Slovakia
Gastronomy has always been a sensitive barometer of the mood and state of society. When people are doing well, they like to indulge in quality food and the atmosphere of restaurants. However, when the family budget is under pressure, they plan their business visits much more restrainedly.
This is exactly what our autumn Food Barometer survey reflects. 121 restaurants from various regions of Slovakia participated in it, and the results are a realistic picture of the current state of the gastronomic sector.
Decrease in guests
The most important characteristic of 2025 is the continuous decline in visitors. Every third restaurant, 34 percent, saw fewer guests than a year ago. Only a little over two dozen establishments had more customers, and approximately four out of ten maintained a stable number of guests. This trend is also confirmed by our long-term observation of spending on Edenred dining cards. Guests did not stop going to restaurants because they would lose interest in them, but because they have to think carefully about their visits.
As our Director of Public Affairs, Lívia Bachratá, explains, the gastro segment is adapting to changed customer behavior, which is caused by rising household living costs. "It's not a decline in interest in gastronomy," he says. "This is a reflection of economic reality, in which people have to reevaluate their spending."
Slower sales growth
Fewer visitors naturally also affected sales. While last year 77 percent of restaurants viewed their sales positively, this year it is only 55 percent. Almost a third of businesses evaluate them negatively and six percent even very negatively, which represents a threefold increase compared to the previous year.
Only three percent of establishments report high satisfaction. These are usually businesses with a strong concept or a stable community of loyal customers, which are more resilient to market shocks than the average gastropub. However, even they admit that rising costs are unavoidable.
The most significant challenge is traditionally the rise in raw material prices. Almost eight out of ten businesses report that their ingredient costs have increased more significantly than they are able to pass on to their food prices.
Personnel as an eternal problem
A significant portion of restaurants also struggle with a lack of quality staff, which is why owners are increasingly relying on their existing team or their family members.
Interestingly, 72 percent of businesses have not changed their operating mode despite these difficulties. They do not want to risk losing customers by limiting opening hours or offering.
Despite this, seventeen percent of restaurants had to shorten their operating hours and eleven percent had to limit their terrace or part of their premises.
Sensitive price increases
Restaurants did not avoid raising prices, but they tried to do so sensitively and in small steps. The largest part of the establishments increased prices by approximately one tenth, and 12 percent decided on a more significant increase, up to twenty percent.
Almost a fifth of establishments did not change prices, often out of fear of losing clientele, who are already sensitive to any increase in expenses. "Restaurants are looking for a balance between maintaining quality, pricing, and customer loyalty. Those who find this balance will gain a competitive advantage," added L. Bachratá.
Tax burden
Another major topic for 2025 is the introduction of a transaction tax. Many restaurants are seeing it as an additional burden at a time when they are struggling to maintain profitability. Almost a third of restaurants admitted that they have asked guests to pay in cash to minimize additional costs. One percent of establishments have even switched to cash only, but this is not a sustainable solution in the long term.
"At Edenred, we are intensively addressing this topic, as it affects not only our partners, but also employees and companies that use our cards. We are monitoring the impacts of legislative changes and looking for ways to make them more transparent, minimize them, and at the same time offer practical solutions to businesses," said the Director of Public Affairs at Edenred.
The year 2026 is full of question marks
What do restaurant owners expect next year? Only 40 percent of operators are completely worry-free, perceiving their business as stable and ready to handle potential fluctuations.
Another 43 percent believe they will survive, but they face a tougher time ahead. Almost a fifth of restaurants are seriously concerned about whether they will survive at all. This figure is a clear signal that the gastronomic segment needs support and partners to help it find solutions in the coming months.
For us at Edenred, these results represent an important compass. We understand that restaurants need stability, clear information and fair conditions. That is why we strive to provide tools and data that help them better understand how guest behavior is changing, how spending is developing and where there is room for optimization. At the same time, we support digitalization, which relieves operations of unnecessary administration and allows them to focus on what matters most – food quality and guest satisfaction.
The year 2025 brought many challenges to restaurants, but it also showed their strength and ability to adapt. "At Edenred, we will continue to stand by them, support them with fair solutions and bring data that will help them make informed decisions. We believe that 2026 will bring a more stable environment, new opportunities and more certainty for all who form the heart of the Slovak gastro sector," concludes L. Bachratá.
