When you think about French food, you’ll likely imagine intricate dishes and elegant restaurants. However, the contemporary culinary tendencies on the streets, inspired by global curiosity and customer preferences, are redefining quick service restaurants (QSR) menus.
As the French fast food market is expected to grow to $60.2 billion by 2035, QSRs continue to play a significant role in developing fresh, vibrant tastes and textures that appeal to diverse customer needs.
This article looks into the rise of French street food in QSR menus. Read on to learn how the new French gastronomic trends have gone viral and converted ‘la street food’ into a culinary work of art.
The Rise of French Street Food in Quick Service Restaurants
The growing popularity of French street food is not just for convenience; it’s an indicator of the evolving culinary landscape. It’s a movement that celebrates innovation and embodies French culture while making some rare delicacies easily accessible.
This shift is fueled by the need for quick service restaurants to provide diners with convenient versions of famous French dishes. These delicacies also embrace simplicity and high-quality ingredients. As many QSRs experiment with drive-thru models to streamline service. Foodies can grab a budget-friendly fix of their favorite crepes or baguette sandwiches while on the go.
Crepes on the Go: Sweet and Savory Options for the Modern Palate
Crepes are a hearty delicacy, especially when they are brimming with cheese and a layer of salty ham. Whether you prefer a creamy ricotta or a strawberry one with tangy lemon zest, you can always have a filling you love.
French crepes come in two types: sucré (sweet) and salé (savory). The sweet type is prepared with wheat flour and sweet ingredients like jam, fruit, or Nutella, while the savory ones feature buckwheat filled with vegetables, ham, cheese, or eggs.
Sweet Crepes
Like their name suggests, sweet crepes typically feature sweet flavors. Examples include:
- Classic Nutella crepes: these are thin crepes filled with Nutella, chocolate hazelnut, berries or bananas
- Fruit crepes: they include cooked or fresh fruit with apple or banana filling
- Lemon curd crepes: this is a tangy, delicious option with powdered sugar
- Crepes Suzette: it contains caramelized sugar and butter, orange juice, or tangerine with beurre Suzette
- Strawberry crepes: these are filled with cheese cream and strawberry sauce.
Savory Crepes
Also known as galettes, these crepes are a favorite if you prefer a savory taste. Examples include:
- Galette complete: this one features a savory galette with ham, egg, and cheese
- Ham and cheese galette: it’s made using an earthly galette topped with a layer of salted butter and creamy egg
- Chicken and pesto crepes: mostly contains pesto chicken, cheese, onion, and red pepper
- Mushroom and spinach crepes: these ones are prepared using salted mushrooms, spinach and a spread of cheese
Crepes are versatile, and you can have a variety of fillings depending on diner preferences. Those who don’t eat gluten can opt for gluten-free galettes.
Reinventing the Baguette: French-Inspired Sandwiches That Delight
From the iconic jambon-beurre to the indulgent croque monsieur, French sandwiches offer multiple choices for foodies. Some of the best French-inspired tastes to tantalize your nerves include:
Croque Monsieur
This is a classic French sandwich diners will easily spot and grab as they explore their destination. Croque monsieur derives its name from its crunchy and satisfying nature, which has earned the delicacy a special place in the hearts of food lovers. A rich layer of béchamel adds extra fluffiness and softness to this hearty delicacy.
Jambon-Beurre
Jambon-beurre is an impressive French gastronomic heritage, once a portable and nutritious delicacy for the working class. The sandwich features a freshly baked baguette, crispy on the surface but chewy on the inside. You can fill it with unsalted butter and then layer it with thin slices of Parisian ham.
Baguette Sandwich with Bayonne Ham and Ossau-Iraty
This is simply a revamped version of the jambon-beurre that testifies to the innovation and creativity of quick service restaurants. The sandwich enlivens the crusty baguette by replacing the pink Parisian ham with Bayonne ham and adding sheep’s milk cheese (ossau-Iraty) from the Pyrenees. You can create a tangy flavor by adding a sprinkle of white mustard seed.
Beyond the Classics: French Street Snacks Perfect for QSR Menus
Quick service restaurants offer the best places for visitors and locals to taste authentic French foods. These havens offer various wonderful treats that locals savor daily at affordable prices.
Grilled Sardines
This is a traditional French dish common in the coastal Mediterranean region, especially in summer when there are plenty of sardines. Grilled sardine emphasizes the traditional flavors of southern seafood. Typically, the dish involves marinating sardines in a mixture of olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and other ingredients, depending on the creativity of the chef. The ingredients are then grilled for a short time.
Diners can have the dish served as a part of meze or appetizer, along with bread, sautéed vegetables, and boiled potatoes.
Socca
Though socca originated from the Genovese farinata, it has become a specialty of Nice, where it is a street food staple. This traditional flatbread is prepared using chickpea flour, salt, and olive oil. Once the batter is ready, it is placed on a broad platter and baked at high temperatures. You can season socca with salt and olive oil, then serve it as an appetizer with olive oil and a glass of rosé.
Pomme de Terre au Four (Baked Potato)
This dish comprises a whole potato baked in the oven until soft and crispy. Typically, restaurants prefer preparing the dish from russet potatoes thanks to their fluffy interior and high starch content.
The potato is split open after baking and served with various toppings like shredded cheese, butter, sour cream, sautéed vegetables, and bacon bits. Diners can have this popular street dish as a main course or side dish.
Embracing French Street Food: A Flavorful Revolution for the Future of QSR Menus
QSRs are rapidly drawing inspiration from street foods to reinvent their menus. This trend is marked by the introduction of high-quality, quick-service recipes that merge traditional fast-food delicacies with textures and flavors typical of street fare. This approach continues to elevate the dining experience while catering to evolving customer preferences.
Kenny Dunn, Founder of Eating Europe, discovered his passion for cuisine while living in Rome, introducing travelers to local eateries and culinary personalities. What began as casual strolls evolved into Eating Italy Food Tours in 2011, soon expanding to multiple cities as Eating Europe. Kenny and his growing team continue to share the taste of local life and unforgettable food stories across the continent.
