Despite ongoing economic challenges and the impact of inflation, according to data published by TheFork, Europe's online restaurant reservation app, the restaurant sector in France has seen significant growth, with an increase in reservations of 4.3% in 2023.
Big cities and French cuisine in the lead
It is still the large French cities that are at the top of restaurant reservations in 2023: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg. However, an increase in bookings was also observed in other cities such as Tours (+59%), Rouen (+19%) and Reims (+16%). While August was traditionally popular for dining out, in 2023, February is emerging as the flagship month, particularly with Valentine's Day dinners. This year again, French cuisine remains at the top of diners' preferences, representing 42% of reservations, followed closely by Italian cuisine (12%), Japanese (7%), Indian (5%), and finally Mediterranean (4%). %).
Consumption habits marked by inflation
This year is also marked by a drop in the average ticket for the most booked restaurants. The average ticket for the most booked restaurants is between €30 and €40 (27%), followed closely by those between €25 and €30 (25%). A trend which reflects a change in the consumption habits of the French who are abandoning overly expensive establishments in favor of more affordable restaurants. To support this positive dynamic while making dining out more accessible, TheFork launched the TheFork Festival on February 15, an event intended to allow the French to enjoy the pleasures of the table more regularly while helping restaurateurs to fill their establishments. . “With the TheFork Festival, we reiterate our commitment to making gastronomy accessible to all, while helping our restaurant partners, also affected by inflation” assures Damien Rodière, Managing Director of TheFork Western Europe. As part of this festival, more than 1,000 restaurants in France are still offering their menus at half price until March 31.
