“Since 2021, the number of fast food restaurants has exceeded the number of traditional restaurants in France,” according to an expert

Fast-food type restaurants are attracting more and more French people. According to a study by Food Service Vision, turnover in the sector has never been higher. “A trend that has been at work since the 1970s,” says Laure Ducos, an expert on the political and environmental issues surrounding food.

Chain catering and particularly “fast food” have never done so well in France, with fast food turnover having exceeded 20 billion euros for the first time in 2023, according to a study by Food Service Vision. At 20.6 billion euros in 2023, the sector’s turnover has almost doubled compared to 2020, a year weighed down by the Covid-19 pandemic, and increased by 8% compared to 2022, underlines the firm specialized in its annual review Chaînes published Monday May 27.

“It’s a trend that has been at work since the 1970s, a period during which the first McDonald’s opened in France, underlines Laure Ducos, expert in the political and environmental issues of food, author of the book French fries come from potatoes. Behind the scenes of our food and agro-industry, published by Grasset editions. “We are in a society that is moving faster and faster, which is cooking less and less and wants something practical and easy.”

By type of restaurant, it is the hamburger which arrives on the first step of the podium with 8.7 billion in turnover in 2023, followed by the sandwich (1.4 billion), the grill (1 billion), chicken fried (958 million) and pizza (777 million). “France is a market that is very targeted by the agri-food and fast-food industries,” believes Laure Ducos.

“These professionals deploy tens of millions of euros each year to encourage consumers to visit establishments.”

Laure Ducos, author of the book “French fries come from potatoes. Behind the scenes of our food and agro-industry”

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Still according to this study by Food Service Vision, certain segments, such as donuts, are making a sensational entrance, with a turnover tripled compared to 2022, in the fast-food landscape. Tacos also saw their turnover jump 26%, to 434 million euros.

In four years, table catering has lost 217 restaurants, a drop of 6% in its network. “Since 2021, the number of fast food restaurants has exceeded the number of traditional restaurants in France“, indicates Laure Ducos. For this expert, the price of a meal is an element to take into account. “The average ticket at McDonald’s costs 12 or 13 euros and can go up to 15 euros in certain more upscale fast-food chains. It’s not cheap either, but it remains much more accessible than a traditional restaurant where the average ticket will be around 20 euros.” concludes Laure Ducos.