Gastronomy·Gastronomy consulting · Berlin
Gastronomy consulting in Berlin, from someone who runs a bar.
Gastronomy consulting with me means: concept, space, brand, website, reservations, numbers and staff from the view of an operator, not a consultant. I built Honey Lou in Berlin from an empty shell and have run the bar since 2023, with its own website, its own reservation system and its own AI accounting. What I recommend, I use myself.
The situation in 2026.
Since 1 January 2026, food in restaurants carries 7 percent VAT again, drinks stay at 19. The minimum wage is 13.90 euros and rises to 14.60 in 2027. Creditreform counted about 2,900 gastronomy insolvencies in 2025, the highest since 2011. In Berlin, DEHOGA counted 18,785 open positions in May 2026, and real revenue is below the previous year. Whoever survives now has the numbers every morning and the guests without portal fees.
What I see differently from a consultant.
I know what a shift costs, what a Sunday without reservations means and how long a close-out takes by hand. That is why I do not sell concepts an operator cannot carry. At Honey Lou the business runs over 200 events a year, a community of over 5,000 guests and revenue that has grown 150 percent since 2023.
What I built for it is available for your business: the website with reservations without commission, the close-out tool that turns the till report into schedule and result, and visibility in Google Maps and ChatGPT.
What I help with.
Concept and positioning for opening or restart. Space and brand. Website with own reservation system. Automating close-out and accounting. Staff planning by revenue. Visibility in Google, Maps and AI answers. Events as a revenue lever. Each of them separately, at a fixed price.
Steps.
- 01
Visit
One evening in your venue, one morning with the numbers. Free if it is in Berlin.
- 02
Plan
Three things that make the biggest difference, with fixed price and order.
- 03
Implementation
One after another. Website, tool, concept. Live within weeks.
Questions
- What does gastronomy consulting cost?
- In the market, day rates sit at 1,000 to 2,500 euros and projects from 2,500 euros. With me the first visit in Berlin costs nothing, then there are fixed prices per step. The website with reservations and the close-out tool have fixed prices and a monthly amount for operation.
- Do you also consult before opening?
- Yes. Concept, cost plan, space, brand, permits, opening. I did it myself and know where the money disappears.
- For which venues?
- Bars, restaurants, cafés, clubs and event venues with one to five locations. Chains with their own head office need other partners.
- Is there funding?
- BAFA subsidises business consulting until the end of 2026, in Berlin with 50 percent of up to 3,500 euros, if the consultant is listed. I tell you before the application whether that applies to me.