Restaurant Group Gives Warning The Restaurant Group, owner of the Chiquito, Garfunkel's and Frankie & Benny's chains, lost nearly a third of its value recently after announcing a slowdown in sales and giving warning of a quieter 2008 for the leisure sector. The company blamed a tighter consumer market for sales growth of only 1 per cent in the final quarter of last year, compared with 7 per cent in 2006, and said that conditions would continue. The warning came as Sports Cafe Holdings, which has eight venues including the original London branch, said that it was in talks with its bankers for an extension to its banking facilities after poor Christmas trading and a slow start to 2008.  "Consumers are being squeezed," Mr Page, Chief Executive of The Restaurant Group said. "We would be naive to think this doesn't have an impact on restaurants." Despite expecting quieter trading in 2008, he said that the company would be "very disappointed if we didn't make progress on 2007". Mr Page added that some of the group's chains, where the average meal costs between £12 and £15, could benefit as consumers look for cheaper alternatives when eating out. Analysts said that the announcement was the start of what would be a tough year for the leisure sector.