Toby Carvery

Toby Carvery is a British carvery chain brand owned and operated by Mitchells & Butlers, which consists of 158 restaurants.

Toby Carvery

Logo used since 2014
A Toby Carvery branch in Denham, Buckinghamshire
Formerly	Toby Pub & Carvery Toby Inns
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Hospitality
Founded	1985
Founder	Michael Sabrin
Number of locations	158[1]
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	Carvery British Cuisine Full English Breakfast Sandwiches Beverages Functions
Number of employees	4,500
Parent	Mitchells & Butlers
Website	www.tobycarvery.co.uk

History

The first Toby Carvery was in Brentwood, at The Artichoke Pub around 1978 or 1979. By 1982, multiple sites had opened around Essex and North London. Decor was described as 'mock-Tudor'. In the early 1980s it was known as 'Mr T's C' or 'Mr T's Carving Room'. Michael Sabin was the catering director, and the company was known then as Toby Inns.^[2] Toby Carvery as a brand was founded as part of Bass Charrington in 1985.

In 1991, the main carvery was £7.99. Vegetarians had Cheesy Leek and Potato Bake, and Savoury Broccoli and Brie, with approval from the Vegetarian Society.^[3] By 1996, a carvery was £6.95; by the mid-1990s there were many more pub-restaurants to directly compete with.^[4] Not all Toby Carvery restaurants had a self-serve Toby Carvery section, with the Forest Gate (named after Charnwood Forest) in Loughborough adding a carvery in November 1996, at a cost of £200,000. The company headquarters was Hagley House in the west of Birmingham.^[5][6]

The new (and current) decor and livery was introduced around July 1997, with one of the first to adopt this decor being the Walsgrave in Coventry. The (current) decor and livery would become more widely adopted in 1998, but many sites retained the former livery and insignia until each site was revamped, sometimes at great costs (£500,000 at 1998 prices). Many sites would require a revamp anyway by the late 1990s, regardless of any new insignia. By the end of 1998, the new corporate insignia was now used more frequently on company documentation and literature.^[7] The new revamps in the late 1990s were often met with negative feedback from local council planning committees. The interior design would feature a salmon-pink colour scheme; however, local councils had no authority over interior decoration. Some council planning departments found the vibrant, bold new colour scheme to be somewhat too flashy.^[8]

After the revamps, the previous name of the pub was dropped. Some local residents expressed reservations about the colour scheme, describing one pub, which formally opened at 5pm on 8 March 1999, on Church Road in Formby, as resembling "a Blackpool Golden Mile-style cafe," "a misguided Moulin Rouge," "a garish eyesore reminiscent of the worst of Disney,"^[9] and "a plastic Barbie land."^[10]

Towards the end of the 1990s, the pub restaurant industry in the UK experienced a revival, even a surge in popularity. By late 1998, the price of the main carvery meal had been reduced to £5.95, and desserts were served with the Toby Bottomless Custard Jug. By 1999, the company was under the management of Bass Leisure Retail.

The parent company subsequently rebranded as Six Continents plc, before the former Bass pub estate was spun off into Mitchells & Butlers.^[11] The chain was previously known as "Toby Pub and Carvery", but it was rebranded, removing the pub part of the name.

In December 2011, it was reported that two toddlers were accidently served cleaning fluid, and had become violently ill.^[12]

In May 2015, it was reported that hundreds of diners were suing the chain after contracting Norovirus from an outbreak in a branch in Exeter.^[13]

In February 2018, the chain introduced a dedicated vegetarian and vegan menu.^[14]

In August 2024, the chain faced accusations of discrimination from a disabled woman seeking a job.^[15]

Oak tree felling

In April 2025, a 500-year-old oak tree in Whitewebbs Wood reported to have had “more ecological value than the Sycamore Gap”, and had hundreds of years to live, was cut down by Toby Carvery. The chain defended the action, saying that the tree was cut back after experts advised that it presented a serious health and safety risk. Enfield Council, which leased the land to Mitchell and Butlers, owners of the Toby Carvery chain, said that its own inspection in December 2024 found the tree was healthy and posed no risk and had hundreds of years to live.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}