By Aditi Rane,Bethany Gavaghan
Copyright walesonline
A popular food chain that is best known for its decadent cinnamon rolls has suddenly shuttered all 12 of its UK branches, vanishing from British high streets just four years after making its debut. Cinnabon, the American bakery chain, made its UK entrance in 2020 with bold aspirations for 150 outlets, establishing locations across cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham. During its height it ran approximately 20 branches nationwide and was once welcomed with lengthy queues of customers posting their treats on social media platforms. But EG On the Move, the franchise partner that collaborated with Cinnabon to launch its British operations, has confirmed it took the “strategic decision” to close every site. The firm stated: “EG On the Move has made the strategic decision to close all Cinnabon locations operated in the UK. This was not a decision taken lightly but it reflects the strategic shift to focus on our core convenience retail business. “This decision aligns with our wider business strategy to focus on areas where we can deliver the greatest value to our customers.” For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here The shutdowns happened with minimal advance notice. At certain venues, shoppers discovered handwritten notices on locked doors telling them the cafés had ceased trading immediately from September 1, reports the Express . Cinnabon UK locations now closed: Online response has been divided. as some customers voiced their dismay, pleading for the brand’s comeback, while others argued that it was too expensive and didn’t lend itself to being somewhere people could enjoy regularly. Despite Cinnabon’s withdrawal other American food giants are forging ahead with their UK expansion plans. Wendy’s, which made a comeback in 2021, is aiming to open 400 restaurants. Chick-fil-A is gearing up to launch its first permanent British outlets this year while Popeyes has rolled out more than 38 branches since 2021. Shake Shack also revealed its first train station restaurant at London St Pancras.
