Are Premier Inn Closing Their Restaurants

Right, let’s tackle the rumour that has sent a shiver down the spine of every budget-conscious traveller and late-night sausage enthusiast: Are Premier Inn closing their restaurants? The internet has been buzzing like a faulty air conditioning unit, and I’ve seen more panic than a man who just realised his socks don’t match his flip-flops. Let’s dig into this culinary crisis before you start stockpiling packets of ketchup from the breakfast buffet.

The Great British Panic

First off, calm down. No one is taking away your beloved ‘all-you-can-eat’ breakfast. Premier Inn is not closing all their restaurants—yet. But like a suspicious lump in your hotel pillow, there’s a bit more to this story than meets the eye.

Here’s the headline: some of their standalone restaurants, like the ones attached to the hotel but not inside it—think Brewers Fayre or Beefeater—have been quietly shutting their doors. It’s a strategic downsizing, not a full-blown apocalypse for the hash brown supply chain. Surprising fact: According to Whitbread (the company that owns Premier Inn), they closed around 200 of these standalone sites between 2020 and 2024. That’s the equivalent of you deciding to finally clear out your fridge—dramatic, but necessary.

Why Are They Closing? (Spoiler: It’s Not Because the Coffee is Terrible)

The main reason is money, which is usually the boring answer, but stick with me. Whitbread looked at their books and realised that running a giant steakhouse next to a Travelodge-style hotel was costing more than it was worth. The restaurants were often half-empty by 8 pm, and the profit margins were as thin as the slice of ham you get in a supermarket sandwich.

“But what about the Thyme restaurants inside the hotels?” I hear you ask. Good question, you attentive reader. Those are staying put. The in-hotel Thyme restaurants are the golden geese of the Premier Inn empire. They serve breakfast to frantic families at 7 am, and a surprisingly decent burger to weary business travellers who can’t work a microwave. Surprising fact: Premier Inn sells about 25 million cooked breakfasts every year. That’s enough bacon to wrap the entire M25 motorway in a crispy blanket.

The Real Culprit: The Post-Pandemic Pivot

Let’s be honest—covid did a number on sit-down dining. People got used to ordering Uber Eats while wearing their pyjamas. When lockdowns lifted, those standalone restaurants struggled to get bums back on seats. Premier Inn realised they could just outsource the problem: let the local Nando’s or Frankie & Benny’s handle dinner, while they focus on selling you a bed.

Think of it as a hotel that says, “We’ll give you a good night’s sleep, but you’re on your own for chips.” It’s a bit like a friend who invites you over for a party but makes you bring your own pizza. Joke: I’m starting to suspect the next step is a Premier Inn receptionist handing you a GPS tracker and saying, “The nearest chippy is 0.7 miles north-west. Best of luck.”

What Does This Mean for the Average Traveller?

Honestly, not much if you’re staying at a central city hotel. Those Thyme restaurants are still there, serving their “made to order” eggs and that mysterious sausage that tastes vaguely of sage and mathematics. But if you were planning a romantic dinner at a Premier Inn’s Carvery—well, you might need to recalibrate your definition of romance.

The bigger shift is that more hotels are partnering with local chains or offering simplified “grab and go” breakfasts. It’s leaner, meaner, and less likely to involve a sticky tablecloth. Surprising fact: In 2023, Whitbread invested £80 million in upgrading their hotel rooms and building new ones—they’re spending more on pillows than on pepper mills.

The Final Verdict

So, no, your beloved Premier Inn is not turning into a food desert. The restaurants inside the hotels are here to stay, like that one weird stain on the carpet. The closures are specifically for the attached chain pubs that were underperforming. Think of it as a diet for the company—they’re cutting the carbs, not the core.

If you want to panic about a hotel meal, panic about the price of a mini-bar chocolate bar. That’s where the real crime happens. For now, grab your breakfast voucher, help yourself to a second round of hash browns, and rest easy. The restaurant is mostly still open—just don’t ask for the manager after 9 pm, because he’s probably already closed for the night.

In conclusion: Premier Inn’s restaurants are not closing, they’re just streamlining. And if you ever find yourself stranded in a Premier Inn lobby at midnight, starving and bitter, just remember: there’s always the 24-hour vending machine. It’s not a gourmet experience, but it is an adventure. Surprising fact: Those vending machines are so profitable that Premier Inn is considering opening a chain of them. Coming soon to a car park near you: the Premier Inn Snackpod. You heard it here first.