Dear French Cafes,
Time To Innovate
It is not to late! I know it is hard, but it is not that big of a surprise that Le Diable Fast Food is taking over. Sure, 54% of all restaurant sales in France is going to fast food, but with a little innovation, perhaps the fast food coup d’etat could be toppled with a Cafe coup de grace.
New Rules
As the article points out, there are a few things going on that can help steer your innovation towards success. 1. New rules are are being followed. 2. A shortened lunch hour. 3. Healthy, quality meals are still desired. 4. Multi course meals could still be relevant if served under the new rules.
Rules Are Meant To Be Broken
Take it as a fact that breaking the rules you play by is an excellent way to innovate and since the rules are already re-written new concepts can be developed to fit these needs. With just this short list of rules as stimulus of sorts the cafe experience could be re-invented to bring the love of home grown gastronomic pleasures back to the forefront of lunch.
Where To Start
As simple statement of purpose indicating what needs to be accomplished can help focus the effort. Something like…
Use fast food rules to re-invent the French Cafe to win back customers while preserving the greatness of the French Cafe experience and the greatness of the food.
With this focus, new rules about lunch, plus a bit more insight about the new lunch lifestyle customers are seeking new ideas can be brought to life and perfected all with the goal to better compete with the fast food surge. It might take a few iterations, but preserving the foundations of a cafe culture are worth it. And, if we can bring our concepts to life in ways that can fail fast we can get to success more quickly.
This is not impossible! If a British company like Pret can lead in the sales of the French national sandwich, the French cafes can win back restaurant sales.
We are rooting for you French Cafes!
Best regards,
Gastronomes Everywhere.
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