A waitress brings refreshments for guests at the Adlon Kempinski Hotel in Berlin on May 26.
Having weathered the pandemic better than many of its neighbours so far, Germany was among the first countries to reopen its economy and its progress is being closely watched across the continent. “I’m certain that we can halt the downturn in our economy after the summer break and that the German economy will start to grow again by October at the latest,” Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the Bild am Sonntag daily.
The lack of punters combined with the extra expenses caused by the new hygiene regulations have left the sector fearing a record wave of bankruptcies. But DEHOGA president Guido Zoellick told AFP more targeted help was needed that is “available to all restaurants”.Some restaurateurs are banking on the return of foreign tourists to keep them afloat over the summer holidays.