The short version
- Hospitality venues often overpay because a contract rolled over or a price rise went unnoticed, not because they chose badly.
- Check your c/kWh rate, your tariff type and your contract end date. Most of the savings are in those three.
- One Sydney venue has saved $22,524 since November 2023 by being moved each time its retailer raised prices.
Real numbers: a Sydney hospitality venue
This venue uses around 300 kWh a day. When it came to us it was paying 36.5c/kWh on its old retailer's rates. We moved it to 27.1c. In July 2025 its retailer lifted rates by 33%, and we had it moved within four weeks. When rates rose again in July 2026, we moved it within two weeks. It now pays 28.0c/kWh (incl GST).
Figures to 30 September 2026, estimated from retailer bills, agreements and price-change notices. Individual results vary.
Where cafes and restaurants lose money on energy
1. Contracts that quietly roll over
When a contract ends, you usually move onto the retailer's ongoing rates without the discount. In a busy venue, nobody reads that letter. What to do when your contract is ending.
2. Price rises that land mid-contract
Retailers commonly change rates from 1 July. A rise of 10-30% on the energy rate can add thousands a year to a busy venue's bill, and it often goes unnoticed for months.
3. The wrong tariff for your trading hours
A venue open for lunch and dinner uses most of its power in peak and shoulder periods. A breakfast cafe closes early. Flat and time-of-use tariffs suit these two very differently, and the right choice depends on your actual interval data.
4. Gas compared on the first rate only
Commercial kitchen gas is usually priced in usage blocks. A plan that looks cheap on the first block can cost more at your real volume. We compare each block.
5. Each venue on a different deal
Groups with two or more sites often have different retailers, rates and end dates at each one. Lining them up makes them easier to manage and easier to negotiate.
Check your own bill in 2 minutes
- Find your usage rate - look for "c/kWh" on the bill. If you're on time-of-use, note the peak rate.
- Find the daily supply charge - shown in $ or cents per day.
- Find your contract end date - if you can't, you may already be on rollover rates.
- Compare - for reference, the venue above pays 28.0c/kWh including GST. If you're well above that on similar usage, it's worth a look.
Or skip the maths: send us the bill and we'll do it.
Beyond the bill
Once your rates are sorted, the next biggest savings usually come from how and when the venue uses power: cool rooms and fridges, exhaust fans and equipment left on overnight. If your roof is suitable, solar can also cut daytime usage, and we can look at that too. Savings estimates for any of this are worked out on your own usage, never a generic figure.
General information only, current as at October 2026. Savings depend on your usage, location, tariff and contract, and past results do not guarantee future savings.
Common questions
Will switching retailer disrupt service?
No. You keep the same meter and the same supply, and there's no downtime. Only the retailer and the rates change.
We're on a contract already. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Many contracts can be exited, or we can line up a better deal to start when yours ends. Send us the bill and we'll check the terms.
Do you look at gas as well?
Yes. For most kitchens, gas is a big part of the energy spend. We compare it step by step across the usage blocks, and look at whether bundling it with electricity actually helps.
We have more than one venue. Can you handle that?
Yes. Multi-site groups often have each site on a different retailer and contract end date, and that's where the easiest savings tend to be.