Creativity, plasticity, quality: On the emergence of a new food offering in Paris

Abstract

This paper presents the conditions of the recent emergence of quality fast food restaurants in Paris. Rather than being a radical innovation, the development of this new form of restaurants can be understood through the concept of path plasticity. That is innovation and change occurring within a well-established institutional setting of technology/knowledge development path (Paris catering services in our case) without necessarily breaking out of the path in question. Quality fast food has developed relying on the existing structures of the catering production system while creating bridges between two kinds of restaurants: traditional tasty and fine cuisine and fast food way of eating.