Huge losses force closure of Lewis Hamilton’s vegan burger chain
Lewis Hamilton's Neat Burger vegan chain is closing all of its UK locations.
Ferrari F1 driver Lewis Hamilton’s vegan restaurant chain is set to permanently close all of its UK locations.
The seven-time world champion helped launch Neat Burger six years ago, with Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio, with the first outlet opening near Regent Street in 2019. It claimed to be “the first international, plant-based burger chain”.
But after suffering “substantial losses” in 2023, the UK branches are set to close their doors for good, British newspaper The Sun reports.
Lewis Hamilton burger business to shut down
The plant-based restaurant also has branches in Milan and New York, which closed last summer.
According to The Sun, the closures of the final two UK restaurants will result in the loss of around 150 jobs.
"We have no further comment at this time, other than to confirm that the business has taken the difficult decision to close its UK restaurants,” a spokesperson for Neat Burger said.
Actor DiCaprio and Belgian footballer Thibaut Courtois were also involved in the project.
The franchise was valued at $100m in 2023 but reported loses of £7.9m in 2022. This was put down to a drop in footfall in London due to hybrid working and a decline in delivery demand.
At the time of Neat Burger’s launch, Hamilton, then a Mercedes driver, said: “I believe we need a healthier high street option that tastes amazing and offers something exciting to those who want to be meat-free every now and again.”
On track, Hamilton is enduring a difficult start to life as a Ferrari driver since making a blockbuster switch from Mercedes.
Bar an impressive pole position and victory in the China sprint race, Hamilton has struggled to get to grips with Ferrari's 2025 car.
The 40-year-old Briton has been outqualified and outraced by teammate Charles Leclerc in every event aside from the sprint in China.
Fifth place in Bahrain is Hamilton's best finish in a grand prix and he lies seventh in the drivers' world championship after five rounds.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
