In our beloved seaside village, the winds of change are blowing like crazy, carrying whispers of potential new food franchises coming to town.

One unconfirmed rumour concerns a full-service on-the-move coffee-themed franchise restaurant. The other unconfirmed rumour is a fast-casual* chain specialising in Portuguese flame-grilled peri-peri style chicken.

*A fast-casual restaurant doesn’t offer full table service but promises higher quality food than fast-food restaurants. It’s somewhere between fast food and casual dining. I discovered that while researching this article. 

It’s not really about which franchise it is. It might be pizza, it might be burgers, it might be chicken, or it might be milkshakes. 

As mentioned, it is just rumoured at this stage, but there is movement. The old petrol station shop is a pile of rubble, and the community is polarised over the situation. Some people oppose new fast-food franchises coming into town, lamenting the loss of the old village charm as the veritable beast of metropolitan hunger marches in. 

Some may see this as a shift from the familiar, which it undoubtedly will be. Still, maybe we should consider the positive aspects and embrace the potential of what the future may bring.

Embracing the future means adapting to a community’s evolving needs and desires. Introducing these new establishments could open doors for economic growth, creating jobs and opportunities for locals. This doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t continue to support local restaurants and hospitality. We still will, especially those outlets that look after their local clientele during quiet periods in the village. Some of our restaurants are really great like that. But there is possibly room for both – established restaurants as well as food franchises.

It would be interesting to hear the reader’s thoughts on what is coming, and if anyone has any further details as to what the new businesses will be, please share what can be shared.

Oh, and there might be a new supermarket coming as well….