A Culinary Curiosity
Catalonia boasts 252 restaurants featured on the Michelin website, while the United States has 1,522. The Restaurant to Population (R2P) ratio in Catalonia is 1 restaurant for every 30 individuals, compared to 1 for every 219 in the US. Spain, with its 1,299 Michelin-recognized restaurants, has an R2P ratio is of 1 restaurant per 37 individuals.
This is clearly advantageous, yet restaurants in Catalonia function in the most peculiar manner, a trait that may extend to the entirety of Spain.
In the peak season, from May to October, the trend is to close on Mondays and Tuesdays, which seems illogical, as does shutting down from 14:00 to 20:00. Tourists are left hungry at that time, with nothing to eat but junk food.
Arguments that range from ‘high operational costs during those hours‘ to ‘staff needing rest‘ do not withstand close examination. During the sweltering summer months, businesses, locals, and tourists operate air conditioners, leading to higher electricity costs that eat into restaurant profits. Tourists, however, flock to establishments that remain open, and it can be challenging to attract them later. However, there are many strategies to lower energy expenses without shutting down.
European labor laws are stringent, governing workdays and hours, vacation entitlements, and termination procedures. Dismissing incompetent staff can be challenging, posing a significant operational risk that affects fixed overheads. A viable solution could involve the Spanish government taxing sole operators solely on their income, without imposing monthly fixed fees. These could serve as substitutes while staff take their mandatory days off. As long as sole operators face monthly expenses, this alternative is not viable due to costs. In Spain, the average hourly wage for waitstaff in Spain is €7.15, amounting to €57.20 per day. For a two-day shift, this totals €114.40, which equates to a monthly income of just €457.60, which is insufficient.
Cost-saving is a regressive approach whereas boosting revenue through customer attraction can lead to business growth. Unfortunately, this perspective is often overlooked here.
Restaurants in the US, UK and Nordics typically operate with consistent hours throughout the year, conveying a message of reliability. In contrast, the Spanish trend makes local restaurants appear unreliable, leading to significant opportunity costs and a loss of market share.
