The crispy figures from La Patate: "91 orders per hour, 2 km of fricandelles"
The first few months of operation for La Patate chip shops, the Belgian chain backed by influencer Average Rob, have seen strong performance. This large-scale socio-economic experiment demonstrates how to revitalize a traditional offering to attract the new generation. It's a business case where fast food, influencer marketing, and community engagement converge.
From national culinary tradition to an international community brand. Leaving no room for improvisation, but with a deep conviction: dare to fail. "Dare to fail" was precisely the theme of Average Rob's keynote address. Rob, the most Belgian of content creators and a rising star in the Belgian fast-food scene, defended La Patate, the fledgling chain of next-generation chip shops he's launching with seasoned Ghent entrepreneurs. Robert Van Impe, his real name, did more than just entertain the audience this Thursday.
The Gondola Foodservice Congress audience appreciated not only his infectious Belgian spirit but also his authentic, consistent, and inspiring vision. While some participants mainly remembered the energy of his energetic, pep talk from his entrepreneurial pitch, a slide about the inner workings of the chip shop piqued our curiosity: a whole host of operational statistics on La Patate's first 145 days.
Even without disclosing overall revenue, average transaction value, or interim operating results, this brief overview of just over four months of operation paints a picture of an organization designed to handle large volumes:
95% of orders are prepared in less than 6 minutes, with a target of 98%.
The order throughput is 91 per hour, compared to a target of 100.
more than 60,000 orders will have been processed within five months
The record for orders in a single day is currently set at 523 tickets at the first store in Antwerp (opened in early May), compared to 426 at the second Leuven location, which opened in August.
the maximum turnover in one hour reached only 2,000 euros
81% dine-in versus 19% takeaway or delivery
The median delivery time between ordering and delivery via Uber Eats is 18 minutes.
Regarding the major issue of customer satisfaction, the Google rating fluctuates between 4.3 and 4.5 out of 5, compared to a target of 4.5 and an ideal of 4.7.
"The equivalent of 4 elephants"
The model likely relies on a highly precise kitchen mechanics. Processing such a high volume of orders per hour with a reduced preparation time requires workstation ergonomics and process standardization comparable to those of the QSR giants.
The sales distribution (81/19) positions La Patate as a fully-fledged dining destination. It suggests that the brand attracts customers who come to enjoy an experience, meet up, and consume food and drinks in a clearly defined environment.
24 tons of fries served, the equivalent of four elephants according to the chain, and 10,743 fricandelles, or "2 km" laid end to end
The product mix reveals a star: more than 40% of sales come from the famous LF or Loaded Fries , with the "carbonnade sauce" as the primary association, followed by "LF Vol-au-vent" and "LF Stoofvlees" (carbonnade).
More than just a tally of achievements, these figures paint a kind of playbook, because La Patate isn't turning its back on the classics, but reinventing them to maximize profitability. By basing nearly half of its revenue on Loaded Fries, La Patate is transforming a side dish into a complete, high-value main course, significantly increasing the average order value. Will the tight deadlines and generous baskets quickly offset the high rents in city centers? With a co-founder who came from the world of online success, La Patate has clearly understood that today's marketing is no longer limited to promoting a product, but is about creating a strong sense of identity. The organic virality of its Instagram posts is evidently generating engagement that goes beyond simple consumption.
Small team, big community
This then raises the question of sustainability beyond the initial enthusiasm, or simply the long-term viability of the customer base. The emerging modern fry-food chain also presents data that seems to support its concept: massively attracting those under 25. This could secure a pool of consumers for the next ten years.
45% of customers are under 25 years old
over 10,000 members registered in the loyalty program
60.000 Instagram followers with only 42 posts, including one cult post reaching 1.2 million views
1 million euros raised in just 3 hours via crowdlending ( but we already knew that )
The ability to raise funds through crowdlending demonstrates that Gen Z is ready to finance concepts they identify with. For restaurateurs, this opens the door to customer-funded expansion models, partially bypassing traditional banking channels.
In a strained hospitality sector, La Patate's structure stands out for its flexibility. A key indicator of this is its extremely small core team, supported by a large number of flexi-jobbers and students. It's a model of agility combined with a mastery of fixed costs.
11 permanent employees spread across the Antwerp and Leuven branches, plus 2 people at the head office
more than 120 workers under flexi-job status and students
By standardizing operational processes to such an extent that new employee training is virtually instantaneous, the company can rely on flexible contracts. This is a key strategy for managing peak periods without increasing payroll costs.
"A pied-à-terre abroad" in less than four years
This wealth of data readily supports a favorable scenario for La Patate. The revamped chip shop concept is now capable of competing in the Belgian market with international burger chains. With openings occurring at a rapid pace since May, the third and next location is expected to welcome customers in Ostend, on the bustling Vlaanderenstraat, between a Moeder Babelutte and a BelChicken, not far from an American chain with golden arches.
As for what's next, while Average Rob and his team are keeping details under wraps, some clues point towards Ghent and Sint-Niklaas, where La Patate is looking for a fryer manager. In the longer term, management aims for all 29 Belgian branches by 2030, with plans for international expansion. La Patate is positioning itself more than ever as an export product, a turnkey franchise model that can be scaled to neighboring markets.
