Chicken Fast-Food Chains Expand Rapidly Across France

The number of fast-food chains dedicated to chicken has doubled in France over the past five years. These outlets now total 707 locations and generate a market worth €1.2 billion, an increase of 8 percent in one year, according to data published on May 5 by the consulting firm Food Service Vision.

The growth does not include many small independent businesses. Customers point to the quantity of food received for the price as a central factor. One 25-year-old recent graduate said a chicken meal fills him up more than a burger. A 21-year-old student and a 30-year-old IT specialist both reported eating fried chicken roughly once a week, often replacing sandwiches or other options.

One chain originally from Louisiana has opened 25 restaurants in France in barely three years and plans additional locations. On Place de la République in central Paris the chain took over a site previously occupied by a Buffalo Grill and a Hippopotamus steakhouse.

The expansion occurs as purchasing power declines in France. Chicken meals are positioned as affordable comfort food that delivers an attractive quantity-for-price ratio. Diners interviewed at a Paris outlet described choosing chicken because portions of meat are larger than those in competing burger meals.

One group of friends finished an eight-piece spicy wings menu with fries, drinks and a cookie in the afternoon and noted it reduced the need for a full dinner later. Regular customers said fried chicken has become a more frequent choice when eating out, available at many locations across the country.

The consulting firm's figures, released on May 5, show the sector's sustained growth. Chicken-focused fast-food chains now form a distinct category that has expanded steadily while traditional steakhouse formats have given way to these new concepts in some city-center sites.