1.1 Definition and scope of the study

Fast food corresponds to the sale of ready-made meals generally combining speed of service and low prices. Generally, the simplicity of the dishes and the ability to manage a large demand characterizes fast food.

The global market - dominated by large fast food chains such as McDonald's - is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% between 2020 and 2027 - driven by emerging countries. Consumption in fast food outlets takes place for all meals of the day, at lunch and dinner, but more recently also at breakfast, a fast growing segment.

The Belgian restaurant industry has undergone many transformations in recent years, notably due to changes in consumer preferences, habits and purchasing decisions, which have strongly influenced the value and growth of the different segments of the food industry. As a result, certain segments, such as fast food, mobile food and food delivery, are gaining in importance. In 2019, one in ten Belgians ate at least twice a week in a fast food restaurant. The big global chains (McDonald's, Burger King, Dominos Pizza) stand alongside independents. The arrival of Exki - a Belgian player - in the 2000s also marked the advent of healthier fast food, sometimes described as fast good.

The Covid crisis has largely affected the restaurant sector, but fast food has been a little more spared, especially the large chains thanks to online sales and the rise of delivery services.

1.2 The global fast food market

The global fast food market reached $***.* billion in **** and is expected to grow rapidly to nearly $*** billion by ****, representing a CAGR of *.*% over the period from **** to ****. Of the total restaurant market, fast food is the segment with the largest market share (***) and the highest CAGR. This growth is mainly driven ...

1.3 The Belgian fast food market

The fast food market is a subset of the restaurant industry as a whole.

The Belgian restaurant market grew by *.*% between **** and ****. Nevertheless, there was a slowdown in growth in **** (***). The market is estimated to be worth €*.** billion in ****.

Sales of restaurants and mobile food services France, **** - ****, € billion Source: ****

The ...

1.4 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis

If the Covid crisis affected all the actors of the restoration, the big chains of fast-food suffered less than the "classic" restaurants for several reasons:

During the confinements, the delivery, the drive-through and the take-away remained possible: but the big chains are more advanced on this field than the independents. The ...

2.1 The evolution of the structure of the Belgian budget is favorable to out-of-home catering

Evolution of the expenditure structure of Belgians :

Source: ****

The Horeca sector (***) has seen its relative share increase from *.*% of the total budget in **** to *.*% in ****, indicating that out-of-home catering is becoming increasingly important in the lives of Belgians. At the same time, food products have rather stagnated in terms of budget ...

2.2 Meal habits of Belgians (at work)

A study conducted by Edenred on the ideal meal in several countries gives us some insight into the criteria taken into account when Belgians choose where to eat.

How much time do you spend on your lunch break (***)? Belgium, ****, in % Source: ****

Belgians eat lunch fairly quickly: **% of them eat lunch in ...

2.3 Habits of Belgians for their meals at home

Dinners are generally home-made: **% of Belgians claim to prepare them themselves every day. However, take-away meals are still important, as Belgians use them at least once a week in **% of cases.

What kind of meals at home do Belgians eat? Belgium, ****, in % Source: ****

How much time do you spend on your ...

2.4 Fast food patronage and consumer preferences

McDonald's is by far the most popular fast food chain in Belgium, with almost a quarter of the population claiming to eat there. However, the most striking figure is the share of Belgians who do not eat in any fast food restaurant: *.*%.

It is important to note that here two pillars ...

3.1 Segmentation and dynamics of actors

A highly competitive market: numerous players covering a fairly broad offer

The fast food sector is divided between independent players and large, often international, chains.The business is still dominated by large groups and networks such as McDonald's, Subway, Yum! Brands (***).

The boundary of fast food is not always clear - ...

3.2 Production analysis

Analysis of meal "production ":

Production in the fast food sector is a major point in the organization of the brands, because the whole market concept is based on the speed of catering. Therefore, operations are standardized to the maximum in order to optimize preparation time. Often the basic ingredients are already ...

3.3 A market divided between large chains and independent players

The number of fast food restaurants has been steadily increasing in Belgium, from ** *** in **** to ** *** in ****, which represents a total increase of **%.

Evolution of the number of fast food restaurants Belgium, **** - ****, in thousands of restaurants Source: ****

There are two main distribution channels used by fast food players.

Indirect channel: the ...

3.4 The massive growth of online sales and delivery services

The battle between fast food brands is now also going online. Given the trend towards at-home snacking, professionals are looking to capture this burgeoning demand. This is being done through the development of online ordering and delivery services and in-store pickup (***).

Number of restaurants available on TakeAway.com Belgium, ****-****, in ...

4.1 Types of fast food

There are several subcategories into which the fast food market can be broken down.

The most popular variable to distinguish these fast food categories is the type of food sold, which can essentially be traced back to country of origin.

If the meals covered by fast-foods are often lunches or dinners, ...

4.2 Price analysis

Evolution of consumer prices in Belgian restaurants since ****:

Overall, there has been an increase in prices in the restaurant sector since ****, but this increase is higher in restaurants and cafés (***).

Evolution of consumer prices in the restaurant sector Belgium, **** -****, in index base *** **** Source: ****

The fast-food market is characterized by ...

4.3 Supply trends

Towards healthier food:

Belgian consumers are increasingly sensitive to health and wellness issues, as evidenced by the emergence of new fast food restaurants offering balanced meals. According to Ipsos, **% of Belgians believe that their access to healthy food will improve or remain the same in the coming years. It is therefore ...

5.1 Current regulations

The hotel and catering industry is highly regulated in Belgium. The main rules are grouped in themes common to the whole sector: Fire safety, Insurance, Indication of prices, Copyrights and similar when broadcasting music or images, Conditions to allow your customers to smoke, Alcohol and similar drinks, VAT - Tariffs - ...