The troubled Vapiano restaurant chain has asked for swift support from the German government, warning that it was under tremendous pressure and that its licencees face bankruptcy because of the coronavirus crisis. Last week, the company’s leadership said it would need at least €14m in the short-term to remain a viable concern following closings of its restaurants in Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the USA. Vapiano has been in trouble for some time now, having produced a loss of €34m in the first half of 2019 and the results for 2020 are unlikely to be an improvement. Vapiano employs 3,800 people in Germany and over 10,000 worldwide. The company warned last week that it was insolvent and that if no new funds can be arranged, it would be forced to file for bankruptcy. It later attempted to clarify that it was referring to some of its licensees and not the main company Vapiano SE.
