Foodie chiefs sound alarm over tsunami of new Brisbane venues

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.

Catering to changing tastes

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.

Melbourne rally takes toll on businesses

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.

Is the cost of living changing the way we eat out? 1 in 11 hospitality businesses at risk of closing as the cost of living crisis hits restaurants

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

Why you pay $5.08 for a $5 coffee

“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.”