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While with inflation, many French people have deserted the restaurant tables, more and more professionals imagine a parade to relaunch their business: very affordable menus who see a new customers arriving.
Entrance-Plat-Dsert for 10 euros … The formula seems difficult to hold and yet, more and more restaurateurs are putting themselves on the “anti crisis menu”. A permanent battle against expensive life. In France, our shopping basket has increased by more than 13% in two years. One in two French people saying to eat less well than before and one in five claims to go to the restaurant anymore. For these restaurateurs, the anti-crisis menu is often the last card to play to relaunch their case undermined by the crisis of purchasing power and in COVID years. In 2023, 7,000 restaurants closed their doors.
In Nancy, Jérôme set up this formula in March 2025 to get out of the turmoil which led him to separate 40% from his staff. But since the establishment of the anti-crisis menu, he sees new customers arriving, families on Wednesday, retirees too. But in order to achieve this in force of a house formula concocted with the gram and the nearest cent, he has established partnerships with his suppliers to tighten the costs and take them in his adventure.
In Haute-Vienne, in Breuilaufa, the inn of Carine has become the heart of this village of just over 100 inhabitants. To stay open, she had the good idea to open her card to the most isolated by going to serve them at home. 10.50 euros per full menu to book in advance or on subscription. Is it the magic formula? It is above all a permanent work in search of the best prices between short dates, promotions and destocking but also in cooking, to show imagination.
If restaurateurs are starting to position themselves on the niche, on the Internet, it has already been a moment that some applications occupy the field of “eating cheaper”. For ten years, the Phenix platform has linked restaurateurs and subscribers to benefit from unsold. After the first service, in a little offbeat timetables, it is the possibility of having a full meal at 50% of the starting price. For the past two years, more and more restaurants have been hitting the door to get into the program, how to limit losses.
A report signed Marion City and violinbroadcast in “Special Envoy” on June 19, 2025.
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