Although the Austrian hospitality industry recorded solid revenue increases last year, it continues to face a fragile overall economic situation. According to the current "Fitness Check Gastronomy 2026," compiled by the Austrian Hotel and Tourism Bank (OeHT) in cooperation with Kohl > Partner and Prodinger Tourism Consulting, the growth is primarily driven by price.
Despite the nominal increases, guest numbers and frequencies remain significantly below pre-2020 levels. Smaller establishments with fewer than 100 seats, in particular, generate a median revenue of only around €12.000 per seat per year, severely limiting their investment options.
While businesses have been able to stabilize their cost of goods sold through more professional controlling and consistent cost calculation, personnel costs are becoming the main burden. In smaller restaurants, employee costs now account for an average of 42,11 percent of revenue, while in larger establishments they amount to around 39,39 percent. This structural increase is due, among other things, to the agreements reached in recent collective bargaining rounds and the general shortage of skilled workers, which is driving up payroll taxes and actual wages. Experts emphasize that businesses are trying to offset these burdens through their product mix and pricing, rather than solely through efficiency improvements in workforce planning.
While operating profit (GOP) shows a slight improvement, it remains subdued compared to historical levels. Ski and mountain restaurants achieve a GOP of nearly 20 percent due to higher volumes, smaller establishments have to budget for around 12,5 percent. Current balance sheet data from SME research underscores the precarious situation for businesses with annual revenues of less than one million euros, which frequently report negative pre-tax results. Although the equity ratio has improved slightly across the sector, small-scale restaurants in particular lack the financial buffers to absorb future economic fluctuations or further cost increases.
The industry is thus in a phase of cautious consolidation without any real economic easing. A strategic focus on optimized opening hours and a more precise alignment with actual business performance will be crucial for the survival of many locations. Further analysis reveals that inflation continues to exert significant pressure on margins in the service sector. A sustainable turnaround can only be expected when real volume effects – i.e., the actual number of guests – return to pre-crisis levels and the cost structure can be stabilized through productivity improvements.