The restaurant business in Georgia is still at an early stage of development, says Shota Burjanadze, Vice President of the Georgian Restaurateurs Association. Speaking to BMGTV, he noted that what existed decades ago was mostly a banquet business, where people rented spaces and prepared their own food, rather than a true restaurant industry.
According to Burjanadze, the sector today is like a “small child” that needs proper education and a supportive environment to grow. “Unfortunately, this child is growing up in the wrong environment. If it doesn’t develop properly, the responsibility lies with the educators and the environment, not the child,” he said.
He emphasized that financial resources alone are insufficient to succeed in the restaurant business, underscoring the importance of professional expertise and trained staff. Burjanadze advised against investing in restaurants simply for prestige or personal convenience, warning that such an approach usually leads to failure.
Staffing remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges, as many employees view the sector as a temporary job and lack motivation to build a career. Addressing public concerns over high restaurant prices, Burjanadze argued that the real issue is not expensive service but low salaries in the country.
