New Haven, Connecticut (WFSB) – Rising costs and staffing issues are just two of the issues local restaurants are grappling with.
According to a new survey by the Connecticut Restaurant Association, owners believe it’s worse now than it was back in the spring.
The restaurant owner said he appreciates the community’s support and longtime customers, but that the current prices they’re dealing with aren’t easy for them.
George Koutroumanis, owner of Yorkside Pizza and Restaurant, said:
A new survey from the Connecticut Restaurant Association found that 43% of restaurant owners believe things are worse now than they were three months ago.
Rising costs are a big factor.
“Mayonnaise used to be $25, now it’s $55 and it’s a thick blue cheese. Olive oil used to be in the $40s, now it’s in the $80s,” says Koutroumanis.
Studies show that about 95% of restaurant sales are spent on food, labor and operating costs.
85% of Connecticut executives say their restaurants are less profitable today than they were before the pandemic.
Ryan Trevethan said, “Inflation and rising costs have made it difficult to stay profitable, but we’ve been very busy. The Milford community has really, really supported us. increase.”
Trevethan runs The Plate, a popular breakfast and lunch spot in Milford.
“Four or five months ago, 30 dozen eggs were about $40, now the same case is over $100,” says Trevethan.
To supplement his income, he says he has a food truck on his local college campus and plans to open The Side Plate near New Haven University next month.
There are always challenges in this business, but he tries to stay optimistic.
“I’ve made all my purchases, so I know exactly what the price is, and it looks like it will ease somewhat in the near future,” said Trevethan.
Not only cost, but also support.
Here in Connecticut, about 60% of restaurant owners say they don’t have enough employees to keep up with customer demand, even though the restaurant industry added 74,000 jobs last month.
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