Academica Turistica, Year 5, No. 2 December 2012 | 27 The impact of economic crisis on the motivation to work in food service: The case of the municipality of Piran Marko Kukanja University of Primorska Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica, Portorož, Slovenia marko.kukanja@turistica.si Saša Planinc University of Primorska Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica, Portorož, Slovenia sasa.planinc@turistica.si Abstract Tis study examines factors that help to attract, retain and motivate employees in the hospitality industry. Te survey was conducted in the municipality of Piran, the most developed Slovenian municipality and an impor- tant tourist centre in the northern Mediterranean. Te aim of this study was to determine the key factors that motivate people to work as servers. Respondents were asked to rate the six key factors that motivated them to work in the catering industry. Te fndings show that in times of economic crisis, money is the most important motivating factor. Other signifcant motivational factors identifed are strongly associated with worker age and type of catering facility. Our fndings are consistent with attribution-based motivational theories, which are based on the theory of choice, stating that individuals are primarily motivated by the factor that meets their most important need. Motivational theories whose tenets underpin our research are briefy discussed. Practical considerations for managers of catering businesses, that is, how to selectively engage and motivate diferent groups of employees in diferent types of facilities, are discussed in conclusion. Key words: Food service workers, motivation, recession, municipality of Piran original scientifc article