France may be renowned for its fine dining, Michelin-starred gastronomy, but the proliferation of casual, chain restaurants is poised to change the culinary landscape from silver spoon, china service to seven-days-a-week, all-you-can eat diners, according to industry analysts.
It’s a pattern that emerged in response to the economic turbulence, says Euromonitor analyst Johanna Kolerski-Bezerra: as part of their belt-tightening, consumers in France turned increasingly to restaurant chains that serve moderately priced food in casual atmospheres. Savvy operators also recognized the opportunity to cash in on the changing economic climate by reworking their concepts and menus.
That, plus a slight economic recovery in 2011 and a boost from the government — the VAT tax was reduced from 19 percent to 5 percent — helped values sales in the foodservice industry increase by 3 percent in France last year to make it the highest performer in Western Europe.
Among the best examples of casual, French restaurant chains include La Pataterie, a restaurant themed after rustic French countryside dining which focuses on traditional French fare, and Léon de Bruxelles, a Belgium franchise that specializes in mussels and fries.
Calling La Pataterie the success story of 2011, Kolerski-Bezerra points out that the chain has ambitious expansion plans which includes opening 300 locations by 2017. There are currently 121 outlets around France which operate seven days a week. Foods include foie gras, terrines, fondues and gratins sourced with French ingredients.
Léon de Bruxelles also posted double digit growth in 2011 and opened their first outpost in London last year.
Meanwhile, in recent months American expats have been importing the concept of gourmet food trucks to Paris, offering burgers and tacos prepared by professional chefs. Trucks like Le Camion qui Fume and Cantine California are also spawning more roving restaurants with an ice cream truck among the most recent addition to the four-wheeled roster. ‘Glazed’ sells gourmet flavors like orange Campari and balsamic vinegar, while ‘Rehab’ is made with beets, apples, fennel and ginger for a healthier frozen treat.