Published: Tuesday, 29th December, 2009 3:00pm

On the fast track to success

by Alan Bunce

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BUSINESS is so good for restaurant and takeaway Roosters piri piri, two more are going to open in Reading creating at least 20 jobs.

The West Street restaurant has been open less than a year and has already doubled the trade it achieved in the early months. Owner Nadeem Khan has had Roosters restaurants in High Wycombe and Watford for more than six years but their openings were nowhere near as successful as that in Reading. He said: "Reading in the first year has been phenomenal.

"Comparing like for like with the other two sites, it beats them hands down. There is no comparison."

There are other franchised outlets which stretch as far north as Cambridge but Nadeem manages the West Street branch and will oversee the new ones.

The restaurant opened in January and has five stars in the council's food hygiene ratings. Within ten months, trade had doubled and now there are plans for further outlets on Oxford Road and at Cemetery Junction because people are travelling in from those areas to use the West Street branch. At least 10 jobs will be created at each.

Nadeem says the food is as good as that at Nando's but costs less because there are fewer frills. He reckons price and quality are drawing people in.

He said: "It's because a) people are going for the healthier option - ours is grilled and fresh - and b), our prices are very competitive; in the range of McDonald's or KFC. Ours is like Nando's but at half the price."

Until now, custom has come from word of mouth but Roosters has just launched an advertising campaign on taxis and via leaflets. Nadeem added: "It's not just about what you sell, it's about the service you provide and how well you look after your customers. But most of all the product is fantastic."

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