, Columnist
Global Chain Restaurants Are the Future of Food
Economies of scale are crucial as labor costs rise.
La resistance is futile.
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Every Western city's food scene seems slowly to be turning into a carbon copy of every other: The same global fast-food chains selling hamburgers and fried chicken with only modest concessions to local tastes.
Chains would seem to be the wave of the future. Certainly in the U.S.: A recent report by NPD Group tells us that in the last year, the number of independent restaurants declined by 3 percent, while the number of chains increased by 1 percent. Also globally: Fast-food chains are projected to grow worldwide at a breakneck pace.