Episode Details

The federal budget just dropped. The surcharge ban is creeping closer. And the next round of wage rises is about to land.

In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for every café and restaurant in Australia — to break down what's just happened, what's coming, and what you need to be doing about it right now.

It's the most direct conversation we've had yet.

If you're already break-even, you need to hear this.

You'll hear:

00:00 – Wes is back from the US — what he saw in New York and why credit card surcharges are on every menu there 

03:00 – The federal budget: tax, spend, broken promises and the one tiny piece of good news for small business 

04:30 – Instant asset write-off made permanent at $20K — what it means for you before EOFY 

05:30 – The surcharge ban update: why the banks have gone silent (and what it might mean on 1 October) 

07:00 – The fear nobody's talking about: you could end up paying the same merchant fees with nothing in return 

08:30 – Why you must be planning a menu price increase before 1 October 09:00 – The next interest rate rise expected before 1 July 

09:30 – Award wages likely up mid-5% — and how the Fair Work Commission calculates the jump 

10:00 – Payday super lands on 1 July: what it actually means for your weekly cash flow 12:00 – Why operators already at break-even are the ones most at risk 

13:00 – "If your only excuse for not raising prices is 'I'll lose customers,' you'll say that until the day you close" 

14:30 – What ARCA is fighting for right now: rent renegotiation, tourism spend, red tape reduction 

16:00 – Why rent should be 8-10% in restaurants — and what to do if yours has crept beyond that 

17:00 – The case for doubling tourism advertising and bringing Michelin Guide to Australia 

19:00 – Why fiscal 2027 needs to be a reset period for the industry

Key takeaways:

• The federal budget is a tax-and-spend budget — there's no relief coming for small business
• The surcharge ban is on track for 1 October — but the banks haven't moved on merchant fees, so you may end up absorbing the cost with no relief
• Award wages are expected to rise mid-5% from 1 July. Payday super hits on the same day.
• If you haven't raised your prices by 10% this year, you're absorbing every cost increase yourself
• Rent is the largest negotiable line item on your P&L. If yours is above 10%, it's time to negotiate.
• ARCA has put together a rent renegotiation pack for members and non-members. Use it.

If you're already at break-even and worried about what's coming, this is the moment to book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac

Join ARCA at arca.org.au — the more members ARCA has, the louder the voice in Parliament.

Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld