Doomsayers claiming that the old ways are dying are nothing new, but one recent headline feels like it has more credence than most. A claim that French restaurants are dying off thanks to shifting cultural trends has attracted some criticism, but also plenty of backing. The author claims that the pandemic accelerated a trend towards fast food dining in France—one that’s putting the country’s traditional reputation for culinary excellence at risk.
While he may just be playing devil’s advocate, the reality is more complex than it’s being presented. There’s some truth to the narrative of challenging conditions for French restaurateurs, but the evidence suggests that the industry is also adapting and innovating. The result may be a more resilient landscape for French restaurants—and one which absorbs other influences to create something newly and uniquely French.
Food for thought
There’s no doubt that the restaurant sector in France has experienced significant stress, even if this isn’t unique to France. Independent restaurants, particularly those at mid-range price points, have seen more closures due to rising costs and changing customer behaviours. Food and energy costs have also increased, while younger people in particular are tightening their budgets, and eating out less. This is also a legacy of the pandemic, where people are working from home more, and indulging less in lengthy work lunches. Wages have also increased, all of which has squeezed profits, and led to more bankruptcies.
At the same time, the landscape for restaurants in France has shifted considerably. Traditional sit-down restaurants are facing increasingly intense competition from fast food outlets, which now outnumber traditional restaurants across the country, and have captured the interest of younger diners. Almost sacrilegiously, lower price points and convenience seem to be trumping traditional concerns around quality.
French diners haven’t stopped enjoying high quality, fresh food, but many seem to be making more of it at home, rather than opting to dine out. The classic French dining experience—hours-long, multi-course meals with wine and conversation—haven’t disappeared, but they may have become less of a daily occurrence. The desire and demand for great food is still strongly ingrained in many French people; they’re just applying it in different ways.
Adaptation and modernisation
For all of this, it’s misleading to say that French restaurants are in an irreversible decline. Industries are always adapting, and many parts of the restaurant industry in France are finding creative ways to evolve to cater to changing tastes. One of the most visible adaptations is how many more traditional and family restaurants have embraced food delivery, which is subject to lower taxes than dining out. Adopting new POS systems and embracing food delivery firms has helped to rapidly integrate digital ordering into many restaurants, and brought considerable success. Takeaways can now include fresh and gourmet meals, bakeries, and other artisanal goods in a way that’s almost unique to France.
French chefs and restaurateurs are also innovating in ways that reflect broader trends in global cuisine. While some might have bemoaned the expansion of vegan diets in a traditionally meat-heavy country, others have embraced it, and bought into it as part of the global “locavore” movement. A growing number of restaurants offer vegan, gluten-free, and other allergen-free dishes using seasonal produce, appealing both to health-conscious diners and those with health issues.
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As well as traditional dining, new formats are also starting to take hold in France. Upscale restaurants are turning their hand to the buffet model, offering gourmet food at lower prices for diners in places like city centres, and providing a quality social dining experience. This is another example of France turning its unique specialism in quality food into a brand-new and particularly French experience, catering to a global trend in a specific and spectacular way.
Broadening culinary horizons
Another sign that French gastronomy is far from doomed is the increase in the diversity of food options. While classic French cuisine still has a prominent place in the dining landscape, foreign and fusion foods are also growing in popularity, and starting to inform people’s tastes. Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine and Asian street food have gained a foothold, while vegan and vegetarian restaurants are escaping snobbery and gaining critical acclaim.
Some of this shift reflects changing demographics and tastes, particularly in areas like Paris, Lyon and Marseille with large foreign populations. Much in the way that Japanese curries have taken hold in Britain (and even India) as a twist on something familiar, foreign restaurants are adapting to French tastes with spins on local food, using local produce and expertise to cater to a French audience. This blending of local quality with global flavours is not only offering new entry points for French diners, but also influencing French chefs.
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This diversification feels a million miles away from the death of classic French restaurants, or traditional French food. France is never going to relinquish its love of food, or the dining experience, but it can afford to relinquish its dedication to centuries-old ideas. The integration of traditional French cuisine into a more varied food ecosystem is hugely exciting for anyone inside or outside of France, with enormous potential for innovative new dishes and new ways of cooking.
The resilience of French excellence
For all the claims of “crisis”, French food continues to be an international gold standard. Michelin and other culinary awards continue to highlight French restaurants for their innovation and quality, with a large number of restaurants in France being awarded their first Michelin stars in just the past few years. This if anything demonstrates the evolution of French cooking, and a positive future for French restaurateurs.
Although it might be turbulent, the current situation feels more like a metamorphosis than a decline. There will inevitably be some casualties, but there are also opportunities which are being taken by chefs and entrepreneurs who can embrace both tradition and change. By using modern techniques, catering to new tastes and requirements, meeting the demand for deliveries, and learning from other cultures, restaurants are respecting France’s culinary heritage while also continuing to innovate.
Consumer habits are definitely changing, and have undeniably affected many establishments, with mid-range restaurants in particular feeling the squeeze from fast food and delivery services. But it’s equally clear that the French restaurant landscape isn’t static. The creativity often applied in fine dining is starting to percolate down through the pyramid, changing restaurants without abandoning their identities. French restaurants are finding ways to stay relevant, whether that’s through digital ordering or a less meaty menu.
Different, not doomed
The restaurant industry as a whole is challenging, but stating that the French industry is in crisis is too simplistic. While there’s no doubt that the industry is shifting, largely as a result of global trends, the naysayers are overlooking ample evidence of resilience, innovation, and renewal in the French dining scene.
France’s restaurant sector remains one of the most culturally significant and rich in the world. Rather than mourning and idealising the past, restaurateurs need to adapt to the current reality while making the most of their traditional strengths. If you’re looking to join them, check out our guide on starting a restaurant business in France, or get in touch with us today to learn how we can help you start your French business journey.