Giggling Squid founder used ‘Range Rover count’ to choose locations for Thai restaurants
The founder of Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid counted the number of Range Rovers in suburban towns to decide whether they would be suitable locations for his restaurant.
Andy Laurillard told City PM he counted how many Range Rovers passed a potential restaurant site during morning rush hour as part of his research into a town’s demographics.
The Thai chain’s founder said the cost of the most expensive bottle of wine in local supermarkets was also a reliable indicator of how much wealth was in a particular area.
“If it’s £20 a bottle it’s probably not for us,” said Laurillard. “If it’s £50-£60 a bottle then there are obviously quite a lot of people in the town that are putting expensive, exotic things in their mouths and they might try us.”
Laurillard said the number of knick-knack shops was another “leading indicator” of affluence in the local area.
Giggling Squid currently has 29 branches in south England and reported a 54 per cent year-on-year increase in earnings for the year to the end of March.
Laurillard said the company’s board will start a “transaction process” after Christmas, looking at flotation, private equity or trade sale.