‘Hate them’: Cafe owner shares consumer frustrations at public holiday costs

A cafe owner has been forced to defend a reviled price increase amid backlash from Aussies over the holiday period.

An Australian cafe owner has been forced to defend public holiday surcharges which many businesses say do not cover the wage bills on those days.

Many consumers out enjoying some hospitality around Christmas time will be aware of the 10 to 15 per cent surcharge tacked onto their bills as a result of the public holidays.

Although the extra cost can cause a grimace at the register, restaurant or cafe owners are paying staff 1.5, 2 or even 2.5 times their base wage for working on public holidays.

Melbourne cafe operator Dan Dick does all he can to explain the cost pressures on small businesses. Picture: TikTok

Melbourne cafe owner Dan Dick says businesses simply cannot absorb the public holiday rates and regular award increases.

“This places a huge amount of pressure on operators like myself,” he says on his social media page, where he shares business insights and asks consumers their thoughts.

Furious punters have flooded the comment sections to vent their frustration at public holiday surcharges.

Yet Mr Dick has highlighted the cost for Australian businesses of industrial laws that protect people in casual and seasonal jobs with public holiday rates.

Mr Dick owns three cafes in Melbourne and uses social media to discuss the reality of running his businesses.

“I love football. Love it. Massive part of my life,” he said in one video.

“But having a public holiday for the grand final, on top of another public holiday in about a month for a f***ing horse race is dumb, and I hate them.”

All modern minimum award wages rose 3.75 per cent this year. Picture: NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Staff at Mr Dick’s cafes are entitled to double-time pay and a day in lieu for public holidays.

During a live interview earlier this year about business pressures and surcharges, Karl Stefanovic called Mr Dick a “whinger”.

Mr Dick said businesses are unable to bear the costs without passing on price increases, including for the 3.75 per cent award increase for hospitality staff this year.

“My intention is, honestly, to pass that cost back onto the consumer as of July 1,” he said ahead of the wage increase.

He questioned what cafes could do – or what consumers could forego – to cut costs in future.

Originally published as ‘Hate them’: Cafe owner shares consumer frustrations at public holiday costs