Les chaînes de restauration entre ancrage local et compétition globale

• Main Authors: Pierre-Yves Léo, Jean Philippe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography 2006-06-01
• Series: Belgeo
• Subjects: food industry; network; competition; consumer habits; consideration set
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/11102
• ISSN: 1377-2368; 2294-9135

This paper presents some results of a research on the food service industry in France. This industry faces changing consumer habits and intense competition. The sustained growth of the metropolises is a factor of paramount importance for this activity as it boosts the demand for outhome quality meals. In order to maintain a rapid rate of growth, the leaders are expanding their restaurant networks particularly in peripheral poles located in the suburbs of large metropolitan areas. At the same time, some of them are taking models and concepts from competitors. In this context, site location appears as a powerful mean to protect their local market and to establish entry barriers: the consumer only accepts short travel times to and from the restaurant. This paper is based on a survey done in three southern French cities and uses consideration set analysis.