PizzaExpress failed to pay minimum wage, owed £706,701 to workers, but has since rectified issues

From Yahoo Finance: 2025-06-02 07:41:00

Casual dining chain PizzaExpress failed to pay some staff the UK’s legal minimum wage, owing £706,701 to 8,470 workers. Hilton UK Hotels Limited also underpaid £18,924 to 20 staff members. The companies have been fined up to 200% of the amount underpaid due to wage discrepancies totaling £7.4m. The UK National Living Wage has increased to £12.21 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

PizzaExpress secured a significant refinancing deal in April 2025, reducing its debt by £55m. Bain Capital Special Situations and other shareholders contributed £20m in equity to Wheel Topco, the parent company of PizzaExpress. Founded in 1965, PizzaExpress now has over 360 pizzerias in the UK and Ireland and has expanded into 12 international markets.

The underpayments were attributed to past administrative or technical errors, with issues resolved years ago. The minimum wage for workers aged 18 to 20 is now £10 per hour, while those under 18 and apprentices must be paid at least £7.55 on an hourly basis. PizzaExpress has apologized and rectified the wage discrepancies, emphasizing fair and accurate payment to team members.



Read more at Yahoo Finance: PizzaExpress listed by UK government for minimum wage payment failure