The Restaurant, A Geographical Approach. Olivier Etcheverria

of a ‘clientele’ […]. The golden rule of localization must therefore theoretically be the search for the optimum number of visitors” [BEA 77, p. 141, author’s translation]. There are time, resource and cost constraints that hinder desirability. This search for the optimum attendance results in a need for visibility for restaurants.

      Thus, restaurants are overwhelmingly located in the center and along the main streets, avenues and boulevards of cities (and villages), which constitute structural axes, routes of penetration and convergence. They are vectors of the geographical diffusion of restaurants (see Part 1). They are also located at crossroads and in the squares of cities (and villages), which are hubs, crossroads and points of convergence. These geographical locations allow maximum visibility.

      In addition, many restaurants have a corner plot, a layout on two or even three sides (bipartite or tripartite facade). This is panoramic positioning on the square itself and on the two adjacent streets.