Gastronomy is running out of skilled workers – wien.ORF.at

For Vienna’s restaurants, the calculation will soon no longer add up: Trained cooks and waitresses have been retrained because of the CoV lockdowns and often have not come back. Many restaurants are run by assistants or career changers. The result is closing days and shorter opening times with increased costs at the same time.

Demands for energy price caps

Maintaining operations is becoming increasingly difficult, Viennese industry chairman Peter Dobcak told Radio Vienna. “Because closed days mean less sales, but the costs are increasing and that is the big challenge where we urgently need solutions from the government.”

An energy price cap and a decoupling of the electricity price from the gas price are required. A cost-covering calculation is no longer possible, says Dobcak: “Because it makes no sense to charge 40 euros for a schnitzel that nobody will buy anymore.”

Hosts satisfied with summer season

According to Dobcak, the summer business went well. “Almost half of the landlords said that they had a very good season. 20 percent said ‘rather poorly’ and the rest were satisfied to moderately satisfied.”

Those who were dissatisfied are mostly on the outskirts. “Of course, the cost burdens were also reflected in the prices. And it depends on the purchasing power of the guests,” said Dobcak.

Martini goose as an expensive affair

The traditional Martinigansl is also an expensive affair this year. The season is “in full swing”, according to the industry chairman. A survey was recently conducted on prices. “Guests will still accept a ten percent price increase, twenty percent even a bit, but the guests no longer understand anything over twenty percent,” explained Dobcak.

But there is no way around higher prices. “You mustn’t forget. We don’t do this for fun. Energy prices have risen enormously – in some cases up to 13 times as much. Higher costs also have to be borne when purchasing goods and also for personnel, which we also have to or want to pay well.”

Extra costs for radiant heater tables

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The heating sponge debate flares up once more

In some companies, customers now have to pay extra for radiant heaters in the sidewalk café. The innkeepers would not take these measures either “because they like it”, but “because we also have to bear enormously higher costs here”, emphasized Dobcak.

The operators can decide for themselves whether they want to offer radiant heaters in the sidewalk café or not, and whether they want to charge for them. “Basically, it has to be said that we have already paid a fee for the radiant heaters anyway and will continue to do so, but I am very happy that we managed to avert the general ban on radiant heaters,” said Dobcak.

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Some Viennese restaurants charge extra for a table under a heater

The cost calculation would require that the landlords take a close look at whether they accept losing customers due to the lack of radiant heaters or whether they charge extra money for it. Dobcak: “But I’m also fully aware that it’s a tightrope walk, because our guests also have to see what they can afford.”

“My host is worth it” campaign

With an campaign entitled “My host is worth it”, the Viennese hosts want to create an initiative for more appreciation, recognition and respect. Because gastronomy is not just a service that serves food and drinks.

With around a third of the employees, Vienna is the heart of the Austrian gastronomic landscape and the workplace of tens of thousands of people, said Dobcak. Specifically, there are 33,500 employees, 6,500 landlords and 600 apprentices.

Inflation in October at eleven percent

Consumer prices continue to rise sharply in Austria. According to a quick estimate by Statistics Austria, the inflation rate should have climbed to eleven percent in October and thus remain in the double-digit range.

According to a recent survey by the trade association, inflation is having a clear impact on the shopping behavior of many consumers. According to this, more than 80 percent of those surveyed limit their shopping behavior, 74 percent buy more cheap food instead of premium products, 18 percent can only afford essential goods.

“In the meantime, inflation has affected almost all areas, in addition to food and gastronomy, significant price increases can now also be seen in clothing,” says Statistics Austria General Director Tobias Thomas. Those surveyed saw the greatest savings potential in restaurants and gastronomy (51 percent), nightlife, theater and cinema (44 percent) and clothing, watches and jewelry (36 percent). A total of 1,000 consumers took part in the survey.