Owners of busy restaurant Hey Jupiter say they have to reduce staff numbers over public holidays even with a surcharge

The owners of a popular established restaurant in Adelaide’s East End say rising costs are changing staffing dynamics – even with a surcharge.

Christophe Zauner and his partner Jacqueline Lodge say they will need to do more work on the floor to manage rising staff costs even when applying a surcharge to public holidays. Picture: Brett Hartwig

To manage the high penalty rates paid to staff on public holidays, the owners of a popular CBD restaurant are working “on the floor” this Easter long weekend to manage rising costs.

Owners Christophe Zauner and Jacqueline Lodge have been running the busy French style Brasserie Hey Jupiter, in Adelaide’s East End, for 13 years.

Despite implementing a surcharge over the Easter weekend, Mr Zauner and his partner Ms Lodge will need to reduce the number of staff – waiting tables and washing dishes – in order to cover rising costs.

“It’s busy and I would like to put more stuff on but sometimes it’s not feasible,” Mr Zauner said.

Mr Zauner is concerned there is a public perception he is profiting from applying a surcharge over the Easter long weekend. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Mr Zauner and Ms Lodge say it is reasonable to pay penalty rates to staff for working on public holidays and they are happy to do so.

But Mr Zauner is concerned there is a public perception he is profiting from applying a surcharge over the Easter long weekend.

“I just want people to understand that the money from the surcharge, I just pass it on to my staff straight away,” the 55-year-old said.

“There is nothing from that 15 per cent that I put in my pocket, in fact I have to prop it up a little bit with some of my own money.”

Australian Hotels Association chief executive Anna Moeller said public holiday surcharges had become more prevalent across the hospitality industry in recent years due to the increased cost of conducting business at those times.

She said across the hospitality industry, surcharges are a cost recovery exercise for businesses not a profit making proposition.

“When businesses put a surcharge on something … it’s to enable them to be open on public holidays but also remain viable while they are open,” she said.

Mr Zauner said he and his partner had been applying a surcharge on weekends and public holidays for around 12 years now, and while most customers understand the need for the extra charge, there have been occasional complaints.

“Again, I don’t mind paying my staff double on public holidays, but I have to pass on the cost to the customer,” he said.

“It’s a bit more expensive than other days, but at least we’re here … people know that I’m open, so we are busy, and most people don’t mind paying the extra 15 per cent.

“But every public holiday, I will have somebody writing a review on Google or complain about the surcharge.

And with the cost of living crisis impacting customers disposable income, those complaints have begun to increase recently.

“More people have asked about the surcharge lately than in the past,” Mr Zauner said.

“We’re still fairly busy, but I can see people spend less,”.

It’s not just penalty rates, Mr Zauner said that food, electricity, and staff costs in general have all gone up around 20 to 30 per cent, meaning his bottom line is becoming “thinner and thinner” and he and his partner are having to work longer and longer.

Originally published as Owners of busy restaurant Hey Jupiter say they have to reduce staff numbers over public holidays even with a surcharge