Wirtshaus Waiblingen closes: 8.90 euros for food forever!

Wirtshaus Waiblingen closes: 8.90 euros for food forever!

The “Wirtshaus” on Alten Postplatz in Waiblingen will close for several months from Monday, May 26th. The reason for the closure is extensive construction work in the Querspange area and the closed Rewe market in the immediate vicinity. The landlord Matthias Hönes announced this measure and at the same time announced that he would be returning to the reopening with a special discount campaign.

When it reopens, Hönes plans to offer all dishes at a standard price of 8.90 euros, “forever”. This represents an increase compared to the previous prices of 6.90 euros, due to the increased cost of living and tax office requirements.

Commitment to social projects

Matthias Hönes has already attracted attention with various discount campaigns in the past. So he starts his third discount campaign, which starts on Saturday and runs until March 31st. All dishes also cost 8.90 euros, although guests can also make voluntary donations. To date, Hönes has donated a remarkable 78,000 euros to charities, including 21,000 euros to the Sternentraum children's hospice and 9,000 euros to the animal welfare association Dogs4you. He also plans to donate up to one million euros for social causes.

However, the fundraising campaigns also brought with them a challenge with the tax office. This requires sales tax for the donations, as they are viewed as voluntary additional payments to Hönes. Hönes has lodged an objection against this demand and the outcome is still uncertain.

Effects of the VAT reduction on the catering industry

In a broader economic context, the federal government plans to reduce VAT in the catering sector from 19 to 7 percent from 2026. However, the Berlin Hotel and Catering Association expresses concerns that most innkeepers will not benefit from this tax cut. The tax break is intended to help offset costs that have risen by more than 30 percent in recent years, but it is unlikely to reduce food and drink prices.

The debate about the tax relief is also accompanied by the announcement of a minimum wage increase, which could further increase costs for catering businesses. This could neutralize the positive effects of the sales tax reduction and increase the pressure on companies to keep prices stable.

The catering industry is therefore facing numerous challenges, while Matthias Hönes is setting a positive example in the region with his inn and his socially committed campaigns.

For more information, visit the articles from ZVW, Stuttgart News and RBB24.