La dinamica della ristorazione commerciale e collettiva in Italia

La dinamica della ristorazione commerciale e collettiva in Italia (di Andrea Pizzaferri) - ABSTRACT: The progress of modern society continues to significantly condition family life. Non-stop working hours have reduced to a minimum the time traditionally dedicated to eating lunch, together with the role of women working outside the home and the new schooling structure. These are the main causes that have favoured eating outside the family context. This sector, demand for which is forecast in further expansion, is characterised by a high degree of competitiveness with companies increasingly targeting their efforts to offering timesaving, service-oriented benefits, to product differentiation and to reducing costs. The result is that competition is tough for traditional meal channels such as trattorias and restaurants that are forced to invest in quality to avoid loosing excessive market share. Today?s family is less numerous and less patriarchal; lunch is no longer the main family meal of the day, which has been replaced by dinner, very often the only moment that all family members are reunited during the working period. During weekends and holidays, the greater free time available means that traditions are in part recuperated.