Battle of restaurants: IKEA vs McDonald’s Unirii

The restaurant part of the IKEA store last year generated 5.2m-euro sales, catapulting it in the race for the leading position in the ranking of Bucharest restaurants boasting the biggest receipts. IKEA competes with the McDonald’s Unirii restaurant, which, in line with ZF data, derives similar turnover.

“The IKEA restaurant attracts clients shopping in the store, the employees of Baneasa complex and people working in the neighbourhood offices. The high traffic means very high sold volumes, especially as products are very cheap,” said a former McDonald’s manager.

According to ZF estimates, only the McDonald’s restaurant of Unirea Shopping Center and another two-three units can reach a similar level of sales.

IKEA, the furniture and home décor retailer, in June posted flat sales from June 2008, a first since launch, in 2007. “In July it’s better. We can link this to the fact that those who planned to renovate their house, crisis or no crisis, have probably managed to do it,” said Cornel Oprisan, retail manager of IKEA Romania.

He chose not to specify the level of sales registered in January-June, saying it’s not relevant for the company.

In September 2008-June 2009, IKEA’s domestic sales rose by 11.7% in RON. Thus, IKEA is the only retailer reporting stronger figures. However, in this context, the 10% growth pace IKEA announced originally for the 2008-2009 financial year “does not seem achievable”. Oprisan chose not to make an estimate about IKEA’s evolution in Romania.

In recent months, the number of visitors dropped by as much as 5%, but Oprisan says he’s not worried.

As regards the crisis and the evolution of the economy, Oprisan says his barometer is the consumption at the restaurant. “When we see a consumption drop at the restaurant, we’ll see the bottom of the crisis. I haven’t seen this happen, yet. This is my barometer,” he states.