Swiss Butter Leads the Global Steak Frites Revival

For decades, steak frites has been an enduring staple of European brasseries, an iconic dish that blends simplicity with indulgence.

But over time, the dish faded into the background, overshadowed by fusion cuisine, hyper-diverse menus, and fine dining trends that prioritised complexity over comfort.

Now, in 2025, steak frites isn’t just making a comeback, it’s dominating the dining scene in a new, redefined way.

At the forefront of this resurgence is Swiss Butter, a Lebanese-born restaurant brand that has successfully transformed steak frites into a global phenomenon.

With locations spanning Beirut, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, London, and Madrid, Swiss Butter has proven that steak frites, when executed exceptionally well, is not just a nostalgic classic, it’s a category in its own right.

The Steak Frites Sauce (SFS) Category: A New Dining Trend Unlike traditional steakhouses or casual dining brands, Swiss Butter offers a hyper-focused menu built around three core ingredients: steak (or chicken or salmon), crispy fries, and its proprietary Swiss Butter sauce, a signature butter-based blend infused with 33 herbs and spices.

“The industry has been talking about the return of ‘simplified dining’ for years, but very few brands have been able to make it work on a global scale,” says Eddy Massaad, Founder of Swiss Butter. “At Swiss Butter, we don’t just serve steak frites, we’ve redefined it. The category was always there, but no one was owning it, evolving it, or making it a global movement. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

This single-item restaurant mode has positioned Swiss Butter as the leader in what is now referred to as the Steak Frites Sauce (SFS) category.

Why Steak Frites, and Why Now? Several global dining trends have contributed to the success of Swiss Butter and the resurgence of steak frites:

● The Shift Toward Specialised Dining Concepts – Consumers are seeking quality over variety, preferring expertly executed single-item menus over large, multi-page offerings.

● The Demand for Nostalgia Dining – As diners crave familiar, comforting meals, steak frites has emerged as a dish that feels indulgent yet approachable.

● A Desire for Affordable Indulgence – Rising dining costs have pushed consumers to seek premium experiences at an accessible price point. Swiss Butter’s model delivers a high-quality steakhouse experience without the luxury price tag.

● A Global Culinary Shift – While steak frites has deep European roots, it is no longer just a French or Belgian affair. Swiss Butter’s success proves that a category once confined to traditional brasseries can be transformed into a global concept with mass appeal. 

What sets Swiss Butter apart is not just its menu but its business model. Unlike traditional restaurant chains that rely on franchising to scale, Swiss Butter remains fully owned and operated, ensuring consistency in quality, service, and execution across all locations. 

“We made a conscious decision not to franchise because we believe in protecting the integrity of the Swiss Butter experience,” Massaad explains. “Every single location operates with the same level of precision, from the way we cook our steak to the way we serve our sauce. That’s something you can only achieve when you maintain full ownership and control.”

Swiss Butter has aggressive expansion plans, with multiple new locations set to open across Europe and the Middle East in 2025. But for Massaad, growth isn’t just about numbers, it’s about defining and leading the SFS category on a global scale. “This isn’t just a passing trend,” he says. “Steak frites has been around for over a century, and now, with the right approach, it’s taking its place as a dominant force in the modern dining landscape. Swiss Butter isn’t following a trend, we’re creating one.”

Source: Swiss Butter

  Eddy Massaad, Swiss Butter