In France, the arrival of a McDonald's or Burger King in a neighborhood or shopping district doesn't always receive a warm welcome. Quite the contrary. Very often, the prospect of one of these fast-food chains setting up shop sparks controversy. In Paris's 15th arrondissement, at 286 Rue de Vaugirard, Burger King wants to set up shop in place of a steakhouse, which has closed for good, but whose storefront is still visible. Local residents are not in favor of it.
Gathered in a collective, they have launched an online petition, criticizing the pollution linked to the associated smells, the noise associated with delivery activities, the risk of proliferation of rats which would be attracted by food scraps, the trivialization of the urban landscape in a Haussmann-style environment and the increasing supply of junk food near schools.
On the other side of Paris, another front has opened up against the opening of a fast-food restaurant of the same name, opposite the Père Lachaise cemetery (in the 20th arrondissement). Nonetheless, such protests are not limited to the capital. In the Haute-Garonne region (southwestern France), a group of opponents has appealed to the administrative court against the construction of a future McDonald's in the Carbonne commercial zone. However, these battles often turn out in favor of the major chains. For example, despite the opposition, McDonald's has succeeded in setting up shop in the Pouzac commercial zone in the Hautes-Pyrénées region (southwestern France). The establishment opened its doors at the beginning of August.
The American brand, the world leader in fast food, continues its patient nationwide expansion, opening 25 to 30 new outlets a year in France. To date, it boasts some 1,560 locations, and it has no intention of stopping there. Indeed, despite the reluctance sometimes expressed, customers are flocking to Big Macs, fries and sodas.
In a country that prides itself on having inscribed the French gastronomic meal on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, McDonald's has imposed its rules on the game. The American giant has skilfully marketed a few local variations of its menu items and the use of French suppliers for sourcing ingredients. As a result, the French subsidiary of the "Golden Arches" claims to have achieved sales of €6.1 billion by 2022, and boasts the second-highest level of activity and profitability in the world, behind only the United States.
Its great American rival, Burger King, is trying to close the gap. According to Food Service Vision's ranking of fast-food chains, it ranks second, with sales of €1.55 billion in 2022, well ahead of chicken specialist KFC (sales of €740 million). After a period of decline in France, Burger King went back on the offensive when Groupe Bertrand took over the master franchise in 2013.
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