Quick Burger Chain: History, Facts and Reviews

1971-1979: Quick’s beginnings in Schoten, Belgium

Quick was founded in Belgium on July 2, 1971, by executives of the GB retail group, with François Vaxelaire credited as founder (Wikipedia). The first two restaurants opened in Schoten, in the province of Antwerp. The company’s own site dates the concept back to 1968 (Quick). The house burger, the Giant, became the chain’s signature.

1980-2007: France becomes the main market

France turned Quick into an international chain. The first French Quick opened on July 19, 1980, in Aix-en-Provence. In 1983 the chain reached Luxembourg and opened its first drive-through, at Plan de Campagne near Marseille. In 1986 it bought the O’Kitch restaurants, the former McDonald’s of franchisee Raymond Dayan (Wikipedia). On July 31, 1997, it took over part of the Burger King restaurants when that chain left France. Quick opened in Casablanca, Morocco, in 2003. In 2007 a private equity subsidiary of France’s public Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations bought the group for 800 million euros.

2010-2021: halal test, Burger King takeover and a split

Quick spent the 2010s changing hands. In February 2010 it tested halal-certified menus in 8 of its 362 French restaurants, which set off a national debate. In 2015 Groupe Bertrand, the Burger King master franchisee in France, bought Quick for 600 million euros with the plan to convert every Quick into a Burger King. In September 2016 QSR Belgium bought back the Belgian and Luxembourg restaurants (Wikipedia). On August 3, 2021, the US fund H.I.G. Capital announced it was buying the 107 remaining French restaurants.

2022-2026: the comeback in France

Under H.I.G., Quick is growing again in France, mostly through franchising. The chain had 160 French restaurants in December 2024 and 515 million euros of sales there that year (L’Officiel de la Franchise). In 2025 its French sales rose 15% to 600 million euros and it opened 30 restaurants, according to a June 2026 company press release. Its corporate site now lists 281 restaurants: 195 in France, 76 in Belgium, 7 in Morocco and 3 in Luxembourg. The stated goal is 300 restaurants in France by 2028.

Key dates

• 1971: Quick is founded on July 2 and opens its first restaurants in Schoten, Belgium.
• 1980: first French restaurant in Aix-en-Provence, on July 19.
• 1986: Quick buys the O’Kitch restaurants in France.
• 1997: Quick takes over part of Burger King’s French restaurants.
• 2015: Groupe Bertrand buys Quick for 600 million euros.
• 2021: H.I.G. Capital buys the 107 remaining French restaurants.
• 2025: 600 million euros of sales in France and 30 openings.