In the restaurant, the French prefer speed and comfort
The out-of-home catering is "in a phase of historical change" according to a survey on the behavior of French carried out by the Cabinet Gira Sic for the organizers of the show Sirest Ideas.
Over the last five years, consumption patterns have changed, with the result that time spent on meal decreasing and an increased search for a balanced diet.
The French tend to devote less and less time to their meal. For 63% of respondents, breakfast is "swallowed too quickly" and consists mainly of a single hot drink. At lunchtime on weekdays, meal at the restaurant last between 30 minutes and one hour. However, in the evening, 73% of French people stay at table between 1:30 and 2am.
Paradoxically, even if the French do not give much time to their meal taken outside, they want a minimum of comfort: 90% of them say they prefer to eat sitting. Street food, consumed standing or in motion, is only observed in very large cities such as Paris.
The French consume a meal out of seven on the outside, against one in six for the Spaniards, one in three for the British and one in two for the Americans. What hinders their desire to go to the restaurant is in 58% of the cases the prices practiced by the restorers. Follow the pace of service (51%), and research not satisfied with a balanced diet (48%).
Finally, the Gira Sic study finds an overestimation of their expenditure on restoration. At lunch time, 20% say they spend between 11 and 15 euros, against 1% in reality. For restaurant dinners, 55% of them estimate to spend between 25 and 50 euros, while the average is 19 euros.
This study was conducted with a sample of 635 people representative of the French population aged 15 and over.
