The Carluccio's restaurant brand could be bought by Byron Burger investor Three Hills Capital, it has been reported.
Three Hills Capital is understood to have held talks over a merger of Carluccio's and Byron before it went into administration. It is thorugh to be interested a number of sites as well as the brand name.
Tesco is understood to have expressed an interest in a small number of sites, to be potentially converted into Express stores.
Boparan Restaurant Group, the operator of Giraffe, Ed's Easy Diner and Slim Chickens, has also reportedly expressed an interest in some of the sites.
Carluccio's, which employs around 2,000 staff, slid into administration last month after the impact of coronavirus exacerbated the firm's long-standing financial difficulties.
The deadline for bids to administrators FRP Advisory was on Wednesday evening but bids have not been forthcoming for the entire 71-site business, according to trade publication Propel.
The majority of staff at the chain, founded by Antonio Carluccio in 1991, have been furloughed while the insolvency specialists assess all available options.
The company hailed a "landmark ruling" last week as it secured legal backing for staff to receive part of their salaries through the Government's coronavirus Job Retention Scheme despite the insolvency process.
In March, FRP said Carluccio's faced "significant cash flow pressures" on the back of the coronavirus pandemic and was unable to meet its financial obligations.
Dubai-based Landmark Group bought Carluccio's for £90 million in 2010.
