Is the French restaurant industry imploding?

[rabbit]

We live near the coast in Morbihan and decided to go out for lunch today. The first 4 restaurants we visited were all on the sea front and each was closed.
1 of them had a sign saying lack of staff. We were forced to eat in a crêperie which for me is an insult to French cuisine and little better than fast food. I am getting desperate

[L Austin France]

We live near the coast in Morbihan and decided to go out for lunch today. The first 4 restaurants we visited were all on the sea front and each was closed.
1 of them had a sign saying lack of staff. We were forced to eat in a crêperie which for me is an insult to French cuisine and little better than fast food. I am getting desperate

Every resto open in our Finistere town. In fact new ones' are still opening including a resto/hotel recently completed at what must have been enormous cost.
Not had a bad meal in any of 'em so far.

[ajm]

We live near the coast in Morbihan and decided to go out for lunch today. The first 4 restaurants we visited were all on the sea front and each was closed.
1 of them had a sign saying lack of staff. We were forced to eat in a crêperie which for me is an insult to French cuisine and little better than fast food. I am getting desperate

Perhaps your restaurants rely on tourist traffic and numbers are down due to the cost of living. Our favourite (book 3 weeks in advance for Saturday or Sunday) gets some tourists but as we are inland not much of a problem. Going tomorrow.

[MAD87]

The news has been full of items for weeks about the critical situation of employment in certain sectors - hotels, restaurants, bars, etc., not to mention the building industry and some industrial sectors.
Employers have increased salaries, holidays, given bonuses, reduced hours, all to no avail.
Home working during lockdowns and maybe a new entrepreneurial spirit are having an effect.

[suein56]

We live near the coast in Morbihan and decided to go out for lunch today. The first 4 restaurants we visited were all on the sea front and each was closed.
1 of them had a sign saying lack of staff.

We live very close to the sea front and our 3 closest restos would not be open today .. at this time of year they are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus jours fériés.
In the village another 4 restos .. full menu available in one always-been-there traditional place .. reduced lunch menu in another and the other two only serve main meals Fri - Sun at this time of year.

[Spectrum]

Lived here 16yrs only been in one restaurant in all that time, we was both poorly afterwards Also in the Uk I used to work in a few pub restaurants so good idea what goes on in them

[Bayleaf]

I can imagine many have suffered since the pandemic lockdowns. It seems more people have managed to find work from home.

Like Spectrum, we have rarely been to restaurants since living here. Usually only when visitors used to come over. Expense and disappointment has stopped us completely. Mr Bayleaf used to be a Chef in the UK, and in a Chateau in France years ago. Daughter did a Stage in a little restaurant in St Yrieix when she was at Collége - that's put her off working in one! We know what goes on behind the scenes too ....

[rabbit]

We live near the coast in Morbihan and decided to go out for lunch today. The first 4 restaurants we visited were all on the sea front and each was closed.
1 of them had a sign saying lack of staff.

We live very close to the sea front and our 3 closest restos would not be open today .. at this time of year they are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus jours fériés.
In the village another 4 restos .. full menu available in one always-been-there traditional place .. reduced lunch menu in another and the other two only serve main meals Fri - Sun at this time of year.

Here the restaurants are closed for the winter season but reopen at Easter. They would normally only be closed on Monday and Tuesday. There is an article on France 3 Bretagne today the discusses the labour shortage. Not just people but also a lack of decent accomodation for the seasonal workers
""En plein été, on aura des restaurants fermés pendant deux jours consécutifs parce qu'ils vont manquer de saisonniers". Arnaud Burel, directeur de Golfe du Morbihan Vannes Tourisme, ne cache pas son inquiétude alors que "juillet et août représentent pour certains professionnels presque 50% de la fréquentation annuelle".

[suein56]

Here the restaurants are closed for the winter season but reopen at Easter. They would normally only be closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Ah .. there's the difference. Our village is an all-year-round affair .. obviously very reduced visitor footfall in winter but still there at weekends. So the restos don't close for the winter, they remain open all year, except for their hols usually in January.

[L Austin France]

Come on then Spectrum & Bayleaf ! Dish the dirt. What does go on in Restos 'behind the scenes'?
We're regular once a week resto diners so I'd be very gratefull if you could enlighten me.