When Swiss hotelier, the late Ueli Prager, founded the Mövenpick brand in 1948, he redefined the European restaurant scene and paved the way for a new style of modern hospitality, conceived on a simple premise: ‘doing normal things in an extraordinary manner’. A visionary of his time, Prager created a restaurant concept based on simplicity, innovation, commitment to service and a passion for culinary and hospitality excellence, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Where everything begun
1948
Mövenpick’s first restaurant opens Zurich, Switzerland
1948
Mövenpick’s astonishing journey began when Prager was strolling the shores of Lake Zurich with a friend. He had been searching for a name for his new restaurant concept – a ‘dining bar’ where guests could relax and eat high-quality food at affordable prices. As he considered the possibilities, a seagull (or Möwe in German), swooped down to skilfully pick up food mid-flight. That one elegant movement encapsulated Prager’s vision and so ‘Mövenpick’ (Möwe pick), and Europe’s first casual dining experience, was born. Prager’s first restaurant, Claridenhof, opened in Zurich in July 1948, offering simple dishes that could be ordered à la carte - a refreshing alternative to set menus. It was considered unconventional for Swiss restaurants and was the first of many Mövenpick innovations. Twenty-five years later, in 1973, Prager capitalised on Mövenpick’s reputation for quality food, affordability, staff training standards and innovation by opening the company’s first two hotels, both in Zurich – one at the airport and the other in Regensdorf. At the time, airport hotels were considered unnecessary, but for Prager they were an overlooked opportunity. As an innovator, he was light years ahead of the competition, which was reluctant to break with tradition.
THE RIGHT IDEA AT THE RIGHT TIME
1950
Several Mövenpick restaurants open across Switzerland
60 YEARS OF WINE EXPERIENCE
1962
The first Mövenpick Wein (Mövenpick Wine) store opens
FIRST BRANDED GOODS
1963
Mövenpick Coffee launches, the start of Mövenpick Fine Foods business
A PASSION FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY
1968
Mövenpick Ice Cream launches
A NEW STYLE OF MODERN HOSPITALITY
1973
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts established – 2 hotels open near Zurich, Switzerland
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION BEGINS
1976
The first international Mövenpick hotel opens in Cairo, Egypt
THE EXPANSION CONTINUES
1980
The brand debuts in Germany with new hotels
THE COMPANY DEBUTS IN JORDAN
1996
The first Middle East property opens in Jordan
SUCCESFUL MIDDLE EAST EXPANSION
2001 - 2003
First hotels in the Gulf: UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar
MÖVENPICK REACHES ASIA
2006
First hotel in the Far East – Thailand
COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
2017
Mövenpick becomes the most Green-Globe-certified hotel company in the world
PRAGER’S LEGACY LIVES ON
2018
The Mövenpick Group marks its 70th anniversary
Mövenpick takes flight with AccorHotels
2018
Mövenpick takes flight with AccorHotels, a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator. Discover more about AccorHotels’ extraordinary collection of brands here