Melina Facchin
After two difficult years due to the health crisis, the activity for restaurateurs resumes. This applies in particular to the Éventail group, in Alsace, which should see its turnover rise to reach that of 2019. But the resurgence of the virus, inflation and the cost of energy continue to harm the sector.
After Christmas lunch, many are already thinking about New Year’s lunch, and those who don’t like cooking can always order, very simply. Which is good news for restaurateurs who have lived through two very complicated years due to Covid. Activity is finally picking up for the sector, even if not all the traffic lights have gone off yet.
Covid and inflation continue to hurt the sector
This year should be similar to 2019 but still could have done better. “At the end of the year we are experiencing two phenomena. The first: the resurgence of the virus, our customers are becoming more cautious. For example, we have a hospital that canceled a service for 800 people for us”, underlines the president of the restaurateur group at microphone of Europe 1. “And the second: inflation. We have many companies that prefer to give a gift voucher to their employees this year rather than organize a Christmas party”.
Not to mention the increase in raw materials. And Jean-Jacques Mahr fears rising energy prices in early 2023. “On January 1, my energy cost will be multiplied by four,” he worries. An increase that corresponds to almost 3% of its turnover.
