What would happen if Europe’s foodservice industry simply stopped for a day?
No coffee. No quick lunch. No grab-and-go. No restaurants.
In their latest exchange, Will Odwarka and Jonathan Doughty raise exactly this scenario. Not as a prediction, but as a thought experiment. One designed to highlight the true scale and importance of an industry that often feels overlooked by policymakers.
Despite its economic impact, foodservice is still widely perceived as fragmented, local and operational rather than strategic. A sector of many small players rather than a unified industry with real influence.
And that perception, they argue, has consequences.
From taxation to labour costs, operators across Europe continue to face mounting pressure while lacking the recognition typically given to more consolidated industries.
So what would it take for governments to truly take foodservice seriously?
A collective voice? Greater consolidation? Or something more radical?
Watch the video below to hear Odwarka and Doughty discuss whether the industry needs to rethink its position and how it presents itself to those in power.
