The Texas Restaurant Association is sounding the alarm. The latest economic report says things are looking bad. Rising costs and a slowdown in customers are putting pressure on local restaurants. Some owners say if things don’t turn around soon, they’re going to have to shut down. Here’s Anniele Ruiz.
Restaurants are often called the economic engine that drives the Texas economy. But right now many of them are struggling. Now we have higher prices. Janice Jugger is one of the owners of Three Brothers Bakery. Foot traffic, she said, is down, but also, you said chocolate itself is expensive.
Chocolate’s out the roof, she says. The price of nearly everything has more than doubled.
Run me through what is costing you guys more, OK. Other than everything, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, uh, gloves. Across town in Spring Branch at La Siberia Original Tex-Mex, owner Jonathan Navarrete says he’s also feeling the squeeze.
I import things from Mexico like my avocados, my limes. All are going to increase. What I used to pay $20. Now I pay $40.45 dollars.
Recently the issue with the lettuce. — It’s — not just the higher prices. Immigration rates are keeping customers away.
Businesses started to decline shortly after immigration was around the neighborhood. Um, this is a highly populated dense population of Hispanics, and that makes them afraid, — he — said just last week there was a raid right across the street.
How many people came through the door that day? I will have like 5 tables all day. Yeah, it was a revenue like less than $100 I can tell you that. So is that sustainable as a business? Of course not.
No, no, no, absolutely not. I couldn’t even pay, not even the electricity bill for the day. According to the Texas Restaurant Association’s new report, 88% of restaurants are paying more for goods, 66% face higher labor costs, and more than half have seen fewer customers, and local businesses fear. If they don’t start filling up these chairs again, — they won’t — make it. You’re going to see a very large number of closures, and the restaurant association says this could ripple through the entire state economy.
The Texas restaurant industry is the number one employer in the state in the private sector space. — For owners — like Jonathan Navarrete, the struggle isn’t just about business, it’s personal. This is our life. This is our dreams, and they’re being shredded. They’ve been taken apart.
And, and it’s, it’s, it’s nerve-wracking. Annali Ruiz, KHOU 11 News..
Read More: BRANDY B.NPC COMPETITOR BACK ROUTINE
