§ Issues
9
Dispatches filed and counting — for the line, not the lounge.
Freshly grilled
13 May 2026 · 5 min read
Cheaper vegetables, tone-deaf tomatoes, and when food festivals work for operators
What the planned Hungarian VAT cut won't do, what the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture got wrong, and where post-event sales actually show up.
¶ Pull quotes
From this issue →
The line, in their words.
Latest dispatches
§ 02 · Recent issues
From the plancha.
Bi-weekly · All issues →
Issue
4 min read
The restaurants AI recommends, and why
We asked ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude where to eat in Budapest, Bucharest and Vienna, then asked them why. The answers show who is visible, who is missing, and why Google still sits underneath most AI restaurant discovery.
Issue
6 min read
The case for running a lunch menu you don't profit from
Three operators on how they structure midday service, who it brings in, and what it builds that dinner service can't.
plancha express
6 min read
How war hits your menu, the worst food influencer in Budapest and toilet signs from hell
Five items. Iran, influencers, toilet signs, a bakery opening, and Turkish food done right.
Issue
5 min read
In the business of wasting food
Food waste is one of the least-tracked costs in hospitality. Here's what the numbers look like when you measure it.
plancha express
4 min read
Bread wars, spy pizza, and why your coffee bill just went up
Plancha Express edition, five things worth your attention before the next service.
Page 1 of 2
Older issues →
The files.
§ 03 · The rooms in the kitchen
§ 04 · The line is talking
Operator takes.
Straight from recent issues
§ Cadence
Bi-weekly
In your inbox, never on a service day.
§ Price
€0
Free to read. Members get the spreadsheets.
§ 06 · Who's on the line
Written by operators, for operators.
For people who run restaurants, hotels, and hospitality businesses in Central Europe.
§ 07 · Subscribe
It's free.
It's free.
It's good.
It's Bi-weekly.
One email every issue. No ads. No referral programs.
Unsubscribe in one click — we keep a clean list.