Full-Service Restaurants in Bulgaria

PROSPECTS

Rising incomes among Bulgarians will help to offset slowdown in inbound tourism

Although full-service restaurants looks set to develop positively over the forecast period, overall current value sales and transaction growth rates are projected to be weaker than those recorded during the review period. Similar to the case with cafés/bars, this will be mainly due to slower growth in the number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria.

Other full-service restaurants benefits from rising health-consciousness

Other full-service restaurants looks set to continue performing strongly over the forecast period. Mainly represented by outlets specialising in fish dishes or vegetarian and vegan cuisine, this category is well positioned to benefit from growing interest in healthier foodservice options among Bulgarians, particularly among consumers in larger cities such as Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas.

Full-service restaurants set to become more popular destinations for lunch

According to industry sources, the forecast period is likely to see a moderate increase in the average number of times Bulgarians visit full-service restaurants per year. This will be mainly due to rising disposable incomes and improvements in general living standards, which are leading many consumers to eat out as a leisure activity more often.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Happy Bar & Grill maintains its lead in a highly fragmented field

Like most of the main foodservice categories in Bulgaria, full-service restaurants is highly fragmented due to the dominance of independents. Among chained players, domestic brand Happy Bar & Grill remained the clear leader in value terms in 2018.

Victoria expands beyond Sofia but struggles with brand identity

Victoria Restaurant was the second leading chain in full-service restaurants in value terms in 2018. While it saw growth in current value sales and transactions slow from 2017, its overall value share remained stable, thanks in part to its recent decision to focus on strengthening its presence beyond the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

Roadhouse Grill and Wagamama continue to perform well

A number of international brands have entered full-service restaurants in Bulgaria in recent years. Late 2015 saw the entry of Roadhouse Grill into the North American category, while Wagamama entered the Asian category in March 2017.

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