The Courage Brewery started the Harvester restaurant business in the United Kingdom in 1983. The George Inn, the first site, was inaugurated in Morden, Greater London, launching a company that, as of December 2015, had more than 230 locations around the United Kingdom. The brand was originally established to compete with other well-known restaurant chains of the period, but it has since carved out a distinct niche for itself in the UK hospitality sector.

Over the years, there have been several ownership changes for the Harvester brand. Courage Brewery, which was owned by Imperial Tobacco, was the company that first expanded it. Later, the brand was transferred to Trusthouse Forte from Elders Limited, the Australian brewer of Foster's Lager. In 1995, Bass acquired the Harvester eateries from the Forte Group intending to rename further eateries Harvesters. Since 2003, Mitchells & Butlers, which also owns numerous other UK food and beverage franchises, has been in charge of running the franchise.

Harvester has maintained growth and change, broadening its presence and influence in the UK. For the first time in ten years, Harvester Restaurants spent nearly £20,000 on radio and television advertising in the UK in 2010. This was a component of a larger change at Mitchells & Butlers to concentrate on food-driven enterprises. They occasionally offer "free ice cream vouchers when you order a main meal" promotions as part of their marketing campaigns to further sweeten the dining experience for their customers.