Guides for hospitality businesses
From the first concept to a full house on Saturday night: practical guides for restaurants, cafés, bars, clubs, street food stands, bakeries, Heurige, hotels and caterers. We explain which permits you need to open, which rules apply to your menu, prices and till, and how guests find you on Google and on your website. Where the law differs between Austria and Germany, each guide comes in a separate edition per country and, where needed, per type of venue.
Opening & running
- Opening & runningAustriaFor:All venues
Opening a restaurant in Austria: the roadmap from idea to first guest
From choosing a location to opening day: trade licence, premises approval, hygiene, cash register, staff and funding for hospitality founders in Austria.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:All venues
The trade licence for hospitality in Austria
Proof of qualification, managing director under trade law, freie Gastgewerbe and types of business: how to get your hospitality trade licence in Austria.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:CafésBakeries
Opening a café or bakery café in Austria
Concept, trade licence, espresso machine, Schanigarten, allergens in the cake display and Google profile: what you need to know to open your own café in Austria.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Bars & pubsClubs
Opening a bar or club in Austria
Licence, type of business, closing hours, youth protection, noise, AKM licence, smoking ban and events calendar: what bars and clubs in Austria need to sort out before opening.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Street foodCatering
Opening a snack bar, sausage stand or food truck in Austria
Free or regulated hospitality trade, pitches on public ground, food trucks with changing locations, hygiene, cash register and online ordering for snack bars and street food in Austria.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Hotels & guesthouses
Opening a guesthouse or small hotel in Austria
Private rooms or hospitality trade, guest register under the Meldegesetz, Ortstaxe, fire safety, hotel stars and direct booking: the guide for guesthouses and small hotels in Austria.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Heurige & wine bars
Heuriger and Buschenschank in Austria: rules and practice
Buschenschank or Heurigen restaurant, the Buschenschank acts of Vienna and Lower Austria, food, serving times, allergens and how to show online that you are ausg'steckt.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsInns
Menu costing done right: how restaurants and inns price their dishes
Food cost, recipe cards, markup and contribution margin explained clearly, with worked examples for Austria and Germany and a guide to menu engineering.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsInns
Offering a lunch menu: how to turn lunchtime into regular business
A weekly menu, fast service, sound costing and the menu on your website, Google and WhatsApp every Monday: this is how lunch becomes reliable business.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsInns
Restaurant no-shows: fewer empty tables, fair rules
Reminders, confirmations, card guarantees, deposits and waitlists: how to cut no-shows and last-minute cancellations without upsetting your regulars.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsInns
Closing days and shorter opening hours: calculate, decide, communicate
Is Monday still worth it? How to calculate what an opening day brings, plan your team and a four-day week, and announce new opening hours properly on Google, your website and the door.14 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:InnsRestaurants
Regional cuisine at your inn: suppliers, origin and costing
Find suppliers straight from the farm, label origin honestly on the menu, plan by season, cost correctly and tell the stories behind it on your website and Instagram.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:InnsRestaurants
Parties and groups at your inn: from set menus to the final bill
Wedding, christening, funeral reception or company party: how to put together packages, write quotes, agree deposits and collect enquiries through your website.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:InnsRestaurants
Seasonal specials for inns and restaurants: calendar, pricing and promotion
Asparagus, wild garlic, mushrooms, game, goose, Advent, bock beer and Oktoberfest weeks: how to plan your seasonal year, price fluctuating produce and announce specials in time on your website, Google and social media.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:InnsRestaurants
Old inn, new guests: modernise without losing your regulars
Renew menu, dining room, offers and website without driving away your regulars: a roadmap for inns and country restaurants that want to win younger guests.17 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:CafésBakeries
Breakfast and brunch in your café: making the morning pay
Menu or buffet, costing per guest, weekend brunch with time slots and bookings, workflows, staffing and how guests find your breakfast online.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:CafésBakeries
Buying and costing coffee: roaster, machine and cost per cup
Choosing a roaster and beans, espresso machine or bean-to-cup, grinder and water filter, free machines with purchase quotas, cost per cup, training and plant-based milk.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:CafésBakeries
Cakes and gateaux in your café: making the display sell
Bake or buy in, present the display, chilling and hygiene, allergens, pricing per slice, less waste and whole cakes to order.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:CafésBakeries
Raising coffee prices: calculate new prices and communicate them well
Why coffee stays expensive, how to recalculate the cappuccino price, sensible price steps, price display rules in Austria and Germany, Google and website, a notice text and phrases for your team.16 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:BakeriesCafés
Bakery with a café area: seating, breakfast and workflows
Seating, breakfast and coffee in the bakery: what can change under trade and tax law, and how counter sales and table service work side by side.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:BakeriesCafés
Pre-orders and click & collect for bakeries and cafés
Let customers pre-order cakes, bread and holiday bakes: the right order channels, clear lead times and pick-up slots, deposits and the law, and how guests find out online.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:BakeriesCafés
Reduce bakery waste: throw away less, earn more
Less waste in your bakery or café: key figures, baking plans based on till data, batch baking during the day, day-old goods, Too Good To Go and food bank donations.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Street food
Finding the right location for a snack bar or street food business
Count footfall, judge passing trade and competition, calculate rent, check visibility and parking, compare markets and pitches: the site check for snack bars and street food.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Street food
Fast service at your takeaway: how to cut waiting times at the lunch rush
Measure waiting times, tighten the menu, mise en place, stations, ordering kiosks, pre-orders for pickup, quick payment and a plan for rush hours at your takeaway.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Street foodCatering
Food truck at events: festivals, markets, corporate parties and weddings
Festival, market, corporate party or wedding: how food trucks choose events, cost pitch fees and revenue shares, sort out power and water and win booking enquiries online.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Street food
Costing döner and snack bar food: how much can you charge, and how do you tell your customers?
Food cost per döner, menu price with VAT, meal deals and extras, packaging, break-even and a notice for your next price rise, with worked examples for Austria and Germany.15 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Bars & pubsClubs
Costing your drinks menu and cocktails: how your bar earns on every drink
Recipes, pour cost, prices, signature drinks and alcohol-free drinks: how to cost your bar's drinks menu and cocktails and build a menu that sells.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Bars & pubsClubs
Bar events: how to fill your quiet nights
Happy hour, pub quiz, live music, DJ nights, tastings and sports screenings: which events suit your bar, how to cost them and which licences you need.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Bars & pubsClubs
Bar inventory and shrinkage: how to keep your stock under control
Count your stock, compare it with your till data and cut shrinkage: inventory, jiggers, free drinks, storage, ordering rhythm and key figures for bars and clubs.14 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Bars & pubsClubsRestaurants
Alcohol-free and low-ABV: the no/low menu that pays off
Mocktails, alcohol-free beer and low-ABV drinks: trend data, range, costing, prices and menu placement for a no/low line that really makes money.14 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:ClubsBars & pubs
Door policy, security and awareness: making your club a safe place
Fair door policy, licensed security, an awareness team, code words like “Ist Luisa hier?”, youth protection and an emergency plan: how to make your club safer for guests and staff.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:ClubsBars & pubs
Planning club nights: from the concept to a full dance floor
Concept and series, DJ booking and fees, music licences with AKM and GEMA, sound, noise control and promotion: how to plan club nights that fill up and pay off.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Clubs
Club tickets and guest lists: presale, door sales and entry
Presale, door sales and guest lists for clubs: providers and fees, allocations, QR entry, clear guest list rules, refunds and data protection.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Clubs
Running a profitable club: door, bar and break-even
Cost structure, door and bar revenue, break-even per night and KPIs like spend per head: how to work out whether your club nights pay off, with a worked example.17 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Heurige & wine bars
Ausg'steckt: how to communicate your Heuriger's opening dates
From the annual plan to the WhatsApp reminder: how to make your ausg'steckt dates reliably known via the pine branch, Heuriger calendars, Google profile and website.11 min readRead post - Opening & runningAustriaFor:Heurige & wine bars
Selling wine from the farm and by mail: how a Heuriger sells more wine
Sales room, collection, price list, online shop and wine shipping for Heurigen and winegrowers in Austria, plus youth protection and customer loyalty.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Heurige & wine barsBars & pubsRestaurants
Wine list and wine by the glass: how to build a list that sells
Build a wine list, keep wine by the glass fresh and price it right: structure by region or style, vacuum and inert gas, serving measures, wine pairing and staff training.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Hotels & guesthouses
Direct bookings for hotels: how to win guests back from the portals
Less commission, more of your own guests: booking engine, direct perks, free booking links on Google, parity clauses in Austria and Germany, and repeat guests.10 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Hotels & guesthouses
Breakfast in guesthouses and hotels: plan it, cost it, sell it
Buffet or à la carte, local produce, cost per guest, allergens, less waste and breakfast for outside guests: how guesthouses and hotels plan their breakfast.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Hotels & guesthouses
Setting room rates: how guesthouses and hotels price their rooms
Seasons, weekdays, minimum stays, dynamic pricing, occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, packages and cancellation: how guesthouses and hotels set their room rates.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Catering
Writing and pricing catering quotes: from the first enquiry to the post-event review
From the first call to the post-event review: how to ask the right questions, include quantities, staff, equipment and travel, and write a catering quote that pays off.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Catering
Winning catering clients: how to fill your booking calendar
Corporate clients, weddings, agencies and venues: how to win catering jobs with an enquiry form, references, a Google profile with a service area and trade fairs.12 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:CateringStreet food
Catering logistics: transport, cold chain and hygiene on the road
Transport, cold chain and hot holding with the temperatures from the Austrian guideline and the BfR, HACCP records on the road, a packing list, setup on site and handling leftovers.13 min readRead post - Opening & runningFor Austria and GermanyFor:Catering
Corporate catering as a subscription: winning business lunches and repeat orders
Business lunch on subscription: which models exist, how to set price per head, minimum orders and cut-off times, what goes into the framework contract and how meal allowances win over offices.18 min readRead post
Online & legal
- Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Restaurant website: the 13 things your guests look for
Opening hours with live status, the menu as text, a reservation button, directions and a careers page: the content a hospitality website needs, with a checklist.13 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
What does a restaurant website really cost?
Website builder, agency or fixed price: what a hospitality website costs, which costs are often forgotten and which solution suits which venue.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Digital menu: how to get it right
HTML, PDF or just a QR code? Why guests and Google prefer text, how to keep daily specials, allergens and prices up to date and what schema.org Menu does.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsInnsCafésBars & pubsClubsHeurige & wine barsHotels & guesthouses
Online reservations: fill more tables, cut no-shows
Phone, your own form or a reservation system: which solution fits, how to avoid no-shows, what the law says and how to take bookings through Google.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:RestaurantsStreet foodCafésBakeriesCatering
Delivery platforms or your own ordering shop: what really pays
Lieferando, Wolt, foodora or your own ordering shop: commissions, customer data, pickup, your own delivery, allergens in distance selling and a combined strategy.9 min readRead post - Online & legalAustriaFor:All venues
Legal notice and privacy policy for your hospitality website in Austria
Which mandatory details belong in the legal notice of a hospitality business in Austria, from chamber membership to the trade authority, and what the privacy policy has to cover.12 min readRead post - Online & legalAustriaFor:All venues
Allergens on the menu: the rules in Austria
Written or verbal, letter codes A to R, training, documentation and online ordering: allergen information in Austrian hospitality step by step.10 min readRead post - Online & legalAustriaFor:All venues
Prices on food and drinks menus: price labelling in Austria
Price list at the table and at the entrance, gross prices, cover charge, happy hour, local tourist tax and online menu: what the Preisauszeichnungsgesetz requires of hospitality businesses.10 min readRead post - Online & legalAustriaFor:All venues
Cash register obligation in Austria: what restaurant owners need to know
Turnover limits under § 131b BAO, receipts under § 132a BAO, start receipt, annual receipt, the "cold hands" rule and what applies to online orders: the cash register obligation for venues in Austria.15 min readRead post - Online & legalAustriaFor:All venues
Accessibility Act: what applies to restaurant websites in Austria?
Online ordering, reservations with payment, a voucher shop or a purely informational website: which hospitality services fall under the BaFG, who is exempt and what to do.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Google Business Profile for hospitality: the complete guide
Categories, attributes such as outdoor seating or vegan, menu and photos, booking links, holiday hours, posts and reviews: how to look after your Google profile.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Local SEO for hospitality: how guests find your venue
How your venue shows up for “restaurant near me”: consistent details, dedicated pages, a menu as text, structured data, map apps, reviews and loading speed.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Google reviews for hospitality: more stars, better replies, no pitfalls
Ask guests with a table card and QR code, reply calmly to negative reviews, avoid bought reviews and have unlawful entries removed: the practical guide for venues.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:BakeriesCafés
Online cake requests: form, deposit, allergens
Let customers request custom, wedding and company cakes online: form fields, lead times, deposit and cancellation, allergens for special orders, gallery and WhatsApp.14 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:Hotels & guesthouses
Booking.com commission explained and reduced: Genius, Preferred, Payments
Base commission, Genius, Preferred Partner, Visibility Booster and Payments fees: what Booking.com really costs, with a worked example and reverse charge for Austria and Germany.15 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Instagram for hospitality: how your venue wins guests, not just likes
Set up profile and bio, plan Reels, Stories and posts, use hashtags and location, engage with guests and label advertising: Instagram with a realistic effort.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
TikTok for hospitality: how short videos bring guests through the door
Whether TikTok suits your venue, which videos work, what smartphone setup is enough, which music businesses may use and how often you should post.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Facebook for restaurants: how a Page still pays off for your venue
Still relevant or not? Who you reach on Facebook, how events, local groups and recommendations work and how to look after your Page in a few minutes a week.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
WhatsApp Business for hospitality: bookings, orders and promotions done right
Bookings and orders by chat, catalogue, quick replies, away message, status and channels: how to use WhatsApp Business in your venue, with consent and without chaos.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Apple Maps for hospitality: how to look after your listing
Many iPhone guests search in Apple Maps instead of Google. How to claim your listing with Apple Business, add photos, opening hours, showcases and actions, and look after Bing Places along the way.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Business directories and platforms: listed correctly, not twice and outdated
Which business directories pay off for hospitality, how to keep name, address and phone identical everywhere, fix outdated listings and recognise listing scams.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Tripadvisor, TheFork and restaurant guides: how venues use them the right way
Claim your Tripadvisor listing, reply to reviews, assess TheFork and show awards from the MICHELIN Guide, Gault&Millau or Falstaff correctly: the practical guide for venues.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Food photography with your smartphone: better photos for your venue
Light, angles, plating and backgrounds, photo series for website, Google and Instagram, the right image sizes, plus image rights and consent: food photography with your phone.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
AI search: how ChatGPT, Google and Siri recommend your venue
Where ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and voice assistants get their knowledge about venues, and how website text, clear facts, profiles and reviews get you recommended more often.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Structured data for restaurants, cafés and hotels: Schema.org made simple
Schema.org for hospitality without the jargon: the right type, the key details, a JSON-LD example, testing with Google and the most common mistakes.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Newsletters for restaurants and cafés: bring regulars back by email
Double opt-in sign-up, consent under the GDPR and Austrian and German law, content such as events and seasonal menus, the right frequency, suitable tools and honest metrics.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Influencer collaborations for restaurants: what pays off and what doesn't
Find the right food bloggers and influencers, assess requests, spot fake followers, agree on compensation, label advertising and measure the results.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Google Ads for hospitality: when ads really pay off
When Google Ads makes sense for a restaurant, café or hotel: campaign types, location targeting, keywords, budget, landing pages and measuring success through calls, directions and bookings.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Social media advertising for hospitality: Instagram and Facebook ads near your venue
Boosting posts or Ads Manager, radius targeting, a realistic budget, good occasions like openings, events and lunch menus, and honest ways to measure results.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
A fast website for hospitality: improving loading speed on phones
Why guests on a phone will not wait for a slow page: Core Web Vitals in plain words, compressing photos, replacing PDF menus, cutting site builder bloat and testing with PageSpeed Insights.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Multilingual website: how tourists find your venue
Which languages pay off, a separate address per language, hreflang made simple, checking machine translation and translating allergens correctly: the multilingual website for restaurants and hotels.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Promoting events and specials online: how to fill your venue
An event page on your own website, Google posts, Facebook events, city calendars, Instagram and a newsletter: how to promote events and specials step by step.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
PR for restaurants: how to get your venue into the local paper
Announce an opening or a change: find a news hook, write a press release, set up a press page with photos, approach local journalists and turn mentions into backlinks.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Selling gift vouchers online: how vouchers become a revenue driver
Value or experience voucher, validity in Austria and Germany, selling through your website, the Christmas rush and bookkeeping: how to sell gift vouchers online.13 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Loyalty programs in hospitality: how guests become regulars
Stamp card, wallet card or app: how to keep regulars with a loyalty program, use birthday offers and newsletters within the law, and measure success.12 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Local backlinks: how your region and partners link to your venue
Why links from tourism boards, city portals, suppliers, clubs, the press and food blogs strengthen your local ranking, and why bought links are a risk.10 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Website analytics for hospitality: how to measure what your website brings in
Search Console, Google Business Profile performance, privacy-friendly web analytics and the figures that matter for venues: calls, directions, bookings and menu views.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Online marketing plan for restaurants: 30 minutes a week
Stay visible online with 30 minutes a week: priorities, weekly, monthly and yearly plans, a content calendar and clear tasks for the team.11 min readRead post - Online & legalFor Austria and GermanyFor:All venues
Finding staff through your own website: careers page, job ad, Google for Jobs
Careers page, job ad template, Google for Jobs and promotion via Google profile, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp: how hospitality businesses find staff through their own website.15 min readRead post
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