Is Germany's Traditional Restaurant a Dying Breed?

Abstract

A longitudinal study of the multiunit food-service market in Germany shows the diminishing market share for the traditional, full-service German restaurant. The German trade journal food-service has since 1982 tracked a broad spectrum of businesses, ranging from quick-service restaurants and convenience stores in gas stations to national and international chain restaurants, airport food courts and airline food-service providers, department-store restaurants, and party service operations. The publication's data demonstrate the emergence of ethnic restaurants, particularly Italian; an increase in spending for food consumed away from home; a shift in patronage from traditional, full-service restaurants to market domination by quick-service restaurants, particularly McDonald's; and a dramatic increase in popularity of meals priced at the 10 Deutsche Mark level (approximately US$5.55). At the head of the 1996 list of restaurant-chain performers in Germany (by sales), were McDonald's, Nordsee, Burger King, Mdvenpick, and Tricon (chiefly as Pizza Hut).