Wes Lambert, Director at the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) and Chief Executive of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association, praised the South Australian Government’s role in this growth. “The SA Government, led by Premier Peter Malinauskas, and with the help of Small and Family Business Minister Andrea Michaels, has been a tireless advocate for small business and the hospitality industry in SA,” he stated. Mr. Lambert also noted that the state’s approach should serve as a model for fostering growth and sustainability in the hospitality industry nationally.

Australia’s hospitality sector is grappling with a significant shortage of apprentice chefs, baristas and waiters – and Australians would be first choice for the 36,000 jobs advertised, writes Luke Mangan. ARCA CEO Wes Lambert says “the upcoming budget and federal election must include apprentice and traineeship incentives, not just free TAFE”.

But increased spending isn’t across the board. Wes Lambert, CEO of The Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, which represents 56,000 businesses in the $64 billion industry, said conditions were either “feast or famine”.

Coffee lovers could soon not be able to justify buying their caffeine fix daily with experts warning single cup could cost from $8-$12 by the end of 2025. Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said the skyrocketing costs of beans were putting direct pressure on cafes owners.

Elsewhere, Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, said the list recognises the need for skilled workers across the hospitality industry — including small businesses. “We argued that restaurants and cafes could not survive with any major changes to the current list,” he shared on LinkedIn. The fact job titles like chef, cook, baker, pastrycook, and butcher remain on the CSOL is a “huge win”, he said.

Restaurants and cafes across the country disagree with the Albanese government’s proposal to ban the surcharging of debit card payments and warned menu prices would have to rise to protect thin profit margins in the hospitality industry. The Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, in the first submission to the Reserve Bank’s payments consultation, said the move would put more pressure on inflation as costs are recovered in other ways. It would also jack up surcharges on credit cards, which are outside the proposed ban. Almost 40 per cent of restaurant meals are paid for on a credit card.

Leading Sydney restaurateurs say Australians don’t want to work hospitality jobs, voicing concern the federal government and opposition’s vocal efforts to slash migration and curb foreign students are stifling their industry.

Interchange will be in the spotlight in the Reserve Bank of Australia’s upcoming review of payments fees and payments regulation. One influential lobby group has placed interchange front and centre in its submission, one the Independent Payments Forum sums up as “a plan to cut $3 billion in card and mobile payment fees.”

Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert MAICD and its chair, renowned chef Neil Perry AM, are on a mission to ensure a sustainable future for the hospitality sector.

The Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said the industry “supports sustainability” but warned tens of thousands of businesses would suffer if the state rushed the move to phase out gas. “Any changes could be disastrous for Victoria’s hospitality sector,’’ he told the Herald Sun. “If they plan to ban gas by 2030 we believe it will be nearly impossible for businesses to convert to electric, it will require lengthy council approvals and in addition could lead to clashes between landlords and businesses about who will bear the cost of converting.”

“Anthony Albanese has left the hospitality industry dying of hunger and has certainly not focused attention on the cost of doing business,” said Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, and said that restaurants were hurting due to energy prices and uncertainty around migration rules” “ The hospitality industry would have expected the prime minister to be at bat rather than gallivanting around making deals that may or may not come to fruition”

Fine Food Australia, the country’s leading trade show for the foodservice and hospitality industry, is proud to announce its partnership with the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA). Launched in May, ARCA is an instrumental voice for positive change in the restaurant and cafe segment of the Accommodation and Foodservice industry.

A Sydney council has been called out for an expensive fee handed to hospitality venues that want to have outdoor dining. As the summer months approach, restaurants, cafes, pubs and other establishments will be full of customers wanting to have a drink or bite to eat outside. But if you’re in the Northern Beaches Council, that privilege comes with a hefty price tag, with one cafe being charged $21,000 for the year to have seats and tables outside. Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert told Yahoo Finance so many venues are on the brink of collapse and this is just another nail in the industry’s coffin.

Australian Restaurants and Cafe Association chief Wes Lambert warned customers would need to adapt to inflated prices as the economy recovered. “Once the economy begins to recover, restaurants and cafes around Australia may need to increase their prices to survive, as according to IBISWorld data, restaurant profits are averaging 4 per cent,” he said. “And if diners want their favourite cafe to stay open, they may have to foot the bill.”

It was a similar view from the Australian Restaurant and Café Association. “Our fear is the government will ban surcharging – passing those merchant fees on – but not stop banks and payment service providers charging restaurants and cafés the same percentages,” said its chief executive, Wes Lambert, warning of “tremendous unintended consequences”.

Wes Lambert is the CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, an industry group representing hospitality businesses nationwide. Speaking to SmartCompany, Lambert says any move to ban surcharging should come with reduced card acceptance fees for “mom and pop” businesses. “We can’t have the balance of the scales go back to the banks, against small business, to save consumers,” he says. “What we don’t want is this to just end up as a menu price increase, which then goes into inflation.”

Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said reforming the FBT would make a “huge difference” when it came to getting more people into the city’s restaurants, bars and cafes. “This is a great … campaign we can really get behind whether it’s a long lunch or drinks after work, this would be a big boost to the hospitality sector,” he said.

ABC Drive-from 1:36 In response to “same job, same pay”, we would argue that in the restaurant and cafe segment of accommodation & food service, that it’s not the same job, 18, 19 and 20 year olds, especially those working in the kitchen, haven’t built up that experience and the process and expertise of working in a kitchen and front of house. And that takes time.

Australian’s love affair with paying by card – and not cash – has now surpassed 90% of transactions. But each time we tap our card, the merchant incurs a cost that’s passed onto you, the customer, to the tune of billions of dollars a year. As part of a Review of Retail Payments Regulation, the RBA is expecting the industry – the banks, card companies and payment terminal companies – to cut processing costs by using what’s called ‘least cost routing’. Brad Kelly, Managing Director of Consulting Company, Payment Services Wes Lambert CPA, FGIA, CAE, MAICD, CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association

Victoria’s hospitality is fighting back against the Allan government’s new laws around gas, which they say are designed to phase out gas by stealth. Restaurants and café owners believe the move by the government could send more businesses to the wall. The Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association called the move “deeply disappointing”. “Without proper compensation or support, thousands of hospitality businesses now face potential closure, massive losses, or costly conversions to electric appliances,” chief executive Wes Lambert said. “These changes could devastate Victoria’s hospitality sector, which is already struggling to survive.”

Australian Restaurant and Catering Association CEO Wes Lambert said most of the 100 eateries to open in the next three months would be by experienced operators, who he believed would survive, but perhaps at the cost of smaller businesses. “May of the new openings are by medium and large restaurant groups around the country that are extremely experienced, so we expect that there could potentially be further consolidation until economic conditions improve,” he said.

Wes Lambert, CEO of the newly formed Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA) says consumers expect to be able to use “hospo tech” to make bookings, order from the table/kiosk, pay their bills and also are utilising social media to discover venues. “We work directly with multiple partners to bring those advancements to the industry,” he said.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes reaped the benefits of early Father’s Day celebrations but the boost was likely temporary as financial pressures keep a lid on consumer spending.

Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA) chief executive Wes Lambert said he knew of “dozens” of businesses in the area that had closed or restricted trade on Wednesday as a result of the protest. “In the midst of an economic crisis, it is unacceptable that anarchistic behaviour can disrupt the city, forcing businesses to close and causing unnecessary hardship,” he said.

A new report suggests that over 8% of restaurants and bars will close over the next year as rising costs hit their bottom line and the rising cost of living changes the way we eat. While some parts of the industry are doing quite well, many smaller businesses are struggling, even if they’re not at risk of closing. Is it just consumer spending driving these challenges or are there deeper economic concerns for the hospitality market? And what will it mean for your next meal out? Guests: Luke Siddham Dundon, reporter, RN Breakfast Wes Lambert, CEO, Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association

“A surcharge ban would be utterly devastating to the restaurant and cafe segment of the accommodation and food service industry,” says Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association. “With some venues facing up to a 50 per cent drop in net profit if a ban is introduced, they will need to put up menu prices to cover the merchant fees they must pay leading to further inflation.”

While the RBA expects state and federal government rebates will temporarily push headline inflation down to 3 per cent by the end of the year, it expects inflation to shoot higher to 3.7 per cent in December next year when the subsidies end.

Industry leaders say Labor’s right to disconnect will disproportionately affect small businesses and companies that rely on being able to find cover for restaurant and retail shifts at short notice on evenings and weekends.

After-work drinks with colleagues is changing due to attitudes towards alcohol and it could hurt an already struggling industry.

Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, has added its weight as Founding Hotel Partner of the newly created Australian Restaurant and Café Association (ARCA), which has been established to respond to the economic challenges facing the local hospitality industry.

For some business owners, dealing with these debts has taken a toll on their mental health, Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert CPA, FGIA, CAE, MAICD told the committee.

The hearing, which will be held across Friday, is hearing from Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert

An alarming number of people are being “ghosted” by employers amid a dire shortage of casual jobs in Victoria that has seen some hospitality and retail positions slashed in half.

This isn’t just about $8 lattes anymore. This is about jobs, high streets filled with empty shop windows and the very survival of communities and our way of life. And Wes Lambert is just the leader, advocate and experienced passionate policy influencer who cafes and restaurants need fighting in their corner.

Listen NOW to Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert CPA, FGIA, CAE, MAICD on Afternoons with Michael McLaren on 2GB (from 42.18) highlighting the challenges faced by the Restaurant & Cafe segment of the Accommodation & Foodservice Industry, and some outside the square solutions to help the industry to thrive. #aseatatthetable

CBD cafes, restaurants and bars are being starved of patrons. Business owners say the life of the city is at stake – and one day of the week is killing it more than any other.

The outlook for many hospitality businesses isn’t as bad as you think. It’s worse.

Australian restaurants and cafes are grappling with the impacts of the cost of living, COVID, immigration reform, and wages, jeopardising their survival. Wes Lambert is the head of a new peak body, alongside Neil Perry and Chris Lucas, tackling these pressing challenges to sustain the $64 billion sector.

Queenslanders are paying almost 10 per cent more for a meal out at a restaurant than the same time last year, as venues are forced to pass rising costs onto consumers.

“The recent formation of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, which plans to lobby the government on behalf of the industry, may be a good start, as long as it focuses as much on independent operators as it does on large restaurant groups. Imagine a worid in which hospitality was taken as seriously as, say, mining, finance or industry. It is one of our largest employers and strongest tourism draws, and yet operates without nearly the same level of government support as those other sectors. There are so many reasons we all should work extremely hard to save this industry from the crisis it’s facing.”

Chin Chin boss Chris Lucas has thrown his support behind Melbourne’s struggling CBD, revealing he’s planning to open not one — but two — new restaurants as part of a $1bn project. Lucas, who last fortnight was revealed as a board member of new industry lobby group Australian Restaurant Cafe Association, said the city reminded him of a mini-Manhattan.

Australian restaurants will struggle to absorb further price hikes or pass those costs to brunch diners, industry advocates say, as hospitality businesses respond to an avian influenza outbreak across several egg farms and a global shortage of oranges.

The owners of an award-winning cafe in Brisbane’s north have fallen victim to an “outdated” state government rule and hit with a monster tax bill, triggering calls from industry experts for it to be scrapped entirely.

The new industry association is already making an impact as it looks to influence government policy on a range of issues including skilled worker immigration, wages and tax and even outdoor dining.

Australia’s leading business owners in the Restaurant and Cafe segment of the Accommodation & Food Service Industry are calling for active change to ensure the future growth of the $64 billion industry.

Australia’s leading business owners in the Restaurant and Cafe segment of the Accommodation & Food Service Industry are calling for active change to ensure the future growth of the $64 billion industry. Industry leaders have come together to form the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association Ltd (ARCA). Led by hospitality and restaurant industry advocate Wes Lambert, Neil Perry AM as Chair and representatives from some of Australia’s leading restaurant groups, the board of ARCA met today to address the tough economic conditions and set priorities for the Association.

Greek Australian chef Chris Lucas has joined forces with some of Australia’s highest-profile restaurateurs to launch the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA).

A new hospitality association launched to the public today, with leading restaurant groups from across the country joining the group to call for action.

Award wages will rise beyond inflation, intensifying pressure on businesses and increasing the risk that staff will lose hours – if not their jobs.

Some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry are holding crisis talks, as restaurants and pubs struggle to stay afloat with rising costs.

A newly formed hospitality association has slammed Fair Work Commission’s pay increase of at least $33 a week to more than 2.6 million workers, labelling the move as “hopelessly out of touch.”

Upping the minimum and award wages will only lead to more restaurant closures and higher menu prices, according to a newly formed hospitality body.

The Fair Work Commission today release its Annual Wage Review, raising the Minimum and Award wages by 3.75% (4.25% with the upcoming .5% Superannuation increase)…

Skyrocketing costs and decreasing consumer spend are destroying the country’s restaurant and cafe sector, with industry leaders calling for the government to step in and help before it’s too late.

“What this organisation hopes to do is to have a seat in these various things that affect us, to make sure that the government, when they’re legislating, understands what they’re doing to a $64 billion industry.”

A new hospitality association launched to the public today, with leading restaurant groups from across the country joining the group to call for action.

The prominent chef and restaurateur joins high-profile restaurants including Quay, Restaurant Hubert and Lake House in an effort to rescue the industry from unprecedented challenges.