996 (not converted). |
| 031 | Basildon | A127 | |
| 070 | Belbroughton | A491 | |
| 077 | Bere Regis | A31 | |
| 004 | Betchworth | A25 | Closed circa 1996 (not converted). |
| 099 | Bicester | A41 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 065 | Birstall | A62 | |
| 102 | Burford | A40 | Was planned to be a Little Chef. |
| 065 | Burgh Heath (Pickard Motor Hotel) | A217 | Not converted. |
| 073 | Burnley | A671 (M65) | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 046 | Burton South | A38 | |
| ??? | Camel Cross | A303 | Closed in favour of Camel Hill Little Chef, which became a Happy Eater. |
| 069 | Cannock | A5 | Was Jubilee Café. |
| 058 | Capel St Mary | A12 | |
| 002 | Charing | A20 | |
| 055 | Chester | A41 | Closed circa 1996 (not converted). |
| 017 | Chipping Norton | A44 | |
| 030 | Codford | A36 | |
| 040 | Colsterworth North | A1 | |
| 101 | Colsterworth South | A1 | |
| 076 | Colwyn Bay | A55 | |
| ??? | Coombe Lane (Kingston Bypass) North | A3 | Opened 1975, closed very early (not converted). |
| ??? | Coombe Lane (Kingston Bypass) South | A3 | Opened 1975, closed 1979 (not converted). |
| 061 | Croxton | A45 | Closed circa 1994 (not converted). |
| 059 | Darley Dale | A6 | |
| 081 | Daventry | A45 | |
| 025 | Detling | A249 | |
| 097 | Doncaster | A1 | |
| 045 | East Dereham | A47 | |
| 066 | Elkesley | A1 | Closed circa 1994 (not converted). |
| 087 | Feering | A12 | |
| 005 | Felbridge | A22 | Closed circa 1996 (not converted). |
| ??? | Freckenham | A11 | |
| 096 | Hailsham | A22 | |
| 003 | Handcross | A23 | Known for being the "third oldest" branch. |
| ??? | Henstridge | A30 | Former Welcome Break. |
| 034 | Hindhead (Pickard Motor Hotel) | A3 | Previously the Royal Huts Hotel. |
| 006 | Hogs Back | A31 | |
| 064 | Holbeach | A17 | Was Ron's Café. |
| 010 | Holmwood | A24 | Former Welcome Break, converted in 1978. |
| 012 | Hooley | A23 | |
| 027 | Horsham | A24 | |
| 083 | Ilminster | A303 | |
| 015 | Kennford North | A38 | Former Welcome Break. |
| 016 | Kennford South | A38 | |
| 009 | Lamberhurst | A21 | Former Welcome Break. |
| ??? | Leicester Forest East North & South | M1 | Two restaurants within the motorway service area. At least one was in the transport café. |
| 075 | Manchester | A34 | |
| 024 | Markham Moor | A1 | |
| 089 | Martlesham | A12 | |
| 063 | Membury West & East | M4 | Outside the motorway services. Converted circa 1992. |
| 104 | Newark | A1/A17/A46 | |
| 041 | Newmarket North | A14 | |
| 042 | Newmarket South | A14 | |
| 094 | Northop Hall | A55 | |
| 036 | Nottingham | A52 | |
| 093 | Oakmere | A556 | One of the first to become a Little Chef |
| ??? | Ollerton | A614 | |
| 019 | Peterborough | A1 | |
| 085 | Picket Post | A31 | |
| 067 | Quarrendon | A41 | Closed circa 1994 (not converted). |
| 037 | Rainton North | A1 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 038 | Rainton South | A1 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 011 | Rake | A3 | Former Welcome Break. Closed circa 1994, after the bypass (not converted). |
| 100 | Ross Spur | A449 (M50) | At the northbound Welcome Break site. |
| 044 | Royston | A505 | |
| 108 | Saltash | A38 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 047 | Sawtry North | A1 | |
| 051 | Sawtry South | A1 | |
| 056 | Saxmundham | A12 | |
| 029 | Selby Fork | A1 | |
| ??? | Send | A3 | The first branch - opened in May 1973. Was Crossways Café. |
| 049 | Skipbridge | A59 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 082 | South Cave East | A63 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 086 | South Cave West | A63 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 103 | Sparkford | A303 | Built to replace Camel Cross. |
| 072 | St Leonards | A31 | |
| 074 | Stockbury | A249 | |
| 043 | Swindon | A419 | |
| 023 | Tempsford | A1 | |
| 071 | Thirsk | A168 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 091 | Todhills | A74 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| ??? | Tottenham Court Road | A400 | Franchised restaurant. |
| 022 | Ware | A10 | |
| 084 | Western Avenue | A40 | |
| 080 | Weston on the Green | A34 | |
| 054 | Whitchurch | A49 | |
| 018 | Whitstable | A299 | |
| 092 | Widnes | A562 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |
| 057 | Wisbech | A47 | Possibly 2 restaurants? |
| 052 | Wisley North | A3 | |
| 053 | Wisley South | A3 | |
| 026 | Worthing | A27 | |
| 021 | York | A64 | One of the first to become a Little Chef. |