For several years now, the concept of food courts has been making waves on the global restaurant scene. After a difficult start on our territory, it seems to have finally conquered the heart of the French. Definition, advantages for consumers, benefits for managers and how to get started, we tell you everything about the new trend of food courts in France!

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Food courts under the microscope

In your opinion, when did the concept of food court start?

Let us guess, you don't give it more than 30 years do you? Well, this one was born in 1970 in shopping malls in America and Asia. At that time, this concept was not known as we know it today. The objective of food courts was to feed a maximum of people in a minimum of time. Fast food was king.

Gradually, the format was modernized and made its appearance in Europe in 2010.

Food courts are also known as food halls. The basic idea remains the same, i.e. a food court federating several restaurants around a common room where the consumer buys his meal at the stand of his choice and then sits at one of the tables. However, these spaces now offer other complementary services and a varied, quality culinary offer. The customer experience is just as important as the food itself.

Today the words food court and food hall are used to designate the same concept, but we will see later that some subtleties distinguish them.

👉 To go further: discover all the trends in the restaurant industry

An attractive concept for consumers

Take off your entrepreneur's hat for a moment and put on the end customer's hat. You'll understand why consumers are so keen on short food.

It is the practical aspect that comes to mind. Nowadays, these places aim to gather a very varied offer of catering in one and the same place. It is possible to have a drink, to taste a pastry, pizzas, falafels, a bo bun, everyone finds his culinary happiness. Goodbye to the hassle of finding a restaurant that satisfies everyone's tastes, the food court puts everyone in agreement!

Beyond the diversity of the restaurants, there is a unique, warm and friendly atmosphere . A joyful organized mess! You can eat sitting down, standing up, with your family, with friends and you may even share your table with strangers. Open 7 days a week, from morning to night, the food halls are perfect for an early breakfast, a late snack or a long drink.

These places, with their unique and surprising settings, are also ideal for organizing events where gastronomy and culture meet. Indeed, on the borderline between catering and events, you can just as easily attend a country music concert at a burger stand as a Beaujolais Nouveau tasting or a special "taste week" event. The concept of cultural catering was born! Everything is designed to promote exchanges and good humor, and allows consumers to live a true gustatory experience, but not only.

Food courts also meet the expectations of 21st century gourmands. Constantly animated, these innovative places have the gift of surprising customers at each visit. Know-how, craftsmanship, quality and transparency are also part of the values of many food halls, values to which consumers are more and more sensitive.

They also encourage culinary experimentation. You might never have voluntarily gone to an Afghan or African restaurant, but now that you're in front of the booth, it's easier to indulge in a bandjan bourani or mafé, right?

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Why open a food court?

Now yes, you can put your food service entrepreneur hat back on! Food courts have many benefits for consumers, but so do you as a restaurant professional.

Here are 6 good reasons why you should be excited about this concept:

As these places are real poles of attraction, they allow managers to make economies of scale on expenses such as maintenance and security personnel, wifi and telephone service, dishwashing, sanitary facilities, etc. Some even go so far as to call on the same brand to equip all the corners with electrical appliances, furniture or dishes. Some even go so far as to call on the same brand to equip all the corners with electrical appliances, furniture or crockery.

All the benefits previously mentioned are also true for the restaurant owners in charge of the different corners. Pooling of expenses, promotion of know-how, maximization of flows are all strong arguments that you can use to convince the professionals you are targeting to join the adventure.

You will make savings in terms of communication. The publicity realized by this culinary space, then the fame of the place benefit to your food court but also to all the restaurant owners and caterers who work there. And vice versa!

Crowds attract crowds! Lesser-known restaurants with great potential will not suffer from the line-up at the doors of the neighboring restaurant, on the contrary. On the contrary, they will be able to take advantage of the traffic that the latter generates and make their brand visible. The next time, consumers will come for them. So many customers who will come back to your food court.

Whether you are the originator or not, cultural events attract customers and allow you to showcase real expertise and do it in a way that makes a lasting impression.

Finally, the food halls lead to professional emulation. The different restaurateurs present in your food court will be able to challenge each other and progress continuously by learning from their neighbors whose passion they share or by collaborating with them. As a result, the whole food court goes to the next level!

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How to open a food hall?

In order to prepare the opening of a food court, you will have to integrate all the conceptualization and operation hypotheses in your business model.

Here are a few things you need to consider.

Financial projections

To be profitable as soon as possible, anticipate as much as possible and build a concrete battle plan: attendance forecasts by consumption moment, average ticket, turnover, charges and expenses, return on investment, depreciation, etc.

👉 Further information: A guide to drawing up a business plan for your food court

The status of the restaurant area

You have two options:

the food court, which is a space that brings together several restaurant chains, especially fast food chains, and whose main objective is service efficiency.
and the food hall, a place that combines catering and retail (purchase of products) that allows consumers to live a real culinary experience.

The concept

Then, you will have to think about the values of your food court, the hours, the design (decoration, furniture, lighting, music), the atmosphere as well as the prices you will propose. Keep in mind the desire to create a unique and original concept.

Then comes the time to define the Food & Beverage & Entertainment program and the layout of the bars and the different kiosks.

Target audience and location

Obviously, you will have to prioritize an area where there is a lot of traffic. Depending on the target clientele, you may choose an area close to offices, in a shopping center, in a place frequented by tourists, etc. Make sure that the location is easily accessible and well served by public transportation.

Online and offline communication channels

To promote your food court, you will have to think big! Considering the size of the place, communication is crucial to attract enough customers every day.

Going through a dedicated communication agency represents a cost but allows you to be surrounded by professionals who will know how to optimize your marketing budget to create a buzz around your place.

The customer experience

In addition to offering a unique culinary experience, a food court must also be fun and innovative to surprise consumers. To achieve this, digital technology is a major asset, as it facilitates order-taking and payment. From kiosks to ordering at the table via QR Code, there's no shortage of innovations!

👉 Going further: 6 tips to improve order-taking in a food court

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The food court and corner management solution

From order taking to collection, preparation, delivery or activity management, nothing must be left to chance!

Given the complexity of setting up and managing a food court, it is essential to be accompanied by a trusted player such as Innovorder, whose expertise in this area is essential. Favoring a single ecosystem also means you don't have to depend on several service providers who could pass the buck in case of bugs.

Zoning

The zoning, in other words the definition of the different spaces, is not to be taken lightly. In addition to the bars and stands, you will also need to plan storage areas, order preparation and dispatch areas, a checkroom, a laundry room, etc.

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The 3 key success factors of short food

1. The place

The place plays an enormous importance. You have to bet on spaces with history and atypical architecture. Many food courts owe their existence to places diverted from their original use, such as industrial wastelands or an old library.

2. The culinary offer

The second key success factor is obviously the culinary offer. This must be not only varied, to appeal to a maximum number of palates, but also qualitative and affordable. The real challenge is to offer a mix of elaborate dishes and casual cuisine as well as menus promoting local know-how and world cuisine. As you would do in your own restaurant, you have to be aware of the trends and demands of consumers. Today's consumers are looking for innovation, transparency, and a more sensible way to consume. By the way, have you ever heard of the fast good trend? Today's customers want to eat healthier, faster, and without spending more money.

3. Space optimization

Finally, to put all the chances of success on your side, think about the organization of the space. This one should not be saturated with stands and tables. It is absolutely necessary to take care of the versatility of the place where you do not only eat. It must be able to host workshops, exhibitions, pop-stores, concerts or even conferences. Customers tasting pasta with truffles while listening to the testimony of a passionate winemaker, it is in the food courts that it happens!

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Overview of French food courts

France, too, has been caught up in the food short game.

Food courts in Paris

Among the best-known are, in Paris :

Food Society in the heart of the Ateliers Gaîté, near the Montparnasse train station,
Food court Galeries Lafayette in the basement of the very popular store on the Champs-Élysées.

But also two customers, convinced by our solutions:

Ground Control where several catering options are available in a former postal sorting center near the Gare de Lyon, equipped with Innovorder checkouts.
Suprem Food Court, opened in the fall of 2022 in the heart of La Défense and equipped with kiosks, checkouts and KDS Innovorder.

Food courts in Europe

At the gates of France, we also find Food Allen in Amsterdam, Time Out Market in Lisbon, El Nacional in Barcelona, Dinamera in London or Mathallen in Oslo.

You want to open a food court and are looking for a partner to help you digitalize your establishment? Innovorder is the only player in France to offer a complete ecosystem designed specifically for food courts: order taking, collection, preparation, delivery and management!

👉 Discover our solution for food courts: Innovorder Foodcourt

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Understand everything about the food court trend