A number of prominent UK chain restaurants have already signed up to take part in the Government’s new ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme beginning on August 1.
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme is part of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s #PlanForJobsannounced last week.
The scheme, which will run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Monday 3rd August – Monday 31st August 2020, will see restaurants and pubs in England offer a 50% discount up to a maximum of £10 per head as a way of encouraging diners to eat at their establishments.
There is no limit to the number of times that members of the public can use the offer during the period of the scheme, but customers cannot get a discount for someone who is not eating or drinking.
Alcohol and service charges will also be excluded from the offer.
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To support restaurants and the people who work in them we’re saying ‘Eat Out to Help Out’.
So for the month of August we will give you a 50% reduction, up to £10 per head, on sit-down meals and non-alcoholic drinks Monday-Wednesday. #PlanForJobspic.twitter.com/D6eznIDjqC
Plenty of popular chain restaurants, pubs and fast food establishments across the UK – many of which have branches in the Greater Manchester area – have already signed up to take part in the scheme.
Here is everything we know about the eateries currently set to take part:
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All Bar One – The owner of the restaurant and bar chain, which has locations on King Street in Manchester city centre and the Trafford Centre has confirmed the intent to take part in the scheme. It of course will not apply to alcoholic drinks, but if you’re just grabbing a bite to eat, or fancy a soft drink, you can get 50% off up to £10 a person.
Browns – The same rules as above will apply at Brown’s, which has a branch in Manchester city centre on York Street, meaning all food and soft drinks will be half price up to £10 a head, Monday – Wednesday, in August.
Burger King – Alasdair Murdoch, CEO at Burger King UK & Ireland, said that the fast food chain will be signing up to the scheme almost as soon as it was announced. Speaking on the BBC’s Coronavirus Newscast podcast, he said: “We’ll certainly be embracing it, as long as we can understand the terms and conditions and work them out.”
Frankie & Benny’s – The American-Italian restaurant chain, which has recently announced permanent closure of a number of branches nationwide but still has outlets in Greater Manchester, told media outlets it will be knocking 50% off the bill up to £10 each in August.
Find out more on the Frankie & Benny’s website here.
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Harvester – Mitchells & Butlers, the firm behind the Harvester restaurant chain – which has a number of branches throughout Greater Manchester – said it is planning on registering with the scheme for August.
Nando’s – Fans of the ever-popular chicken chain restaurant, which has plenty of outlets open across the city centre and Greater Manchester, will be able to get their peri-peri fix at half-price too in August as Nando’s has confirmed it would be registering for the scheme.
Pizza Hut – Pizza Hut has confirmed it will be getting involved, and will have more than 100 restaurants open for dine-in customers across the UK within the next week.
Prezzo – Italian chain restaurant Prezzo, which has Greater Manchester locations at MediaCityUK and in Bolton, confirmed to media outlets that it is planning to get involved in the scheme in August.
Toby Carvery – Another brand run by Mitchells & Butlers, Toby Carvery – which announced new operational plans for reopening to customers last month – will also be offering 50% off food up to £10 a head on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August.
Wagamama – The popular Asian cuisine chain restaurant, with a number of outlets in Greater Manchester, will be taking part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, and the Rishi Sunak himself was even spotted helping to serve Wagamama’s customers shortly after making the announcement.
Jürgen Klopp reveals the main reason he turned down the Manchester United job
Danny Jones
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has revealed one of the main reasons he turned down the Manchester United job more than a decade ago.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss turned Merseyside hero spent nine years at Anfield, going on to win a Champions League, Premier League, and a collection of cups.
It’s also worth noting that this all came in the years following the departure of legendary Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but there could have been an alternate reality where Klopp carried on where ‘Fergie’ left off, as the now 58-year-old says the club spoke to him during that time.
With Sir Alex leaving in 2013 after the best part of 30 years, Klopp told Steven Bartlett on his most recent Diary of A CEO episode that “of course, they were interested.”
OUT NOW!
💥Jürgen Klopp on The Diary Of A CEO
Some of the topics we cover:
•His surprise at Liverpool’s £450m transfer window and why he didn’t get the same money
•He says a return to Liverpool is possible – but he couldn’t ask for just one year off
Admitting that the interest was mutual “at one point”, the prospect of joining Liverpool‘s historic rivals clearly appealed to him.
Noting that he was flourishing as an up-and-coming coach (aged 46 back then) in charge of an impressive Dortmund team – adding that even some of his then future players to be at Liverpool flew to watch them play in the Champions League – it’s clear he had plenty of suitors.
However, the retired German footballer turned ‘Gegenpressing’ tactician goes on to explain that despite United trying to poach him from the Bundesliga, it was “the wrong time, wrong moment for me.”
Crucially, he says that some aspects of the conversations between him and the club at the time proved to be a turn-off rather than an incentive, citing talk of ‘the biggest club in the world’ and supposedly “signing any player we want.”
In short, Klopp says that, crucially, it didn’t sound like it would have been his project, drawing parallels to the board wanting to bring back players like Paul Pogba, with arguably similar ‘mistakes’ being made with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. In his eyes, looking backwards simply “never helps”.
You can see the clip in full here:
Had he not turned down the offer, do you think Klopp could have helped rebuild Man United?
According to Klopp, after negotiations seemed to revolve primarily around the kind of players they were going to bring in, he decided the opportunity wasn’t for him.
Nevertheless, it looked like things worked out for Merseyside’s biggest club, at least, as he went on to become one of the most successful managers in the Premier League, managing to break up the long period of dominance overseen by both Manchester United and, most recently, Man City.
As for the red half of Manchester, they at the very least had a good weekend as they finally ended their long wait for a win away against Liverpool.
In case you missed it, you can watch the highlights – including another big clutch goal from Harry Maguire – down below.
More than £2 million in compensation received by underpaid workers in the North West
Danny Jones
More than £2 million is said to have been dished out in compensation to workers in the North West alone, as the UK government is continuing to crack down on employers underpaying their staff.
Employees from nearly 500 different companies across the region have received the money they owed following a raft of fines in excess of £2.7 million.
Covering the likes of Greater Manchester and beyond, the companies responsible have been revealed by the government as part of the new Fair Work Agency (FWA), which is tasked with shoring up workers’ rights moving forward.
The FWA is part of Labour’s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and hopes not only to correctly reimburse those short-changed but also, with the clear threat of swift action, deter others from trying to do the same in the future.
Matthew Taylor CBE has been appointed Chair of the Fair Work Agency, a new body that will transform how employment rights are enforced across the UK.
How? By tackling exploitation, supporting businesses doing the right thing, and helping to build a fairer labour market. pic.twitter.com/duEeNlwDHr
— Department for Business and Trade (@biztradegovuk) October 14, 2025
Released publicly last Friday, 17 October, 80 companies that failed to properly pay approximately 19,000 workers in and around the North West have now been repaid by their employers.
Perhaps most concerningly is that the fines sweep across multiple sectors and sizes, from local independents and SME to well-known high street brands.
From April 2026 onwards, the updated Employment Rights Bill (which also includes the FWA) grants more powers to tackle employers underpaying workers and failing to fulfil both holiday and sick pay.
This announcement also comes after the National Minimum Wage rate was increased earlier this year, with millions getting a pay rise and those working full-time on the National Living Wage seeing their families supported by an extra £1,400 per year.
Under the ‘Make Work Pay’ initiative set out by the Labour Party, more than 15 million Brits are expected to benefit from the new measures.
Overall, roughly £6 million has been put back into the pockets of underpaid workers up and down the country following these fines, which are said to have totalled roughly £10.2m. The full list of companies in question can be seen HERE.
Speaking on the news, Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said: “This government is taking direct action to ensure workers get every penny they’ve earned, and to put an end to bad businesses undercutting good ones.
“We’re proud to have delivered a strong minimum wage, and enforcing it thoroughly is crucial in our mission to put pounds back in your pocket. I know this news will be welcomed by brilliant businesses across the country, those who know that happy, well-paid staff are at the heart of building a successful company.
“With our new Fair Work Agency and the coming Employment Rights Bill, this government is keeping our promise to Britain to make work pay again.”
If you fear you might be suffering from underpayment by your employer, you can check that your wages are correct online; alternatively, you can call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or contact their website for more information right HERE.
The Manc -
13th July 2020 
