Mike Lee and Jason Kit at their newest Shortland St branch of Hello Mister. Photo: Ke-Xin Li
People may be spending more time in the office, but many hospitality businesses say they are yet to see a significant lift to their revenue.
Statistics NZ data on electronic card transactions for the June 2025 quarter shows spending on hospitality was down 1.5 percent, compared to the March quarter.
Steven Hsieh has been running Kingdom Sushi at Newmarket for the past 16 years, and says customers are still struggling to open their wallets.
"We actually change the price every year, just a little bit. But we decided not to change this year because everyone is [doing] very tough. Some regular customers we didn't see for a while, and they will tell us they were just bringing their own food to the office."
Steven Hsieh is the owner of Kingdom Sushi in Newmarket. Photo: Ke-Xin Li
It is a similar trend seen by Donald Chen, who owns Carlton Gore Cafe and has been working seven days a week himself to keep costs manageable.
"They [customers] didn't say anything, but you can feel [their pressure]. Before Covid, everyday we are quite rushed, but now only three or two days a week. Before we trade until 4pm, now we close at 3:30pm, because after 2:30pm there is no one [coming]."
Carlton Gore Cafe in Newmarket. Photo: Ke-Xin Li
Last year, then-Public Service Minister Nicola Willis announced that the government wanted to see more public servants coming into the office.
"Choosing not to come to your physical place of work does have an impact on your team and your wider community. If it's possible for you to work in the office, you should."
Following Willis' announcement, a survey conducted in October and November found nearly 43 percent of public sector employees work from home for at least one day a week.
Friday was the most popular day to work from home, with 23 percent of all public servants typically logging in remotely, and Wednesday has the lowest percentage of employees working from home at just over 15 percent.
Updated survey results are set to be released in August.
Hsieh has on-the-ground experience of the pattern.
He said they used to be busy on Fridays, but now it was one of their quietest days with most employees preferring to work from home before the weekend.
Jason Kit and Mike Lee at their newest Shortland St branch of Hello Mister. Photo: Ke-Xin Li
Mike Lee is the co-founder of Hello Mister, a Vietnamese restaurant with six branches in office zones that focuses on lunches.
He said business had been going well over the past year.
"Having businesses and offices back in the CBD and Newmarket and Parnell has been great. We rely on our people. But has it become busier? I think yes. Since everyone's no longer doing that kind of two days in the office and three days at home, it's now more four days in the office and one day at home."
One behaviour trend Lee observed was more people ordering food through delivery services.
For now, Hello Mister has not joined any delivery platforms while the business figured out whether it will actually be viable.
"You want to deliver an experience. Even as a consumer to Uber Eats myself, you get some of that stuff and they are pretty underwhelming, but you're still paying $20 or $30. Yes, it's a sale, I get that. But does it drive your customers away from all your hard work that you put a store together as well?"
A suburban eatery in Auckland which saw more foot traffic during work from home mandates said they had not lost business after more workers returned to the office.
On a wet Thursday morning sitting in the half-packed eatery, Browne St manager Nichole Jobe told RNZ a few customers were still working on their laptops at the cafe, and it was also become a popular spot for local businesses to catch up.
"Monday's always really busy. People coming back to work, having meetings and we get booked for big business meetings."
Being close to the Avondale train station also meant a few customers were popping in for a coffee before heading into the office.
What workers say
On Carlton Gore Road in Newmarket, office workers were buzzing during their lunch break on a sunny Wednesday.
"I don't work from home, but I would love to work from home," account manager Grace said. She did not mind working from the office five days a week, but it would be something to reconsider later in life.
"Probably when I have children. Especially for school holidays. I know my mum struggled getting off work and having to look after the kids, so if your job is flexible during those times it's probably better."
Katherine - a software tester who currently works from home when she needs to - said flexible working will be "very important" if she looks for a new job.
"Obviously paying the bills is possibly the most important thing, but if I had a choice, then I'd definitely really want some flexibility."
Nichole Jobe, event & shift manager at Browne St. Photo: Browne St
Kira works in advertising and said: "The hybrid type of job will be a plus, but definitely not something that will be the most important thing."
Corrine, who works in mortgage processing, was worried that inflexible work arrangements will drive talents away.
"Our surveys have really shown that work life balance has increased while we have those opportunities and then also while you're in the office, you're supporting local businesses, which is important for us as well."
Amit, a strategy manager who finds himself clocking in more hours when he works from home, said the arrangement was "non-negotiable".
"I think it's a default. I have most companies would offer it as a perk, but I think it's almost non-negotiable."
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