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It’s no longer a secret for anyone: the French are among the biggest consumers of burgers. Even beyond the success of fast food restaurants in the land of Camembert and a good glass of wine, it is the restaurant model operating in chains that performs well.
In Paris, near the Gare du Nord, people are still scrambling to order a fried chicken burger inspired by the culinary traditions of New Orleans, more than three months after the opening of the very first French restaurant of the giant Popeyes. And fast food fans are still waiting to know the launch date of Wendy’s in France, the American burger chain which promises to cook only with fresh products… In the land of beef bourguignon, we gobble up 2.6 billion burgers each year, according to a CHD Expert study for Socopa Restauration. This success is emblematic of the success of fast food in France. This represents 75% of chain catering turnover. And this is not anecdotal: in 2022, chained commercial catering brands have found an even more dynamic activity than in 2019, the year preceding the start of the pandemic.
While out-of-home catering recovered with a 97% penetration rate last February – understand: almost all French people have returned to the habit of eating out, this analysis by the Food Vision firm which comes to go out demonstrates how much consumers seek tables grouped under the same brand. We are talking about the Paul bakeries, but also the Brioche Dorée, the Mie Câline or even Domino’s pizzas and sandwiches to order from Subway.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Restaurant chains, a sector that knows how to evolve with the times
In the era of top star chefs or toques who repeat how important it is to defend small producers in order to promote the terroir and to prefer seasonal products, there is also a reality, that of consumers preferring to trust the codes of large restaurant chains. A model that works, according to this market study, because it knows how to adapt.
Not only does its offer incorporate new concepts with American and Asian influences – the arrival of Bonchon in Paris, the chain specializing in Korean-style fried chicken is a good example of this – but it also incorporates changing consumption patterns in proposing the digitalization of the customer experience. The ease of ordering online, but also in click and collect would not be unrelated to the good shape of restaurant chains, not to mention the success of delivery. They also know how to renew the menu, by integrating new players, and therefore new dishes. If burger-based fast foods remain behemoths with a turnover of 8.1 billion euros in 2022, it is now the poke bowl that serves as a novelty to taste. The turnover of brands that prepare it has exploded by 625%. More surprisingly, “the concepts are evolving to become places of life, welcoming customers at all times of the day, and the aperitif moment is proving to be strongly preempted by the brands”, emphasizes Food Service Vision.
Today, in France, the most successful restaurant chain is undoubtedly McDonald’s, which achieves a turnover of 6.1 billion euros, far ahead of Burger King (1.5 billion euros) and KFC (740 million euros).