American fast food has captured the hearts of the French.

Despite being known for its fine dining, Michelin stars, and high culinary standards, France has an unexpected favorite when it comes to food: American fast food.

In 2023, Euromonitor International reported that the nation ranked third in Europe for fast-food sales, with a total of 19 billion euros.

According to Xavier Expilly, president and founder of consulting firm EXPM, there is a significant appetite for the American way of life in France.

As COO of Popeyes France for Napaqaro, a French restaurant group, Expilly was responsible for overseeing the arrival of Popeyes in France in 2023. Napaqaro holds a master franchise and development agreement with the Canadian-American holding company that owns several QSRs, including Popeyes and Burger King.

"American brands in the QSR industry have iconic products that cement their position in customers' minds, according to Expilly. He cited menu items such as McDonald's Big Mac, Burger King's Whopper, and Popeyes' chicken sandwich as examples. "American enterprises were the first to do that," he added."

"According to Expilly, the French people desire to explore new flavors. When you present this with a compelling narrative and an iconic burger, you are successful."

According to IBISWorld, globally, chicken is the second most popular fast-food item, followed by "snack," pizza, and sandwich.

In 2023, QSRs in France that served burgers accounted for 47% of all QSR sales, which amounts to 9.1 billion euros.

McDonald's has the most significant market share in France due to being the first to enter the country, with its first location opening in Créteil in 1972. As of March 2024, the burger giant has over 1,500 outlets across France.

McDonald's success in the 2010s encouraged other QSRs to enter the French market, as France was McDonald's second-largest market after the U.S.

Andrew Charles, a managing director and senior restaurant analyst at TD Cowen, stated that these concepts are looking internationally and saying, "The race is tough in the United States. Where can we find success internationally?"

Charles stated that they perceived it as a ripe opportunity for growth, which ignited a rush into France for many burger and quick service concepts.

Charles stated that Burger King has aggressively pursued the market in France due to the popularity of American quick service foods and concepts.

In 2012, Burger King returned to the French market after a 15-year absence, and currently ranks second, behind other chains such as KFC, Domino's Pizza, and Subway, which have continuously expanded in France.

According to Euromonitor International, McDonald's and Burger King hold more than 40% of the market in 2024, making it their largest outside the U.S.

In response to the changing priorities of French society, which values convenience and affordability amidst shortened lunch breaks and high inflation, QSRs have adapted beyond clever marketing.

The pandemic has accelerated digitization trends, forever altering consumers' purchasing behavior.

"According to Joel Tissier, CEO of Domino's Pizza France, only a small portion of our customers come to the counter to order, which is less than 10% of our orders. The majority of our orders are placed online, accounting for 60% of our total orders."

Despite a decline in French QSRs in 2020, the industry rebounded and earned more profits in 2021 than before the pandemic, as per Euromonitor International.

On the other hand, cafes, bars, and full-service restaurants are still struggling to recover.

According to Tissier, staying competitive in the post-pandemic era demands companies to possess two distinct skill sets.

"Tissier stated, "I compete with pizzas and need to be the best in class in that universe. However, I must also excel in the delivery business because I face competition from giants like McDonald's and BK, who are seven to twelve times larger than me.""

Watch this video to learn more.