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Vienna Opens 50-Euro Tab for Every Family to Promote Eating Out

Vienna Opens 50-Euro Tab for Every Family to Promote Eating Out

(Bloomberg) --

Vienna will hand out 50-euro ($54) vouchers to every family in the Austrian capital to spend in local restaurants and cafes after they reopen on Friday.

Mayor Michael Ludwig, a Social Democrat who faces municipal elections Oct. 22, announced the 40 million-euro measure via Twitter on Wednesday. Vienna’s trademark cafes and restaurants were closed when a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus was imposed on March 16.

Ludwig’s move comes on top of a plan by the federal government, which seeks to help the restaurants by cutting taxes like VAT on non-alcoholic drinks and a special levy on sparkling wine. The sector is among the worst hit by the lockdown, exacerbated by the collapse of tourism traffic.

Residents of Vienna will receive the voucher by mail, the city government said. Singles will get a 25-euro voucher. Restaurants and cafes can exchange the vouchers for cash.

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