Higher prices lead to less eating out in Germany

The majority of people in Germany are eating out less often due to higher prices, according to a new survey. This was the opinion of 52 percent of the 2024 men and women aged 18 to 74 surveyed by Nuremberg-based GfK in January. The survey, which was published in Munich on Friday, was commissioned by the Bavarian Center for Tourism.

The trend could be exacerbated by the renewed increase in VAT in the hospitality industry from 7 to 19 percent at the turn of the year: more than half of those surveyed also said that this could be a reason for fewer restaurant visits if it leads to further price increases.

According to the survey, just under a quarter of those surveyed eat out at least once or more a week, with a further 28 percent eating out at least once a month. On the other hand, 16 percent said they never or hardly ever eat out. Half of this group said that they could not afford it.

According to the survey, Italian food is the most popular among restaurant visitors (64 percent), followed by German or regional cuisine (54 percent).