Cafes and restaurants have been hit hard by the recession, with turnover in the hospitality industry as a whole down nearly €200m to €12bn last year, according to preliminary figures from the sector association Horeca Nederland.

‘Cafes and restaurants must adapt their formulas and deliver more quality and service,’ a spokesman for the organisation told news agency ANP.
In total, food and drink sales are down by some 3.5%. ‘Consumers have become more critical about price,’ the spokesman said. Last year prices rose 2.5%, which is well above inflation.
Department stores
A survey by the food industry institute FSIN, also published on Monday, shows that department store restaurants bucked the general trend.
In house restaurants in Hema, Ikea and V&D department stores booked a 4% increase in sales last year.
‘Their success is due to a good price quality ratio,’ said institute director Jan-Willem Grievink. ‘Dutch people are particularly sensitive to this, particularly at times of crisis.’
Expensive
‘The Netherlands is now one of the most expensive countries in the world to eat out in,’ he told news agency ANP.
The publication of the FSIN figures coincides with the opening day of the Horecava, the annual catering industry trade fair at the Rai exhibition centre in Amsterdam.
This year, the hospitality industry association expects prices to rise 2.25%, saying higher taxes and food prices are driving up costs.