Lancashire students: Frankie & Benny's offers to pay for tuition fees in new competition

As students across Britain start university this week, Frankie & Benny’s is offering to pay for three lucky students's tuition fees, and food, for a whole year.

The Italian-American restaurant says it is on a mission to help a handful of students pay for the upcoming year of university by covering their tuition fees – up to £9,250 - and giving them free Frankie & Benny’s for twelve months.

Each winning student will also be guaranteed a job once they finish their degree, receiving an apprenticeship at The Restaurant Group, one of the UK’s biggest hospitality businesses.

Three positions will be created and could be across any of the company’s household brands which include Frankie & Benny’s, Wagamama and Chiquito.

The competition comes after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) recently announced that England has the highest tuition fees in the developed world, according to its education at a glance study - with fees tripling to up to £9,250 a year since 2010 .

To be in with a chance of winning, all students need to do is share a picture of themselves enjoying a meal at Frankie & Benny’s, or tucking into a takeaway, on Instagram with #StudentsWinWithFrankies and @Frankienbennys.

Each Instagram post should also state their university of study and why they believe they should win, and must remain on their feed for the duration of the competition.

The competition, open to all students studying in Britain, is running for four weeks from September 27th until October 24th and students can post and enter as many times as they like, although Terms & Conditions apply.

Once the competition is closed, winners will be selected by a panel of judges from Frankie & Benny’s and The Restaurant Group, based on their answers as to why they should win.

Winners will be announced in November, and will be sent a digital £500 Frankie & Benny’s gift card by New Year's Eve, with tuition fee payment then being made by January 31 2022.

Jon Knight, Managing Director of leisure & concessions at the Restaurant Group, said: “We’re always looking to support students and now, more so than ever. Students can enjoy 20 per cent off of their food bill at any Frankie & Benny’s restaurant all year-round and as part of this new competition we now hope to also give a life-changing opportunity to three students.

"After the past 18 months that we have all been through; we couldn’t think of anything more rewarding than supporting a number of students get the best start in life. It’s incredible to be in a position to be able to give out this huge opportunity. The very best of luck to everyone that enters the competition and we can’t wait to announce the lucky three winners very soon.”

The closest Frankie & Bennie's for students in Lancashire is in Blackpool, with the Deepdale, Preston branch closing last year.