The domestic gastronomic market is in a phase of dynamic development, accompanied by an equally rapid rise in consumer expectations. "Gastronomy is ceasing to fulfill merely a supplementary role in the commercial offer and is increasingly becoming its strategic pillar. However, for this foundation to be lasting, it must extend far beyond the culinary offer itself. The modern consumer seeks experiences that engage not only the senses but also emotions," says Stefanie Nguyen of Colliers. According to her, taste is important, but so are atmosphere, aesthetics, comfort, and even technology.

Decision-making regarding selection is further complicated by the fact that gastronomy is a high-risk sector: "The statistics are ruthless: less than half of new restaurants survive on the market for more than two years. Therefore, a strategic approach to tenant selection is key, taking into account not only their commercial potential but also the complementarity of the offer, the target customer profile, and the ability to adapt to a changing market environment." All this ensures that customers are not served constant changes but rather have access to a cohesive and engaging gastronomic offer.

Location is Key

When selecting tenants in the gastronomy sector, localization remains a crucial factor. Today, thanks to modern analytical tools, its potential can be assessed very precisely. Visitor flow analysis (footfall), which accounts for variability over time and time of day, makes it possible to estimate the number of potential customers in a given area. However, this is only the beginning.

Equally important is an analysis of the competitive environment: how many businesses are operating nearby, what is their profile, and which of them could pose direct competition to the planned concepts? Oversimplified assumptions must be avoided. For example, a restaurant located on the opposite side of a busy intersection may be outside the customer's line of sight or perception, and its influence on consumer decisions will be negligible.

Volume of Different Concepts

For a mixed-use project to function effectively, it should achieve a critical mass—that is, a minimum number of gastronomic concepts that ensure diversity of the offer and, consequently, attract a sufficiently large influx of customers. Too modest a number of establishments will not generate enough interest, and the space may feel unfinished or unattractive.

However, excess can also be problematic. Too large a number of tenants can lead to internal competition, which is not favourable for business balance. Such an arrangement can raise concerns among future tenants, as no one wants to get lost in the crowd. Tenants expect their offer to be properly exposed and to have a real chance for direct, undisturbed contact with the customer, which translates into brand recognition and return on investment.

Diversity and Duplication

In a well-designed gastronomic space, tenants should not directly compete with each other; instead, their offers should complement one another. Therefore, duplication of concepts is not advisable—for example, two restaurants with Italian cuisine or several similar Asian restaurants. If another cuisine from a given region appears, it should be in a different format, i.e., with a different menu, service style, atmosphere, and décor. Furthermore, it is crucial to create a combination that meets diverse customer needs: from a quick lunch to a family outing to an evening meeting over cocktails. This will satisfy a wide range of consumers and ensure that the property is lively at every time of day.

Originality, but in Moderation

Although restaurant visitors enjoy trying new flavours, in practice, they most often return to the cuisine they already know and like, such as Italian, Greek, traditional Czech, or Asian. The palette of these proven choices is relatively narrow, so more exotic concepts should play a supplementary, not a dominant, role in the tenant mix.

An alternative direction is neo-fusion cuisine—creative combinations of novelties with familiar flavours or combinations of unconventional cuisines. These types of concepts can effectively attract attention while remaining popular with consumers in the long term. Originality should therefore not be a goal in itself, but a tool for building an engaging yet balanced gastronomic offer.

Beware of Newcomers

"One of the riskiest elements of the gastronomic mix are newcomers, i.e., tenants without previous experience in the industry. Their potential failure represents not only a risk of insolvency for the property owner but also an image and operational problem. Spaces where a restaurant has ceased operations are more difficult to re-lease," warns Stefanie Nguyen. The failure of a predecessor can deter other tenants and customers and be a disadvantageous argument for the owner in future rent negotiations.

Current gastronomic niches facing systemic difficulties are also worth attention. An example includes canteens focused on serving office workers. Although they once represented a stable part of the offer, today they are increasingly disappearing from the market. The hybrid work model, low margins, strong competition from restaurants offering lunch specials, and the growing popularity of meal box diets and online food delivery are making their business model less and less profitable.

When planning a gastronomic mix, it is therefore advisable not only to analyse growth potential but also to identify areas of increased risk and minimize them accordingly through the appropriate selection of businesses, flexible lease terms, or operational support.