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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鈥檛 get enough. And it鈥檚 not just McDonald鈥檚 1,200 French locations that fuel the demand. The rise has come from burgers鈥� appearances in all types of restaurants, including increasingly popular food trucks.

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

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

鈥淭here has been a 40% increase in [burger] sales in the last two years; it鈥檚 just incredible,鈥� Boutboul said.

鈥淧rotein between two slices of bread 鈥� the French love it,鈥� Boutboul told聽. 鈥淭he explosion of burgers is coming from restaurants. It鈥檚 affordable and chefs want to show they can make a quality burger.鈥�

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聽. Burger King, which pulled out of France in 1997, returned in December with a unit in Paris鈥� 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鈥檚 Q4 analyst call, McDonald鈥檚 Corp. Don Thompson said the company is 鈥渃autiously optimistic about France鈥� thanks to positive sales in each of the last five months of 2013. 鈥淪trong promotional activity and an ongoing emphasis on relevant value offers like Casse Croute [value meals] help fuel our momentum,鈥� 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 鈥淏reads of America鈥� promotion featured such burgers as the Double Shiny Bacon, Double Cornbread BBQ an Grand Cheese Bagel.

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