Will the price of lángos at Lake Balaton increase?

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 06. 30. 10:49

The president of the Hungarian Catering Association, László Kovács, spoke on InfoRádio that caterers operating at Lake Balaton are trying to retain their regular customers and attract new ones with a smaller than expected price increase of only between 8 and 10 percent, even though the justified price increase due to inflation and rising wages is up to It could have been 20 percent. After the years of the pandemic, a significant recovery is needed in the catering industry, which expects a significant increase in traffic this season.

According to Kovács, caterers are very cautious about raising prices. The goal is to maintain the loyalty of regular guests and to make the offer attractive to new guests as well. That is why they only dare to accept half of the justified price increase, i.e. 8-10 percent. The president explained that the price sensitivity of the guests is also greater, many spend more carefully and consciously, they often choose less expensive meals or do not eat every single course.

Many people use the price of lángos as a measure of the price increase at Lake Balaton. László Kovács said that although the price of the flame may seem high, the cost of the ingredients is similar to that of pizza, but the price of pizza is less surprising among consumers. The president emphasized that the high price of the flame is not due to the raw materials, but to the wages of the master bakers who work in harsh working conditions, who work all day at 40-45 degrees in oil steam.

László Kovács also reported on the labor market situation of the hospitality industry. According to him, although there used to be a serious labor shortage, today this situation has improved, especially the lack of skilled labor is still felt. Workers previously lured away by construction and trade are now returning, and the presence of foreign workers is also helping to stabilize the labor market.