Morrisons launched a chain of unique, pop-up restaurants this Autumn. The unprecedented project allowed consumers to eat out, enjoy and review our new ready meal range, M Kitchen, and delicious Morrisons wines in four stunning venues across the country – for free!
The first launch was a beautifully kept secret: The Kitchen, opened up near London’s Carnaby Street during Restaurant Week. Diners could book and dine for free on a fantastic menu created with the UK’s leading chefs: Pierre Koffmann, Nigel Haworth, Atul Kochhar, Aldo Zilli and Bryn Williams. Without any hint that Morrisons were their hosts, the diners were asked to review their meals, with amazing, unprejudiced results: 76% rated their meal as ‘excellent’ and 85% said they would have paid over £20 for their meal. They were delighted to be told that their meals could be purchased from Morrisons supermarkets for from as little as £3!
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The restaurant then popped up as the M Kitchen in Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester – and, even though the regional restaurant diners now knew who was behind their fantastic dining experience and why, 80% still decided that the experience was worth over £20.
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The restaurants overall gained rave reviews from press and customers:
“(M Kitchen) sounded like the Traveling Wilburys of the restaurant world, its very own super-group of Pierre Koffmann, Atul Kochhar, Bryn Williams, Nigel Haworth and – in the role of drummer Him Keltner to their Dylan, Harrison, Orbison, Lynne and Petty – Aldo Zilli” – Sunday Times Magazine
"Great meal care of @AldoZilli last night :) morrisons M Kitchen is gonna be a massive hit :)" Money Saving Expert
“This is a brave move by Morrisons using the pop-up trend to launch a ready meal range and they have pulled it off very well, great location, super service and fab restaurant quality food, all in all a fantastic lunch that I would have happily paid for!” - Yorkshire Dales Food
“There is no denying that the launch of M Kitchen in London and Leeds has been a huge success. It is clear that Morrisons has taken a refreshing approach to its PR for the new range and its collaboration with top chefs offers the products a degree of personality.” - Leeds Uncut
Aldo Zilli, speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, said "Before the pop-up restaurant came here it was an empty shell and now it’s a fully- functioning restaurant – it’s magnificent. We were completely sold out and the diners were given restaurant quality food completely free of charge. Now they know they can get great food like this just by going to their local Morrisons.”
“Top chefs Aldo Zilli and Atul Kochhar were on hand to help launch a unique pop-up restaurant in Birmingham. Morrisons has transformed part of The Custard Factory in Digbeth into a culinary destination to offer hundreds of diners a three-course meal over the next three days – free of charge. Those who ate at the restaurant were so impressed with the food they were served that more than half the diners said they would pay £20 or more for their meal.” - Express and Star