Restaurant Managers complaining about lack of customers

“Our income has decreased by around 30 per cent.”

The New Year season has come. As a rule, business usually picks up for Restaurants, cafes and bars and they prepare for guests several months in advance.

However, in 2015 these types of establishment met with disappointment. As restaurant proprietors and managers say, this New Year’s season has not lived up to their expectations; moreover, according to them, despite having spent colossal amounts of money to greet guests with a warm, luxurious and friendly atmosphere, their income was pathetically low when compared to previous years.

Eliso Kavtaradze, Director of the “Alaverdi” restaurant:

-I cannot even compare this year to the previous one. In 2015, fewer clients visited our restaurants; fewer orders were taken as well. In addition, in 2014, our clients spent more and obviously our income was higher. Now it has dropped by around 30 percent. Thus, we have found ourselves in a rather unfavorable situation this year.

Despite a year of frustrated hopes, director of the restaurant “Sharbati” Ilia Tandarashvili seems rather optimistic about the future.

-I would be a liar if I said this business is not bringing us money. On the contrary, this business is extremely lucrative in Georgia, which is why restaurants are everywhere. Naturally, I cannot say that competition is not stiff. However, we provide our clients with a high-standard service and our rivals do not frighten us in the slightest. We are deeply convinced that we will embed ourselves firmly on this market soon.

Our clientele is completely satisfied with our service. We have already prepared a New Year’s program which will definitely meet our visitors’ expectations.

This was the first time our restaurant is celebrating New Year’s Eve, which is why we wanted to prepare something outrageous, extraordinary and beautiful. We think we achieved our goal.

According to Mr. Tandarashvili, because of too few customers, they had to decrease prices and fill the dining area with their relatives and friends.

“We spent a colossal amount of money and we certainly wanted our restaurant to be full of customers. We had two dining areas and hardly managed to fill even one of them with visitors. Frankly speaking, we lost money but it was the first New Year for us and it was worth it. We hope that other holidays will be more successful.

Director of the restaurant “Cruise,” Marina Marukashvili, also has complaints about the lack of clientele:

- We mainly serve the middle class. The previous year was rather successful for us. We hoped that our former clients would visit our restaurant, but it was in vain. People apparently are short on money and cannot afford to visit restaurants. We place hope in the future, but unfortunately, this year has not lived up to our expectations.