"Do we have to make do with 'a little LESS'?"
Wim Ballieu is a well-known TV chef and hospitality entrepreneur. In 2012, he opened his first Balls & Glory restaurant. Since then, the concept – which places the traditional meatball at the center of the menu – has grown into a successful Flemish fast-casual chain.
I increasingly hear it whispered in the corridors of the Flemish fast casual scene: that as entrepreneurs, we have to settle for less. A little less (lunch) revenue, slightly lower margins, a few more costs, and a bit less staff. But let’s be honest: are we truly satisfied with 'less,' or do we nostalgically long for the golden years?
It’s true that the Flemish hospitality sector, especially the fast casual industry, is facing significant challenges, such as rising costs and increased competition. Some are still feeling the lingering effects of the intense COVID years. Even businesses that have diversified into retail, meal box deliveries, and/or food trucks are experiencing similar ‘symptoms.’ And yes, we are seeing rapidly changing consumer preferences and expectations. But is settling for ‘a little less’ really the only option we have as entrepreneurs? And can we survive by doing so?
If we critically evaluate ourselves, have we truly innovated enough in recent years? Have we sufficiently surprised and inspired our customers? Are we really bringing out the best in ourselves, or are we showing signs of fatigue? Amidst all the challenges we've faced, have we lost ourselves in focusing too much on cost-cutting and efficiency behind the scenes? What’s in it for the customer that we have a well-organized back office? Is 19 to 25 euros for a meal with a drink still relevant when you can dine in Paris or Amsterdam in trendy concepts for just 13 to 16 euros?
"What if we focus on delivering more memorable experiences instead of uninspired 'it’s fine' moments?"
What would happen if, instead of aiming for ‘a little less,’ we strived for ‘better’? What if we focused on delivering more immersive experiences instead of uninspired ‘it’s fine’ moments? What if we redirected our efforts toward creating vibrant flavors and surprising our guests in new, exciting ways?
Beyond settling for ‘a little less,’ we need more. More focus on the front end, on guest experiences. The strange thing is, everyone seems to be fighting this battle individually. It seems to be a Flemish phenomenon, because in the Netherlands, the consolidation of hospitality groups has been successfully underway for years. If you ask me, the market there might already be too consolidated. In the Netherlands, franchising is much more widely accepted among entrepreneurs, driven by the philosophy of strength in unity. Whether this affects taste and service? I’ll leave that for you to decide.
"Maybe we should learn to embrace the idea of sharing knowledge and resources, following the Dutch example."
In recent years, we’ve seen caterers merging and wholesalers consolidating here in Flanders. Yet, the Flemish hospitality entrepreneur still tends to rely on using their ‘elbows’ to secure their position. The mindset remains, “what we do ourselves, we do better.” In today’s market, I question the effectiveness of that approach. I know I can’t generalize—there are certainly some fantastic hospitality groups here—but in my opinion, they are too few.
Perhaps we should learn to embrace the idea of sharing knowledge and resources, following the Dutch example. Collaboration that goes beyond WhatsApp groups among local entrepreneurs and fun inspiration trips with colleagues. How can we genuinely help each other? How can we operate as professionally as a well-organized Dutch hospitality group while maintaining the charm, flavors, and hospitality of a cozy restaurant in the village street? From co-branding, temporary partnerships, shared operations, to multi-brand operators. I genuinely wonder, without an excessive sense of emotion or nostalgia.