Buffalo Grill is an impressive phenomenon in France – headquartered in Montrouge, the company today employs 6,000 people and runs 326 restaurants across the whole country.
Founded in 1980, Buffalo Grill is a mass-market chain serving American-style steak with some concessions to French tastes. It is well known for its generous portions – either in restaurant or delivery – and its efficient and friendly service, offering the best quality-price ratio across French restaurant chains. Its success is based on the multiple occasions to enjoy Buffalo Grill: as a family, with colleagues, with friends, blue or white collars…
“Buffalo Grill has a simple purpose – to enable everyone to access a high-quality casual dining experience,” says CEO Robert Guillet, acknowledging that the company has been growing steadily over the years, with 2023 again a highly successful year despite raging inflation – in 2023 Buffalo Grill opened 7 new restaurants and achieved 12 swaps from equity to franchise management, on top of 9 successful inter-franchise transactions.
Transformative year
“In the post-pandemic environment, we have modernised the brand through an ‘American Road Trip’ concept with the ‘America Starts Here’ slogan and continued investment in quality and the proposition through a menu with more BG identity, more differentiation, and more inclusion. As such, Buffalo Grill teams and organization are future-proof again.”
He explains that in 2023 the company restructured the business to fully focus on its Buffalo Grill core brand. “All departments are now aligned to the single objective of growing our Buffalo Grill business and network and all the main marketing actions in 2023 were developed around our new brand and communication platform, which translated into an evolving menu offer and renewed restaurant design. As a result, Buffalo Grill has yet again collected the France Favourite Brand award and increased revenues.”
“Investment in digital technology has accelerated, as has network transformation. Digital solutions were aimed at accelerating time of service, improving accuracy and speed of information between waiters and kitchen and also at managing inventories and orders. It is worth mentioning that the new deployment was implemented by our SWAT team in record time across our 320 restaurants.”
Importantly, the whole transformation has been achieved in close cooperation with employee representatives, franchisees, and stakeholders in line with the company’s values of mutual respect, transparency, and performance.
America Starts Here
Given its undisputed position, the brand seems to be set for future expansion, but how did it all start? The idea was born in 1980 when founders Christian and Annie Picart decided to reflect in a restaurant an idealized view of the Yankee world. “This makes the concept unique and the positioning very strong in the imagination of the French,” says Guillet.
“Our brand is our main asset. It has been relentlessly built over the last 40 years on its core purpose – an affordable dining experience for all. Promoting this purpose has made us a market leader,” he continues, pointing out that while fast food and post-pandemic nomadic consumption have disrupted out-of-home dining-out consumption habits, Buffalo Grill is soaring with respect to its pre-crisis results thanks to its unique position and its ability to exploit the market potential of value-for-money consumer expectations. Last year’s results speak for themselves: €500 million revenue, 11 million guests and 24 million meals served.
“Generosity and affordability are our staples. A family of four can easily have a full meal, i.e. from starters to desserts including drinks for about €50. We put the guest at the centre of everything we do to make sure they really get good value for their money.”
Full coverage
Buffalo Grill acts through both franchisees and succursals, and its model has shown impressive resilience. Although promoting the American experience, focus on local is strong. “As we believe in a local anchor for the greatest guest experience and overall management of our restaurants, we are now going through an extensive transformation programme, including swapping to local entrepreneurs as franchisees.”
The company has also strategically reaffirmed the importance of its dedicated supply chain facilities including meat production, storage, handling, and transport, as this ensures a high level of service to each restaurant whilst remaining competitive.
With regard to suppliers, insisting on high quality is a must, says Guillet. “We have completed a full strategic review of our dedicated supply chain, initiating multiple tenders to challenge our current set-up, in which we do our own meat processing, recognized by specialists as professional and high performing. Secured by these high-performing teams, this overall set-up is delivering a high service level to our restaurants.”
He further points out that 90% of Buffalo Grill’s meat is sourced in France, and the company tends to prefer local sourcing as long as it can meet the demand. “Suppliers must conform to strict specifications to guarantee quality, in order to be included in our supplier base.”
Growing in partnerships
In 2024, Buffalo Grill continues to pursue its noble purpose. By reinventing itself, the brand maintains its universality and its proximity to customers of all kinds. Beyond its core target – families with young children – Buffalo Grill has expanded its focus to a wider customer base: avowed meat lovers, looking for a generous meal; flexitarians and epicureans seduced by a relaxed atmosphere; or even groups of friends who are looking for a unique and satisfying experience.
Robert Guillet affirms that the objective is to make Buffalo Grill synonymous with a good time for everyone, a moment of escape which is based on a high-quality price-experience ratio, capitalising on what has always been its strength: whether in a suit or overalls, everybody feels good in Buffalo Grill.
The company is in a unique position to attract strong investors, fully committed to true development schemes for solid candidates with a proven business track record. “We believe in strong partnerships based on our values of mutual respect, transparency, and performance. Each partnership is based on a shared ambition to agree with the brand strategy, to grow the brand, to build the business across a given territory, to leverage the proven Buffalo Grill know-how. In partnerships we will grow to the benefit not only of the consumers but of all stakeholders.”
