Today, most luxury cafés still operate out of flagship stores on iconic avenues in cities like Paris, New York, or Tokyo. But a few exceptions suggest a shift in direction. The Café Dior pop-up at El Palacio de Hierro Polanco, for instance, hints that luxury may soon be served in department stores and upscale shopping centers as well. And perhaps what is now the exception could quickly become the norm.

Some retail brands have already adopted this approach from other angles. El Globo, Santa Clara, Liverpool, City Market, La Comer, and Chedraui are among those that have turned food into bait and cravings into a runway.

These major chains no longer just sell products; they also sell edible, drinkable, memorable experiences. Luxury might be doing the same. Because if desire is linked to a sensation —pleasure, satisfaction, warmth— then the brand sinks deeper. And maybe someday, before thinking of two mermaids when craving a coffee, someone will think of a different logo. One that wasn’t in their stomach —until it was.

What’s most revealing isn’t the brands but the data behind them: in Mexico, one out of every three stores in shopping centers belongs to the food and beverage sector, according to SiiLA. From candy kiosks to high-end restaurants, food is no longer an add-on; it’s the anchor. And the competition is as fierce as the appetite. So it’s no surprise that more and more brands —luxury or not— are trying to win over consumers through their stomachs. Because in the attention economy, hunger doesn’t just sell; it builds loyalty.

To understand how retail, luxury and consumer behavior are evolving in Mexico —with data, analysis, and context— visit SiiLA REsource or write to us at contacto@siila.com.mx.