Out into the open

Vienna’s Schanigärten as a job creator

For a cup of coffee: Vienna Chamber of Commerce President Walter Ruck with city leader Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) in the sidewalk garden of Café Diglas in the Schottenstift in the city center.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

Opening of the outdoor season - but two thirds of the Schanigärten are already open all year round

In bright sunshine, Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and Vienna Chamber of Commerce President Walter Ruck rang in the open-air season on Tuesday morning in the pub garden of Café Diglas in Schottenstift. However, it wasn't a real opening because the pavement cafés are now open all year round. There are currently around 3,500 pavement cafés in Vienna, more than 2,200 of which are also open in winter. The number has increased once again.

For the second time this winter, Vienna's pavement cafés were able to remain open all year round.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

 "The real high season for enjoying food and drink outdoors begins with the rising temperatures," says Ludwig. Especially in economically challenging times, the measure has proven to be absolutely right, emphasizes Ruck. "Whereas waiters were previously only employed for the summer season, many of these seasonal jobs have now become year-round positions. This is also good for the employees," explains the head of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.

Vienna's 2000 coffee houses are well frequented
A recent study by Wolfgang Binder, Chairman of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, shows just how attached the Viennese are to their coffee houses. A third of the population - more than half a million - go to a coffee house at least once a week, another quarter several times a month.

The excitement surrounding the planned ban on smoking outdoors has now died down somewhat. Many operators trembled at the EU Commission's plans to make pub gardens smoke-free too. The recommendation triggered enormous criticism in the local restaurant scene. The Independent Business List (UWW) wants to take a firm stand against this in the Chamber of Commerce elections, which will take place from March 11 to 13, 2025.