Restaurateurs in Poland have been operating for several years in an environment of exceptional uncertainty, driven by geopolitical instability, rising costs and intense market pressure resulting from strong competition. Yet Poles continue to use restaurants and other food-service venues willingly. Demand remains relatively stable, and restaurant guests are eager to discover and visit new places.
“Running a restaurant has always been difficult. However, it is a business based on people, human contact and service. What matters is retaining or training a team that can properly take care of the guest,” Adam Mularuk, partner and franchisee at L’Osteria, told Newseria.
“Market volatility in Poland has been quite high since the pandemic. A number of developments have a strong impact on business conditions in restaurants.”
According to the MADE FOR Restaurant 2025/2026 market survey and report, prepared in cooperation with research institute ARC Rynek i Opinia, 40% of respondents eat out regularly. Some 34% of restaurant guests dine at food-service venues several times a month, 6% do so several times a week, and 48% go out to eat several times a year.
The survey, conducted at the end of 2025, found that half of respondents ate out as often as they had a year earlier. Some 23% said they did so more frequently, while 21% did so less often. Among those who had reduced their visits to food-service venues, 52% said they were cutting spending.
“When we feel threatened or uncertain, we save money on pleasures because we have to take care of other things. That is why the pace of change can be quite dynamic,” Mularuk says. “However, the fact remains that we all need to eat. Economics is becoming an important factor, and those who can compete in such a changing market—by offering good value, attractive prices and quality service—can directly influence how popular they become with their guests.”
Importantly, Poles are eager for new dining venues. In the MADE FOR Restaurant survey, 54% of respondents said they felt there was a lack of new restaurants or food-service venues in their local area. They are most attracted by appealing prices, cited by 46%; tasty food, 45%; and the desire to see and experience a new place, curiosity about the menu and a pleasant atmosphere, each cited by 29%.
Some 61% of guests appreciate restaurants that offer entertainment, culinary events or live cooking shows in addition to meals. Meanwhile, 46% value attractive forms of serving dishes, such as preparing steak tartare at the table, filleting fish or presenting desserts in a theatrical way.
Respondents who visit restaurants less frequently were also asked what could persuade them to go out. A special occasion to celebrate was cited by 64%, an attractive promotion or special offer by 46%, a very good recommendation from family or friends by 34%, and an appealing seasonal menu or limited-time offer by 31%.
“It is difficult for me to say whether there are fewer guests overall. We have three years of experience and we can see that guest numbers are rising. This may be the result of being a new brand on the market or of building awareness,” Mularuk says.
“Looking at the MADE FOR Restaurant data, however, it appears that guest numbers are not declining at the moment—they are increasing. Of course, this depends on the price segment and the type of business. But those that are more attractive, compete for guests and are successful in winning them.”
L’Osteria is a chain restaurant concept operating in 11 countries, with more than 240 restaurants under the brand. The first L’Osteria restaurant opened in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1999. The chain operates in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Poland, where it has been expanding for the past three years.
“We are opening our third restaurant in Warsaw, with the aim of building a nationwide network. The idea behind L’Osteria is Italian cuisine combined with full table service. Our core offering is based on pizza, pasta, salads and desserts,” Mularuk says.
“The classics lead the orders: pizza margherita, carbonara and spaghetti al ragù. It is important to us to serve very high-quality products. We pay attention to our ingredients. We use flour from Italy, milled specifically for us, as well as oil and tomatoes grown by an Italian farmer and imported especially for us. We have our own coffee roastery and make sure that its Italian character is clearly felt.”
“Through these small details, we want to bring the authenticity of Italy into everyday life at an accessible price, while offering distinctive, high-quality interiors.”
Plans include several more openings in Warsaw as well as in other cities, including Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Kraków and Katowice. The company is currently searching for suitable locations, although finding them is not easy because of the concept’s specific requirements.
“Poles unquestionably love Italian cuisine. It is their second choice when they go out to eat,” the L’Osteria partner says. “Like every cuisine, it has many different forms—from local Italian restaurants to venues in highly tourist-oriented locations.”
“We want to be a chain that is accessible to everyone. That is why we need large premises, appropriately designed interiors and open kitchens.”
According to the PAYBACK Opinion Poll, conducted for Nowości Gastronomiczne and Horecanet.pl, Polish cuisine is the most popular choice among Poles eating out, cited by 61% of respondents. Italian cuisine ranks second at 58%, followed by Asian cuisine at 33%.
