Tips & insights for hospitality

Germany Restaurant Food Cost 2026: 7% MwSt Wareneinsatz Guide

Germany made history on January 1, 2026: restaurant food MwSt was permanently cut from 19% to 7%. But while operators celebrated, beef prices quietly rose 14.9% and minimum wage costs also rose significantly. Here is how to recalculate your Wareneinsatz — and whether the tax saving actually helps your margins.