Lunches | Lunch prices in the center of Helsinki are already approaching 15 euros

For lunch the price has already increased in some Helsinki restaurants at the turn of the year.

This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the year, the Tax Administration increased the minimum amount of the lunch allowance from 8 euros to 8.5 euros and the maximum amount from 12.70 euros to 13.50 euros. In many lunch places, the price will increase by the same amount, Helsingin Sanomat news previously.

Among the lunch places in the center of Helsinki, Dylan Marmoripiha, for example, has raised the price of its lunch buffet from 13.90 euros to 14.90 euros. Sandro Kamppi has also raised the price of the lunch buffet from 13.50 euros to 14.30 euros, and Pihka Lintulahti from 12.70 euros to 13.50 euros. Prices can be found on the restaurants' websites. HS compared them last in October.

Tourism- and CEO of Mara, the hospitality industry's interest organization Timo Lapin According to the report, lunch restaurants have had an unprecedented cost development since autumn 2021.

Wholesale food prices have risen considerably. Lappi says that they are 30 percent higher than before the corona pandemic. Although the price increase has slowed down, prices have remained at a high level.

There is not enough competition for him in the wholesale market. According to him, this leads to the fact that the prices of food used by restaurants have risen more than those purchased by consumers in stores.

In addition to food prices, energy, salary and rental costs have also increased in the restaurant industry. Due to the price increase, Lappi considers the increase in the lunch allowance to be cost-effective.

Lapland can't comment on the increase in restaurant prices due to his position. According to him, they decide themselves how much they will raise their prices.

“The restaurant industry is a very unprofitable industry,” he reminds.

According to him, companies only make a profit from one to four percent of their turnover.

In addition, restaurants serve fewer lunches than before the corona pandemic. According to Lap, it's because, for example, people work a lot remotely, so there are fewer people having lunch.