Quick plans franchise-led return near Montereau

Quick is preparing to return to the Montereau area, nine years after the brand left Varennes-sur-Seine. A franchised restaurant is due to open on 17 December 2026 in Esmans, in the Seine-et-Marne department of France. Leading the project is Romain Genieys, who already operates three restaurants and is also preparing an opening in Sens. The project combines a return to a former local market with multi-unit expansion by an existing franchisee.

A new location at Petit Fossard

The new Quick will occupy premises in the commercial area around the Petit Fossard roundabout in Esmans, next to the Marie Blachère bakery. The approximately 300 m² unit was originally intended for KFC, which ultimately chose another location a few hundred metres away.

This marks a return to the Montereau area, but not to the brand’s former address. In 2017, the Quick in the Bréau retail park in Varennes-sur-Seine was replaced by Burger King. The new restaurant will therefore be in a different commercial area, rather than at the location familiar to former customers.

According to information published on 25 October by La République de Seine-et-Marne, the opening is scheduled for Thursday 17 December. An initial site meeting took place on 22 October. As the premises had already been designed for a fast-food operator, the work will involve a building intended for this type of use. The announced opening date nevertheless remains a planned date.

A franchisee already established in Auxerre and Troyes

Romain Genieys, 33, already runs three Quick restaurants: one in Auxerre and two in Troyes. An ESSEC business school graduate and former finance professional, he is continuing to expand within a brand he already operates across several sites.

Esmans is not his only year-end opening. He says he is also responsible for opening a new Quick in Sens, scheduled for 26 November 2026. The two projects are due to open just a few weeks apart, with Sens preceding the brand’s return near Montereau.

The franchisee says he wants to build a group of restaurants between Montereau and Sens. Geographical proximity is central to his expansion plans. For the franchise sector, this illustrates growth led by an established operator within the network, rather than an entrepreneur opening their first outlet.

Returning to the brand’s former markets

The choice of the Montereau area also reflects Quick’s broader strategy. Speaking to the local newspaper, Romain Genieys explained that the group wants to expand again in regions where the brand previously had a presence. Montereau was identified as part of this return strategy.

The article reports that Quick has more than 200 outlets and a longer-term target of 300 restaurants. No specific timetable is attached to that ambition. The Esmans opening forms part of this stated expansion drive, but does not in itself indicate the pace of future openings.

Locally, Quick will join the major fast-food brands already operating around Montereau. This is not an entry into a market without competition: it is the return of a brand with a local history, in a commercial environment where several chains are established.

Fifty recruits and training before opening

Team preparations are already under way. Around 50 staff have been recruited in partnership with France Travail, France’s public employment service, on permanent contracts for 24 hours a week.

Their training is due to begin in late November or early December. The announced programme comprises one week of theoretical training, followed by three weeks of practical training in other restaurants within the group. New employees will therefore learn how the brand operates before joining the Esmans site.

Romain Genieys also wants to offer motivated employees progression to an expert team member role, allowing them to move to 35 hours a week. This is a development opportunity outlined by the franchisee, rather than an automatic change to the contracts offered for the opening.

Key takeaway: for prospective franchisees, this project highlights the importance of planning premises, recruitment and training together. When an entrepreneur is managing several openings in quick succession, their timing is a practical issue to examine from the outset.