According to a survey conducted by the dfv Hotel- und Gastromedien professional publishing group, involving 116 key German industry players, the gastronomy sector will operate in 2026 under the dual pressures of the need for growth and drastic cost control. Although the majority of respondents (68%) are optimistic about revenue growth, their main concern is the unstoppable rise in expenses. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed expect significant cost increases, which is a ten percentage point increase compared to the previous year. This is primarily driven by the increased minimum wage, rising raw material prices, and energy costs. As a result, the main economic challenge for companies is to maintain profitability and find the right pricing strategy, while guest’s price sensitivity remains high. Despite the difficulties, the sector is pursuing a surprisingly expansive strategy: a significant proportion of companies see territorial growth as the key to increasing efficiency and forecast that a total of 14,693 units will be in operation by 2026. Investment appetite also appears to be picking up, with 55 percent of companies planning to expand their investments. On the human side, the focus is on the return of “warm hospitality” and the development of a modern management culture. According to executives, the key to success will be a combination of technological advancement (digitalization) and social responsibility, while they will have to contend with structural problems such as labor shortages, excessive bureaucracy, and the changing employment demands of younger generations.
