Why eating out has become more expensive
Have you also been looking a little crestfallen at the bill after an afternoon on a terrace or a lovely dinner these past few weeks? The hospitality industry seems quite a bit more expensive than we remember from a year and a half ago – or has it really become more expensive? Hospitality expert Jos Klerkx knows exactly how things stand; he laid it all out for trade magazine Misset Horeca.
Jos Klerkx works as a sector manager for hospitality, recreation and tourism at a major bank. He therefore sees exactly what is happening on his clients’ bills, and to advise them properly, he keeps himself informed about all the trends and developments in the sector. Those price increases therefore come as no surprise to Jos. ‘The reasons for those price rises are perfectly logical,’ he writes.
The hospitality industry has to make up for the losses of recent times
Your restaurant closed, the terrace shut and all events and parties cancelled: the hospitality industry took a heavy blow over the past year. Financially, entrepreneurs are running on fumes; sometimes Tozo benefits are just enough to keep them afloat. Jos: ‘Many entrepreneurs will have to make up the arrears they incurred during the crisis.’ That is why they are keeping a close eye on expenditure and income. And yes, that means there is little room for discounts or extras.
Staff are expensive
Hospitality staff are scarce, and good hospitality staff even more so. So what now? Some restaurants are being forced to close an extra day a week because they cannot complete the schedules. ‘With new technologies – such as smarter kitchen equipment, digital ordering solutions or digital check-in options – you can deploy your staff more efficiently and effectively,’ Jos advises. ‘That way, productivity shoots up and costs come down.’
Purchasing is expensive
You may already have noticed it at the supermarket: food prices have risen somewhat. You do not notice it when cooking for two or four people, but you certainly do when stirring pots for dozens of guests every day. And yes, that bill also ends up with the hospitality entrepreneur. ‘It will be difficult to renegotiate your prices,’ says Jos. He mainly advises taking a close look at consumption. ‘Use what you need and what guests consume. That way, you not only prevent food waste, but also increase your returns.’
If entrepreneurs follow Jos’s tips, hopefully it will not be necessary to raise the prices on the menu, he says: ‘That way, you prevent guests from drinking their beer at home instead.’
Read also:
- Dear hospitality thieves, stop stealing
- Hospitality workers share their horror stories about tipping
- The hospitality problem that almost no one has heard of yet
Source: Misset Horeca
