Vegan Restaurant Neat Burger Shuts Down After Six Years in Business

In a surprising turn of events, the vegan eatery Neat Burger, backed by celebrities Lewis Hamilton and Leonardo DiCaprio, has announced its closure after six years in operation. The restaurant, known for serving 100% plant-based meals, has been forced to shut down due to significant financial losses, as reported by The Sun.

Financial Struggles Lead to Closure

In 2022, the company recorded a loss of £7.9 million (over $10 million USD), an increase of £3.2 million from the previous year. As a result, several branches in London and their New York store were closed. The company stated, “We are concentrating our efforts on our best performing restaurants — we believe that sometimes taking a step back is necessary to make a bigger leap forward.

By 2025, only two stores in the UK remained, both of which have now been shuttered this week. A Neat Burger spokesperson confirmed the closure, stating, “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.

The closure will result in job losses for around 150 employees.

Celebrity Backing Couldn’t Save the Chain

Hamilton, a vegan since 2017, and DiCaprio, who follows a flexible vegetarian diet, have been vocal advocates for healthier food options. During the burger chain’s launch in 2019, Hamilton expressed his belief that “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.

The closure of Neat Burger has been a challenging time for Hamilton, especially after finishing P7 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He expressed his discomfort during the race, stating he needed “a brain transplant” to understand his new car. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished on the podium, adding to Hamilton’s disappointment.