Two-thirds of respondents reported that the shortage of skilled staff had noticeably impacted their work over the past twelve months. The most frequently cited issues are an increased workload for existing teams, longer waiting times for guests, and limitations to the range of services offered. In more than one in four establishments, staff shortages are already affecting food quality, while guests' expectations remain as high as ever.
News – 2026-06-18
The shortage of qualified staff is one of the biggest challenges facing the catering industry, and it now affects every aspect of kitchen operations. A study* commissioned by RATIONAL and carried out by the statistics portal Statista reveals the impact of staff shortages on workload, service times and food quality, as well as the strategies businesses are adopting to address these issues.
However, the specific operational context remains crucial. This is because despite facing similar challenges, the size, concept, menu and team structure of establishments can differ considerably. “Generic answers therefore fall short. Solutions should always be considered on a case-by-case basis and consistently tailored to the specific business," emphasises Schwarz.
Further information and the full study are also available at https://www.rational-online.com/en_ca/cmp/kitchen-barometer/.
*The RATIONAL Kitchen Barometer 2026 is based on a survey of 250 decision-makers from catering and hotel kitchens spanning multiple sites in Germany, France, the UK, Japan and the USA.