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.