Challenges for restaurants

In this space I have often moaned and groaned about some island restaurants and the prices they charge. Now, I obviously realise that running a restaurant is not easy but I have been given an insight into the challenges which are faced by many restaurant owners. One of the biggest problems is recruiting staff. Young people, I am told, no longer want to work the long hours and the split shifts, which I suppose is understandable but of course it causes a major headache for restaurant owners who have to search high and low. The other problem is competition. The influx of new restaurants has meant that prices have been reduced. The owner of one restautant told me that a kilo of fresh fish in some cases costs 35 euros and he was charging 50 euros in the restaurant for the dish which meant that profit margins were low.