Diners in a PizzaExpress pizzeria were amazed when their servers turned out to be the cast of the hit West End musical, Waitress.

To mark the re-opening of the sociable pizzeria’s The Strand: Trafalgar Square location, diners in the 350-seater restaurant were treated to a highly spirited tableside performance.

The musical celebration included the aptly named song ‘Opening Up’ and was performed by cast members including Marisha Wallace and Evie Hoskins.

Marisha Wallace, who plays Becky in the show, said: “We had so much fun surprising diners with one of the show’s most recognisable songs.

“The look on everyone’s faces when we began was amazing – I’d love to do it all over again”.

The famous venue has recently undergone an extensive transformation in line with the brand’s sleek ‘FutureExpress’ design look and feel.

The look was first unveiled at Langham Place: Oxford Circus in March 2019, when the brand stopped traffic with the world’s first pizzaiolo flare mob.

The smart new format has since been trialled at over 25 pizzerias in UK and Ireland as part of what the brand has dubbed its ‘test and learn’ to share the dining experience with superfans nationwide.

Zoe Bowley, Managing Director of PizzaExpress commented:

“Our sociable pizzeria ‘The Strand: Trafalgar Square’, is just the latest in a number of locations to be transformed to showcase our fresh ‘new-look’ in what marks our 55th anniversary year. Live music and spirited performances have always been a big part of PizzaExpress’ history, so what better way to mark the occasion than by teaming up with the talented cast of the neighbouring hit west end show: Waitress to deliver the ultimate surprise and ‘good times together’ to celebrate.

The Waitress cast were joined by six of the pizza-maker’s resident ‘pizzaiolos’, who flared dough in unison to the performance.

The performers then descended upon Trafalgar Square to continue their celebratory performance outside, much to the delight of on-lookers and traffic who stopped in their tracks to find out what was going on.