What Grill Courtepaille does

Courtepaille is a French grill restaurant chain founded in 1961 by Jean Loisier in Burgundy and now operated by CTP, a subsidiary of Groupe Baudaire. The chain operates more than 60 restaurants across metropolitan France, including motorway service areas and major cities, and is targeting 100 locations by 2030. Its signature offering is fireplace (cheminée) grilling, where trained grillardin masters cook meats in front of customers on open wood fires, producing a distinctive theatrical dining experience and charcoal flavor that the brand positions as its core differentiator.

The menu centers on signature grilled meats (entrecôte, duck breast, lamb chops, Andouillette de Troyes, Le Super Haché), complemented by house-made burgers, charcuterie and cheese platters, classic French desserts, and formula menus including a children's Petit Paillou menu and an express Courtepause lunch formula. The supporting technology stack is primarily operational: the Flamme Club loyalty program (1 flame per €1 spent, with tiered rewards and Apple/Google Wallet integration), ZenChef-powered online reservations, and Uber Eats delivery at participating locations. The company does not disclose AI/ML capabilities.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining company-operated restaurants and a franchise system. Franchisees pay a €45,000 entry fee, 4% royalty on HT revenue, and 1.5% national advertising fee, with a €150,000 minimum personal investment. Consumer revenue streams include dine-in transactions, formula meals (such as the €12.80 plat+fruit+café formula), and delivery orders. End customers span families, road travelers, and general consumers seeking accessible French grill cuisine. The brand is promoted through its owned website, loyalty communications, sports partnerships (FFHandball Official Supporter, historical Tour de France sponsorship in 2012), and a modernized restaurant concept launched in autumn 2024 that has driven +21% revenue and +20% customer traffic at refreshed locations.

Name

Grill Courtepaille

Legal name

CTP

Website

https://courtepaille.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Courtepaille is a French grill restaurant chain founded in 1961, operating 60+ franchised and company-owned locations across France. It serves families, road travelers, and casual diners with signature fireplace-grilled meats, formula menus, and a loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)

Keywords

• Grilled meat restaurants
• Restaurant franchise network
• Casual dining chain
• Fireplace grill cuisine
• Loyalty dining program

Headquarters

HQ city

Courcouronnes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from dine-in customers purchasing from the menu including grilled meats, burgers, salads, desserts, and beverages. Prices vary by restaurant location.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise fee of 45,000€ plus ongoing royalties of 4% of CA HT and 1.5% national advertising fee. Minimum personal contribution of 150,000€ required.
3. Flamme Club Loyalty Program: Points-based loyalty program that drives customer retention and repeat visits through rewards redemption.
4. Delivery Services: Partnership revenue from Uber Eats delivery orders, with the loyalty program not applying to aggregator deliveries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Courtepaille operates a chain of 60+ French casual-dining restaurants specializing in meats grilled over an open wood-fire cheminée (fireplace) by a trained grillardin in front of customers. The chain sells à la carte grilled meats, burgers, salads, classic French desserts, charcuterie and cheese boards through dine-in service, plus a franchise program licensing independent operators to open new locations under the Courtepaille brand.

Product overview

Courtepaille is a French restaurant chain specializing in charcoal-grilled meats cooked at the fireplace, founded in 1961 in Burgundy. The company operates a network of over 60 restaurants across France, offering a unified dining experience centered on authentic French cuisine prepared on open grills. The product portfolio centers on signature grilled meats (ribeye, entrecote, andouillette, lamb chops, duck breast) and house-made burgers, complemented by classic French desserts, ice cream sundaes, and charcuterie/cheese platters. Supporting services include the Flamme Club loyalty program (earning 1 point per €1 spent with tiered rewards), children's menu (Petit Paillou), quick-service Courtepause formula, and franchise partnership opportunities. The brand recently launched a modernized restaurant concept (autumn 2024) featuring theatrical fireplace presentation, integrated bar areas, and contemporary warm color schemes, delivering +21% revenue and +20% customer traffic improvements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le Flamme Club: Loyalty program rewarding customers with 'flammes' (flames) for each euro spent, redeemable for complimentary products and offers

Products and services

• Grillades à la Cheminée (Signature Fireplace-Grilled Meats) Signature menu category of meats grilled over open wood fire at the restaurant's central cheminée, prepared by the grillardin (grill master) in front of customers to deliver a unique charcoal flavor. Includes beef ribeye, entrecôte, pork sausages, duck breast, lamb chops, and T-bone steak for dine-in guests.
• Burgers Maison (House-Made Burgers) House-made burger range including Le Traditionnel (beef patty, emmental, brioche bun), Le Roub'lard (Cabécou du Périgord and grilled bacon), Le Farçou (vegetarian Aveyron potato cake), and chicken variants, served in Courtepaille restaurants.
• Le Super Haché Signature Courtepaille dish featuring two pure beef hamburger steaks topped with Cabécou du Périgord and grilled bacon, identified as a customer favorite.
• Andouillette de Troyes Signature French sausage specialty prepared on the charcoal grill, served as a Courtepaille classic with 115 portions served daily across the network.
• Desserts Classiques Classic French dessert range including Profiteroles, Crème Brûlée, Moelleux au Chocolat, Mousse au Chocolat, and seasonal fruit, served as part of the standard restaurant menu.
• Coupes Glacées (Ice Cream Sundaes) Ice cream cups and sundaes including Coupe Souvenir d'Enfance (vanilla ice cream with marshmallow bears), Dame Blanche (vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and praline), and Coupe 2 Boules.
• Planches et Charcuteries (Charcuterie and Cheese Boards) Shared platter offerings including Grande Planche Mixte (ham, mortadella, dried sausage, terrine, Cabécou du Périgord with crudités and creamy rocket dip) and assorted regional French cheese boards.
• Le Flamme Club Loyalty Program Free-to-join digital loyalty program where members earn 1 Flamme per €1 spent, redeemable for complimentary products at tiered thresholds from 30 to 500 Flammes. Members receive 5 bonus Flammes at signup, a free birthday cocktail, and 10 referral Flammes per godparent, with digital card storage in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
• Franchise Courtepaille Franchise program for independent operators to open Courtepaille restaurants, requiring a minimum €150,000 personal investment, a €45,000 entry fee, a 4% royalty on HT revenue, and a 1.5% national advertising contribution, with the company targeting 100 locations by 2030 and providing sourcing, marketing, brand, and operational support.

Quantifiable outcome

• +21% revenue increase since new concept launch in autumn 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Tour de FranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Courtepaille served as the official grillade of the Tour de France 2012, participating as part of the caravan during this iconic French sporting event.
• Fédération Française de Handball (FFHandball)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCourtepaille is an Official Supporter of the French Handball Federation. The partnership includes exclusive 10% discount offers for licensed handball players at participating restaurants, celebrating shared values of conviviality, teamwork, and shared moments. The Supporter Formula menu option is part of this activation.
• Uber EatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood delivery partnership allowing customers to order Courtepaille menu items for home delivery through the Uber Eats platform at participating restaurant locations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Buffalo Grill: France's largest casual steakhouse/grill chain (~330+ units). Closest direct peer: same customer (families, road travelers), same core product (grilled meats), and competing for the same French full-service grill occasion.
• La Boucherie: French casual grill restaurant chain specializing in grilled meats; notably a sister brand under Groupe Baudaire (CTP's parent). Overlapping franchise model, menu, and target demographic make it a near-clone comparable for unit economics and brand portfolio dynamics.
• Hippopotamus: Established French casual steakhouse chain serving families and road travelers with a similar grilled-meat-centric menu at comparable price points. Direct competitor in the same mid-tier grill segment.
• Bistrot du Boucher: French casual restaurant chain focused on grilled and braised meats with table service. Targets a similar family/traditional-meal occasion against Courtepaille.
• Poivre Rouge: French casual full-service chain emphasizing grilled meat and a family/business-lunch customer base, often positioned at motorway service areas like Courtepaille. Direct channel and product overlap.
• Léon de Bruxelles: Casual brasserie-style chain specializing in a signature protein (mussels/frites). Comparable full-service French casual dining operator with similar family and weekday-lunch positioning.
• Flunch: Self-service casual family restaurant chain with strong motorway and peri-urban presence. Competes with Courtepaille for the same family/road-trip dining occasions at similar price points.

Emerging players

• Class'Croute: French fast-casual chain with a more delivery/take-away orientation and corporate B2B catering. Comparable in target customer (French office/family diners) but differentiated by lighter and more grab-and-go-leaning format.

Broad incumbents

• Au Bureau: French pub/brasserie-style full-service chain under the larger Bertrand Restauration portfolio. Overlaps on occasion-based family dining, burgers, and grilled plates, though the brand is broader and more British-pub themed.
• McDonald's France: Dominant French limited-service chain at motorway service areas and family occasions. While a different service model, it competes directly for road-trip diners and budget-conscious family meals near Courtepaille locations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/courtepaille

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grill Courtepaille