John Lewis starts major change at 32 branches with first three this month

John Lewis has announced a major shake-up of its stores as part of a multi-million pound investment across its shops. The department store chain is scrapping its long-running “The Place To Eat” brand and replacing it with a new hospitality concept called Platter John Lewis. for its cafes and restaurants. The overhaul will affect 32 cafés across the UK, with the first refurbished locations reopening later this month. Three stores — Chichester, Reading and Oxford Street — are first in line for the changes, with London’s Oxford Street branch set to receive the biggest transformation. Its flagship restaurant is expected to reopen in August following a 13-week refurbishment. John Lewis said all 32 cafés will eventually be redesigned and rebranded by the end of 2027. The retailer said hospitality has become an increasingly important part of the shopping experience, with food and drink now accounting for more than 20% of all in-store transactions. Sales across its cafés and restaurants have also risen by nearly 10% over the past year. The revamped Platter cafés will feature refreshed menus while still keeping some existing customer favourites. Popular My John Lewis perks, including free cake and hot drinks offers, will also remain. Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Services & Hospitality for John Lewis, said customers were spending longer in stores and increasingly treating shopping trips as a day out. She said: “Platter John Lewis will give customers a more modern, welcoming place to pause, meet and enjoy something delicious while they shop.” The retailer has partnered with hospitality operator Benugo for the relaunch. Benugo already runs cafés inside 10 John Lewis stores and has worked with the chain for the past decade. The new Platter brand will sit alongside John Lewis’ wider food offering, which currently includes Benugo cafés, Jamie Oliver Café, Huffkins tea rooms and Kamakura at Oxford Street. The investment forms part of John Lewis’ wider £800 million plan to improve stores, customer experience and its overall brand offering.