Michelin Guide arrival may boost Australian hospitality

This offers a significant opportunity for SA’s hospitality scene and could eventually pave the way for a national rollout, Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said.
Michelin is coming to Australia, following suspected multimillion-dollar deal

Hospitality-industry body Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association praised the South Australian government for recognising hospitality as a major economic driver at a time of immense economic pressure.
“At a time when restaurants and cafés continue to face enormous pressures from rising wages, energy costs, rents, insurance and workforce shortages, announcements like this are critically important because they reinforce hospitality’s value to Australia’s economy, tourism sector and cultural identity,” said chief executive Wes Lambert.
Lambert called for a national rollout of the Michelin Guide to cement the Australian hospitality scene as an international dining destination.
Takeaway coffee sales plunge as fuel and living costs dent Australian spending. Is the economy next?

“We are hearing from cafes and restaurants around the country that they’ve seen a slowdown in what patrons are purchasing,” says Wes Lambert, chief executive of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association.
‘Drowning’: Absurd steps just to pour a coffee

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) director Wes Lambert says local companies are “drowning” in red tape.
“The government says things are getting better but actually when you speak to small businesses around the country they just tell us things are getting worse,” he said
Why your morning cup of coffee now comes with a ‘fuel surcharge’ levy

Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA) chief executive Wes Lambert said the fuel surcharges were leaving cafes and restaurants caught “between a rock and a hard place” – unable to keep absorbing the costs but wary of passing them on.
Cafes, hotels take swipe at $1.6b consumer card fee win

Consumers wouldn’t save any money when eating out and would be the biggest losers from the change, Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said.
RBA bans credit and debit card surcharge despite business disquiet

“Small restaurants and cafes will not be able to pass on merchant fees they continue to pay banks and payment providers. We expect menu prices will increase on October 1 and for any business that does not pass costs on, their profit will drop,” said Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert. “Consumers will now pay $5.10 for a coffee that used to cost them $5.08, and the biggest losers are cash payers.”
Hospitality operators urged to introduce a temporary surcharge on breakfast, lunch and dinner services due to the fuel crisis

The Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association has urged hospitality operators nationwide to introduce a temporary surcharge on breakfast, lunch and dinner services to cover higher expenses they were copping to plate up meals.
Employers back 3.5pc increase in minimum wage amid inflation warning

Employers and high-profile restaurateurs have backed a minimum wage rise aligned with inflation for 2.6 million workers, warning that anything above the consumer price index risks making the economy unsustainable.
Government to slash red tape as record numbers of Sydney cafes and restaurants fail

“Restaurants and cafes are closing at a rate of one in 10 … and have some of the lowest profit margins in the country,” Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert said. Mr Lambert called for a “hospitality-specific” liquor licence category and for outdoor dining fees to be permanently scrapped.