All about Lunch breaks in France

Time is money: Only 33 percent of the working population in France have lunch in full service restaurants. Over 60 percent of the employees and worker prefer prepared meals in advance and the daily foodservice in canteen and cafeterias. This is result of a study* of CHD Expert Group, the leading market research company for the Away-from-Home Market in Europe and North America. For the survey a representative sample of 2,000 French women and men has been interviewed in May this year.

'Only six percent of the restaurant guests have enough time and money for daily gourmet courses of several hours. This type of guests are mainly business men and senior executives,' Nicolas Nouchi, Managing Director of CHD Expert France, said. The typical 'lunch breakers' in France are between 25 and 44 years old and are employees in the middle management. Only a quarter of them could get at home for lunch break. 75 percent have to chose between several budget lunch occasions: 34 percent of the French working class have their prepared meals in advance - in minimum once a week. 15 percent of them have 'meals on wheels' daily. 28 percent of the companies staff visit a canteen or cafeteria once a week (16% of them daily).

The food types for lunch breaks trends towards well-balanced, varied and original meals. 'Coq-qu vin and a glass wine for lunch break aren't very trendy,' Nicolas Nouchi states. Nearly two-thirds prefer French traditional cooking (65%) followed by Asian cooking (35%), pizzas and other Italian specialities (28%). Regarding the meal types there's a favourite: 26 percent of the consumers order main courses and desert. 15 percent of the consumers prefer today's specials and 12 percent are keen on appetizers & main courses. Alcoholic drinks are be avoided at lunch time by nearly two-third of the guest. The meal (at full service restaurants) is mainly taken between business colleagues (54%) and rarer with friends of family members.

In restaurants the average check for lunch is 12,50 Euro. The individual guests chose between three known restaurants for lunch and spend up to 50 minutes time for their break.

The contrast are the food habits in fast food facilities. The guest spend only 6,70 Euro in average for e.g. French-style sandwiches (chosen by 67%), salads and crudities (44%) or hamburgers (34%) or kebabs (31%).

*The study 'Panorama de la restauration: La pause déjeuner' is available at: CHD Expert France, Tel. +33 (426) 729000.

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