15
years ago Burger King announced that it had to leave the country due to
competition
The US fast
food had 39 restaurants in and around Paris until 1997. Unfortunately, the
company’s size was too small and there was a low profitability of its
activities in France. A kind of war broke out between Mac Donald’s and Quick in
the eighties. Unfortunately Burger King was just a victim due to that
aggressive competition. The company could not exist in that kind of businesses.
It needed at least 150-200 unities in order to realize economies of scale and
significant advertising investments.
Since Burger
King left the country, McDonalds its main competitor managed to re-brand itself
to suit French tastes and had become, along with European chain Quick, the
“only burger restaurants of reference in France.”
French
mouths water with the return of Burger King
Burger King is
coming back to France after 15-year hiatus, it has caused huge excitement.
However only two franchises are planned for 2013, for instance it concerns the
company “Autogrill”.
The iconic and
famous Whopper sandwich was on its way back immediately triggered an avalanche
of enthusiasm on the Internet. Burger King is trendy and is acknowledged as the
second most popular fast food on Twitter France.
Some Twitter
users were a bit disappointed, nevertheless, that the chain will only be
opening two restaurants- one at Marseille’s Provence Airport and the other at a
motorway service station near Reims in the Champagne region.
Some Twitter
users would like to have a Burger King restaurant in Paris in particular at the”
Gare de Lyon”. In fact, a lot of commuters are used to being there, they seems
to be miserable. They need a bit of happiness in their life. It could lift the
commuters’ spirits.
Since he left
the country in 1997, Burger King is the subject of a kind of worship that leads
some French tourists to cross without looking Euston Road when they leave
London St Pancras station for a whopper - or better, a double whopper. This
need obviously born of the scarcity of food is probably exacerbated and people
are fed up with the dichotomy Quick-McDonalds. Burger King which is a fast food
monster born in 1954.The first restaurant opened in 1953 by the founders in
Jacksonville, in Florida. "BK" now has 12,600 locations worldwide in
83 countries left. The chain shows off because BK is able to feed 11 million of
hungry men in the world.
“The French
want greater burger diversity and they are nostalgic for the return of a brand
that was taken away from them, somewhat brutally, 15 years ago.”
Burger King,
despite its reputation, its scale (12 000 points of sale in the world) and its
history in France, now finds itself in the situation of any foreign brand that
starts from zero which wants to settle in France. Just like Subway or
Starbucks, which first opened two or three outlets discreetly and then it will
step on the gas.
Do you think
that Burger King will be able to be successful in France again?
Maëlys.TA
In my opinion Burger King has failed setting up in France partly because of the high competition from McDonald's and the Belgian fast food brand, Quick. They seem to be more adapted to the French consumers' tastes and managed to create burgers using French traditional products. Nevertheless the demand increased and Burger King may seduce more easily the French market ! I guess they have to make more effort to offer adapted menus. Anyway if a Burger King settled in Grenoble I would not refuse to eat there now and then ! Camille D
ReplyDeleteIn mine point of view Burger King will be succesfull in France, not only because it is a fast food restaurant but because i find their taste a bit different from the other fast food restaurants.Also because most of the students and young people like eating fast food. I also find the quality of Quick not so tasty, i prefer BK in stand of Quick, i can tell because i've already tasted it. Their menu are also intresting like the patatoes rings ...so i would say yess !!
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot you dear Jennifer, I prefer BK rather than Mac Donald's... It tastes good, menus' price is correct. Young people are used to eating junk food, that is no good for health... But BK tries to offer us quality's products. If you tasted it you will be agree wih me. It could be a little bit stupid but chips can say hot and taste good.
DeleteHaving Burger King in France could be interesting regarding competitivity in the market.
ReplyDeleteToday, strategies put in place by McDonald's and Quick privileges French taste and French gastronomy. For instance,in every restaurant, McDonald's has set up for a few years now McCafe space with French pastry made by the French Group, Holder (owner of Paul).
It will be then interesting to observe whether or not Burger King is going to follow this kind of strategie. Maybe it would be more interesting for them to play on differenciation by assuming and promoting their american culture, as did McDonald's in its first years of setting up in France.
Last thing is that i am quite surprised and shocked by the company's citation used here and in particular by the "taken away from them" that completely unknows the fact that Burger King leaving the country in a first time was mainly their failure. But then it could only be strategy again.
Pierre M.
As the others as said, the coming back of Burger King would be interesting if they play a different game from McDonalds and Quick. “BK” should make a big difference in its products and justify its brand. That means the burger should be bigger as it is previous, and the form may be different that it use. In fact, they should focus on the excessiveness of the American culture, including the dining room which could be very different from McDonalds and Quick having almost the same aspect.
ReplyDeleteBut it is sure that before coming back Burger King has thought about its strategy, and they have learnt from their previous failure in the French market.
Jennifer A.
I agree with you Camille, BK failed due to a high competition ! They have to adapt their products in order to be different. It won't be easy because they will have to find a great idea. However, nowadays having a great idea, something new that could seduce a lot of consumers... It is difficult. Mac Donald's has the Mac café, the concept is interesting and products taste good.
ReplyDeleteI do not know if it is a gossip but a Burger King restaurant might be in Grenoble ( Comboire's area)
So do I, I agree with you Jennifer, they failed in the old days, now they know what they have to do ! I hope they have a new strategy ! Otherwise they would fail again. It would be a disaster... Creating a typical american dining room would be a great idea, consumers could "travel" and be in the USA. As they are coming back to France, they have thought a lot... marketing strategies... I hope so !
ReplyDeleteMaëlys TA
One more time, I agree with you Pierre. Burger King has to adopt a new strategy like differentiation. They could propose us a special place where you would eat typical food from the USA for example... About the quotation I also agree with you, they totally failed. They had few restaurants, only in Paris... They could not stay in France. Now BK knows what it has to do, I think they have a new strategy. I would like to have more Burger King restaurants in France, because it tastes good, it is better than Mac Donald's or Quick. For instance, chips stay hot and their burgers are not flabby.
ReplyDeleteI ate at Burger King in Spain, I had to be more patient than in Mac Donald' when I was ordering my menu.However, their products taste good. I prefer quality than quantity.
Maëlys TA
I don't think Burger Kind will be successful in France for three main reasons. First, because it already try to set up in our country and it failed, second because it is too American and too different from us. If they don't try to adapt to our tastes it will not work, this fast food restaurant is truely American and if they don't try to adapt to our tastes it will be another failure. And eventually, because our government intends to make us react about junk food and even if they can't forbid their set up, they try to aware us about the risks linked to junk food. But nothing is impossible, and the American know what they do, so let's see!
ReplyDeleteI don' know who ou are but never mind, so BK tries to be in France again, after a big failure in 1997. If the company tries to adapt to our culture for example they do not have to propose us big size menu like in the USA. Fo instance you have 2L of coca cola... If you have seen the famous movie "Super size me", you will be surprised. There is a big gap between France and the USA about our own habits. In fact, more and more people have to weight loss because of junk food. Moreover they can have some diseases.
DeleteI respect your point of view, but nothing is impossible as you said. If they fail in France again, I think it is not a major problem, they have a lot of restaurants in the world.
I agree with Camille that "BK" failed because of high competition. It could be very interesting if it comes back to France. But it may be not easy for BK to gain a predominant position in the fast-food market, because the severe competition already existed between Quick and Mc Donald's. If BK can't find a way to reduce the cost and avoid its last failure in France, BK may experience another loss. Besides, I think "BK" should target students as potential customers, so I think it would be better if it is relocated not too far from campus. And BK may need to change its receipts in order to adapt the "French taste". Promotion is also important to attract consummers. In conclusion, I don't think BK can succeed this time in France unless if it can differentiate from Quick and Mc.Donald's or reduce the cost considerablly.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Burger King needs to adapt its marketing mix in order to succeed in France and enter the market with a lower cost compare to McDo and Quick.
ReplyDeleteThe place is very important to succeed in a market and I think the BK settlement in "Gare de Lyon" is a very relevant choice because people have no time to spare/ to lose.
Moreover, I’m fed up with Mcdo and I will be happy to have more choice than only McDo or Quick to have a quick breakfast.
In Spain BK is largely present but I have never seen a Quick.
Maybe, in such a market there is no place for 3!
Mélanie
Wow yummy burger.
ReplyDeleteI just love it and i use to go at burger restaurant twice a week.