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France's favorite food? Burgers.

One of every two sandwiches sold in France is a burger. In 2001 it was one in nine; by 2007 it was one in seven. The French eat an average of 14 hamburgers a year, putting them behind only the British, who eat 17 each a year, among European markets.

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Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters/File
An employee serves a customer in the Burger King restaurant at the Marignane airport hall in France. One in every two sandwiches sold in France is now a burger, according to a recent study.

McBaguette has bested the baguette. A study from food consultancy Gira Conseil concludes that burgers now are the most popular food in France.

The French, who once turned up their noses at American-style burgers, now can’t get enough. And it’s not just McDonald’s 1,200 French locations that fuel the demand. The rise has come from burgers’ appearances in all types of restaurants, including increasingly popular food trucks.

McBaguette burger proved so popular that McDonald’s has offered it elsewhere in Europe.

Between 75% and 80% of France’s more than 100,000 traditional restaurants have at least one burger on their menu, Bernard Boutboul of Gira Conseil told French news agencyAFP.

“There has been a 40% increase in [burger] sales in the last two years; it’s just incredible,” Boutboul said.

“Protein between two slices of bread — the French love it,” Boutboul told Bloomberg. “The explosion of burgers is coming from restaurants. It’s affordable and chefs want to show they can make a quality burger.”

One of every two sandwiches sold in France is a burger. In 2001 it was one in nine; by 2007 it was one in seven, according to news agency France24. Burger King, which pulled out of France in 1997, returned in December with a unit in Paris’ St. Lazare train station.

AFP quotes NPD data that the French now average 14 hamburgers a year, putting them behind only the British, who eat 17 each a year, among European markets.

During last month’s Q4 analyst call, McDonald’s Corp. Don Thompson said the company is “cautiously optimistic about France” thanks to positive sales in each of the last five months of 2013. “Strong promotional activity and an ongoing emphasis on relevant value offers like Casse Croute [value meals] help fuel our momentum,” Thompson said.

The chain has just followed a promotion for its huge 280 Burgers (280 grams or 9.88 ounces) with the return of its double-patty McRancher (Cheddar, bacon barbecue sauce) and McFarmer (Cheddar, tomato, mayo) and McTimber (Emmental cheese, onions, cheese sauce). An earlier “Breads of America” promotion featured such burgers as the Double Shiny Bacon, Double Cornbread BBQ an Grand Cheese Bagel.

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