One of South Africa’s most beloved restaurants, Spur, also owns several other well-known restaurant brands, including RocoMamas, Panarottis, John Dory’s, and Doppio Zero.

Spur was established over 50 years ago, in 1967, by Allen Amber, who was born in Germany and grew up in South Africa. 

After working in the restaurant and retail industry for years, Amber became determined to open his own business – a steakhouse in Cape Town.

On 24 October 1967, Golden Spur was opened in Newlands, Cape Town, and became an instant hit.

On the first day of the restaurant’s opening, they decided to offer school kids in the area a free ice cream cone after school.

This marketing strategy proved effective, and the business became an instant success among children and their parents.

While Amber initially had no plans to franchise this business, it was not long before he opened a second restaurant in Sea Point. After that, he decided franchising was the best option for growing the business. 

This decision enabled Spur to grow into the iconic business it is today. By 1986, almost two decades after its founding, the Spur Corporation was listed on the JSE.

Since then, the business has continued to grow, and by the time Amber retired as Spur’s executive chairman in 2019, Spur had expanded into an empire comprising more than 600 franchises.

Today, the company is listed on the JSE with a market capitalisation of around R3 billion. Its latest financial year saw restaurant sales of R10.62 billion.

While Spur’s home market is South Africa, it also has operations in 13 countries, including Australasia, Mauritius, the Middle East, Botswana, the DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The company also has a sauce factory that manufactures the brand’s unique sauces, which are sold to franchisees.

Many South Africans may not be aware that the Spur Corporation also owns multiple restaurant brands, in addition to its eponymous restaurant.

All the brands Spur owns

The Spur Corporation owns the following restaurant brands:

• Spur Steak Ranches – One of South Africa’s most iconic restaurant brands, Spur is known for its steaks, burgers, and family-friendly environment. 
• Panarottis Pizza Pasta – A South African family brand known for its Italian-inspired pizza and pasta.
• RocoMamas – Known for its slogan “We’re not normal”, RocoMamas is a fast-casual restaurant known for its smashburgers.
• John Dory’s Fish, Grill & Sushi – John Dory’s specialises in seafood and sushi served in a family-friendly environment.
• The Hussar Grill – One of South Africa’s premier grill rooms, The Hussar Grill recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.
• Casa Bella – Forming part of Spur’s “upmarket” chains, Casa Bella is an Italian restaurant.
• Nikos Coalgrill Greek – Spur’s only Greek restaurant chain, Nikos, was established in 2017 and prides itself on “honest, home-style cooking”.
• Doppio Zero – One of the more recent additions to Spur’s stable, Doppio Zero started out as a bakery in 2002 but has since become a full-service Mediterranean-inspired restaurant.
• Modern Tailors – This upmarket Indian restaurant chain has two locations in South Africa, one in Rosebank and the other in Pretoria.
• Piza ē Vino – Born in 2009, Piza ē Vino is another Italian restaurant in Spur’s stable, known for wood-fired pizzas and homemade pastas.

Overall, Spur owns ten restaurant brands and five virtual kitchen brands.

The restaurants Spur owns