Food price increases have created heavy financial pressure for the restaurant industry, according to Vakhtang Kandelaki, co-founder of Tsekhi. In an interview with BM.GE, he explained that the average check size per person has risen to GEL 60, a threshold that has already had a noticeable effect on consumer activity.
According to Kandelaki, the sharp rise in ingredient prices has directly pushed restaurant costs upward.
“Prices of products have increased by 25–30%, based on the average menu. If the average check in the business model was calculated at GEL 40 - GEL 60 per person, it has now reached the maximum limit and in some cases even exceeded GEL 60, because product prices have gone up. Business operators can no longer compensate through internal management adjustments,” he said.
Kandelaki noted that while meat prices remain relatively stable, excluding the short-term rise during the New Year season, the most significant increases have been recorded in greens, which are currently the most expensive items among vegetables.
He added that customer flow has visibly decreased:
“Previously, a certain number of people used to dine out; now that number is much lower, and this is clearly noticeable during the daytime.”
Kandelaki highlighted lunch demand as a key indicator of economic sentiment:
“If a person goes out for lunch, it means their income level is relatively high. If they continue coming to restaurants for lunch, it indicates that things are functioning normally. But once lunch visits decline and if you start seeing social media banners offering 20–30% lunch discounts, you can immediately understand there's a problem. In times of financial difficulty, consumers first give up lunch. It's very rare for them to cut evening dining at restaurants.”
