Sirha Dynamics: the end of restaurants or the beginning of a new era?

Are restaurants disappearing?

A shift in consumption behaviors is being observed in France, driven, among other factors, by strong pressure on purchasing power. These financial constraints paradoxically reinforce the perception of restaurants as destinations for special moments, experiences to be shared in a final moment of conviviality.

In response to this paradox, which contrasts efficiency (in time and budget) with experience, a new dining offer is emerging—one that must combine affordability, speed, and health.
The contemporary concept of a restaurant is giving way to new categories, creating two distinct segments within the food service industry:
→ The "pleasure-driven" dining sector, consisting of destination venues where customers can indulge and take their time.
→ The "functional" dining sector, which provides healthy and quick meal solutions with new hybrid distribution channels. According to an Opinion Way study for Sirha Food, 37% of French people buy takeout at least once a month, particularly younger consumers (66% of those under 35). Meanwhile, 25% prefer cooking at home for economic or health reasons.

The food service industry is also influenced by strong generational differences. Digital usage has significantly changed consumer behavior, especially among younger generations. Their relationship with restaurants is more contractual—they dislike surprises and are driven by an immediate satisfaction mindset. This generation embraces a globalized vision that transcends cultural boundaries in food. They now demand respect for all dietary preferences while continuing to rely on brands that provide both security and a sense of aspiration.

Five key challenges for contemporary food service:

1. Meeting the expectations of all customer segments at all price points.
2. Offering solutions tailored to all consumption moments and dining formats.
3. Creating unique flavor signatures that reflect a brand’s or establishment’s positioning.
4. Integrating restaurant operations harmoniously within the broader human ecosystem, considering environmental and health concerns.
5. Optimizing resource allocation—both human and technological—to improve efficiency and productivity.

Faced with this reality, Loeb Innovation highlights five constructive tensions—dubbed Sirha Dynamics—at Sirha Lyon 2025. These dynamics address key challenges and will shape the future of food service in the coming years.

Inclusivity vs Exclusivity
To meet the needs of all ages and budgets, food service operators should rethink their offerings and reinvent low-cost options beyond traditional institutional dining. The goal? To include the middle class.
But while inclusion is essential, food service must also remain exceptional—restaurateurs must not overlook the importance of creating rare experiences and unique venues. A paradox, you say?

Dopamine Now vs Dopamine Slow
Post-COVID society is marked by an accelerated pace of life, with fragmented time dedicated to work, leisure, and sleep. The constant dopamine stimulation from digital experiences has conditioned younger generations to expect immediate gratification.
To satisfy the craving for instant pleasure and satisfaction, energy-boosting or relaxing foods are on the rise—such as caffeine-enriched yerba mate drinks or CBD-infused waters.

Polymorphic dining spaces are emerging, including boutique cafés, coffee shop-snack hybrids, bakery snack bars, supermarket food service, and rapid-delivery restaurants.

Conversely, how do we cater to the desire for slower, shared experiences in a fast-paced world? By reimagining new communal dining rituals, reinventing business meals, and embracing festive dining experiences that are expanding beyond major cities—for example, dinner followed by dancing and live music, akin to a modernized café-concert.

Local Modernity vs Global Modernity
Local and global concepts are not necessarily in opposition—they can and should coexist within the restaurant landscape.
Inns and farm-to-table experiences are making a comeback as true dining destinations. The restaurant is no longer confined to urban centers; a signature taste must go hand in hand with a regional identity.

At the same time, this younger, more globalized generation craves standardized flavors that provide a sense of familiarity. What will be the new textures and tastes of tomorrow? A balance between uniformity and reinvention of generational flavors, as well as a fusion of cuisines that build bridges between cultures, provides an answer.

Ego-Frugality vs Eco-Frugality
When choosing what to eat, consumers face two tensions: taking care of themselves or taking care of the planet. How can we reconcile taste, well-being, and nutritional balance? The boom of GLP-1 analogs, a hunger-suppressing hormone gaining popularity in the U.S., will drive demand for lower-fat, lower-sugar, and functional foods.

To minimize the environmental impact of dining, the focus is shifting toward ultra-local sourcing and reinventing the farm-to-table concept. The expansion of French-grown exotic ingredients (almonds, peanuts, avocados, mangoes, bananas, corn) or the revival of ancestral local food chains—such as sorghum in Africa or farm inns in the Jura and Vosges regions—are initial responses.

New technologies are also helping to reduce food service’s environmental footprint through recycling, water cycle optimization, and reduced meat consumption. Innovations include lab-grown meat, plant-based substitutes, and insect-based protein alternatives.

Augmented Intelligence vs Augmented Restaurant
Amid labor shortages, the challenge of preserving culinary expertise, and improving working conditions in kitchens, artificial intelligence is making its way into food service, just as in many other industries.

Fast-food chains—pioneers in this space—are leveraging new technologies to enhance offerings, processes, and customer experiences. These advancements include task automation, dynamic pricing (as seen with Wendy’s AI-driven pricing adjustments based on traffic), and fully autonomous restaurants such as CaliExpress, an AI-powered burger joint.

However, AI has its limitations. McDonald’s recently discontinued its chatbot-based drive-thru ordering system due to poor performance, while Carl’s Junior abandoned its AI usage after discovering that 70% of the work was still being done manually by outsourced workers in the Philippines.

Technology should ultimately serve to enhance human connections—from assisting chefs in their creativity and optimizing operational management to improving culinary training and preserving craftsmanship. More broadly, the goal is to design ambitious systems and offerings that cater to all desires, from Gen Z to those over 50, while respecting diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility for people with disabilities (mobility, visual, auditory). Most importantly, food service must continue to foster sharing and happiness.