Michelin Comes to Australia, Surcharge Ban Deadline & Rate Rise Warning: What's Coming for Hospo | August Hospo Update

Michelin is coming to Australia, the surcharge ban deadline is 30 September, and another rate rise is likely before Christmas. Here's what every Australian restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner needs to know this month — and what to do about it before the next round of change hits.The industry has been handed some broken eggs.But as Wes puts it — we're much better at making omelets than letting our eggs go bad.In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for the entire hospitality industry — to break down the four things that will define fiscal '27 for every operator in the country.The good news first: Payday super has landed and, for most operators, it's been smoother than expected. Michelin Guide is officially coming to South Australia in October — with the rest of Australia to follow — and food tourism is expected to boom in 2027 as a result.The bad news: the surcharge ban lands 1 October and you have to be ready by midnight 30 September, junior rates are officially banned in franchise businesses, another rate rise is likely in November, migration is tightening, and trust tax changes are almost certainly passing Parliament.The takeaway: this is a rebuilding year. The operators who thrive will be the ones planning for what's coming, not reacting to it.You'll hear:00:00 – ARCA Gala Dinner + Fine Foods on 31 August in Melbourne 02:00 – Payday super update: how it's actually gone (better than expected) 03:00 – Surcharge ban 1 October: what you need to do before 30 September midnight 04:00 – BankTech ATMs and CTPOS: the countertop cash solution for the ban 05:30 – Why "we'll drop our merchant fee" from PSPs isn't the whole story 06:30 – Rate rise expected in November — before Christmas 07:00 – Junior rates officially banned in franchise: what it means for pricing 07:30 – The split in the industry: experience operators vs everyone else 09:00 – Michelin Guide coming to South Australia in October 09:30 – AI adoption: why the government is investing (and why you should too) 11:00 – Two Australias: renters vs boomers — how to price for both markets 13:00 – The "half a percenters" — telling the story of your produce 14:00 – Migration tightening in fiscal '27 (and the premium dining labor agreement) 17:30 – This is a rebuilding year. Here's how to eat the elephant.Key takeaways:Michelin coming to Australia is genuine good news — food tourism is expected to boom in 2027. Get your venue ready.You have until 30 September midnight to sort your PSP and menu pricing before the surcharge ban lands.If a PSP tells you they'll "drop the merchant fee," ask what you'll be paying instead. It's rarely nothing.Another rate rise is likely in November. If you're signing equipment leases or variable-rate debt now, price it in.Menu prices need to be up 10% across calendar '26 into '27. If you haven't done it yet, do it before October.Experience is the split. The operators pumping out great social media and hospitality experiences are having record months. The ones who aren't are stuck.You're not going to change the government. Plan for what's coming and turn every threat into an opportunity.The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.FREE RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE🎟️ ARCA Gala Dinner + Fine Foods — 31 August, Lakeside Pavilion, Melbourne. Book tickets: https://arca.org.au/events/ 📅 Foodie Coaches Profit Day at Fine Foods — spend a whole day with Tim and the team working on your business: https://foodiecoaches.co/FineFoodxFoodieCoaches 🏛️ Join ARCA — $52/year. The people in Parliament fighting for your industry need your support: arca.org.au 🤖 AI Implementation Call with Foodie Coaches — if you want help implementing AI in your business, book a call with the team: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bacFollow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeldNew episodes every Wednesday.