An Experience on Capitalism in Post Covid-19 times: The Case of Vollepension Restaurants

Abstract: In 2024 many questions are made about the future of the Capitalist system. Extreme views as total anarchy and total dirigisme exist. However, practical examples of ways of going beneath and over the traditional market system based in supply, demand, price and quantity are scarce. It is in this context that the Vollepension experience on restaurants management in Austria is amazingly relevant. In this restaurant and for a certain time, during the Summer of 2023, products had no price, because "someone already paid your lunch before". This way of acting is called “Pay-it-First” (PIF) and has been already analysed in the core of the “Gift Economy”. In order to study this mentioned case, first we performed a literature review on SCOPUS database about the “PIF concept”, then we used published data in the internet about Vollepension and direct contacts with the restaurant to describe the experience, finally we discussed the case in the context of the theory We concluded that PIF is a very significant alternative to traditional capitalism and it might drive societies to a new and innovative way of managing Capitalism. This paper has the limitation of being centred in a single organisation although we mention other cases in the literature review. Finally we believe that researchers in management should pay attention to this innovative initiative as in the 21st century societies are trying to find alternative ways of living and existence.