Full-Service Restaurants in Italy

PROSPECTS

Casualisation and health-conscious food are on the rise

The market share of traditional full-service restaurants is being increasingly eroded by limited-service restaurants, especially in urban areas. Although out-of-home consumption reached record levels in 2018-2019 and is forecast to continue following such a positive trend, in recent years Italian consumers have increasingly been turning towards fast and casual dining formats at the expense of full-service restaurants.

Italians look to chained outlets and new cuisines for different dining experiences

Chained establishments are slowly but steadily gaining traction. Although Italy’s full-service restaurants category remains highly fragmented and dominated by independent establishments, chained players are gathering momentum.

Synergy to be found in combining retail specialists with restaurants

Outlets such as butchers, fishmongers and cheese stores with an integrated restaurant are expected to further gain ground over the forecast period, while at the same time it is likely that Italians will seek to reduce their consumption of meat and increase their intake of fruit and vegetables. Over the coming years, combining retail outlets with foodservice could become widely used as a way for operators to diversify and expand their offer, while also providing convenience to consumers and a more interesting alternative to traditional full-service restaurants.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Italians acquire a taste for American fare, while gourmet pizza is on the rise

Although growing from a small base, chained North American full-service restaurants continued to perform dynamically in terms of new openings and value sales in 2019, with three players competing in the channel. Cigierre Spa’s Old Wild West chain numbered 200 outlet thresholds by the end of 2019, gaining in November of the same year for the fifth year in a row the prize as best full-service foodservice brand in Italy.

Dynamic expansion for leader Cigierre as premium casual dining gains traction

Despite the recurrent rumours about an incoming sale by investment fund BC Partners, which acquired 85% of the company’s shares in 2015, Cigierre Spa confirmed itself as the overall leader of full-service restaurants in 2019. In October 2018, the company added to its already consolidated network of ethnic brands Old Wild West, America Graffiti and Shi’s, the innovative 10-outlet strong Japanese-Brazilian format Temakinho, entering the so-called “premium casual dining” segment.

Niche brands are showing promise

The full-service restaurant channel continues to see a number of smaller brands with fewer than 10 outlets that are trying to tap into demand and adapt quickly to new consumer preferences. Some significant but not exhaustive examples include Miscusi, a small start-up with a focus on traditional pasta dishes that entered consumer foodservice in 2017 and now has nine outlets.

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