“Customers are consuming less”: why the French are avoiding restaurants this summer

Empty terraces, silent dining rooms... In the middle of a heatwave , it's a cold shower for restaurateurs. While the tourist season is in full swing, traditional cafes, bistros, and inns are being shunned by the French. While many professionals were betting on a good vintage this summer, thanks to the Paris 2024 effect , many of them are now wondering where their customers have gone.

In early August, the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH) sounded the alarm, indicating that, on average, restaurant attendance has dropped by 15% to 20% since the beginning of summer. A drop that, according to Franck Chaumes, director of the UMIH restaurant industry, can even reach 30% in certain regions. In July, "there was a lack of French consumption," confirms Alain Lahouti, president of the UMIH in the Cannes area. Despite "good foreign tourist attendance," the figures were below expectations. "We no longer have the stability we had a few years ago," adds the representative, who has observed a contraction in the tourist season over the years.

This is hardly surprising, say many French people, who accuse their leaders of being too greedy. "I go to restaurants much less than before," regrets William, a former consumer...