Restaurants Affected by Gas Prices Too

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Let’s face it. As gas rapidly heads towards $4/gallon, we’re spending less money on eating out and more on feeding our cars.

We’ve all seen the results of the fuel price hikes in our own lives, and if you’ve paid attention, in the grocery store. There is no better time than now to become a locavore, with the price of fuel being added in to the price of your cereal, your milk, your eggs, your veggies, and anything else you’re not picking up locally.

Radishes

Photo by Carly & Art

It’s affecting local restaurants in the same way. According to this article on WLWT.com, it’s changing everything from lunch prices and availability to whether or not new restaurants will succeed.

Some restaurants, such as Sully’s, have cut alcohol and labor costs during the lunch rush to draw more customers.“It’s not as much of a rush anymore,” said shift manager Demirus Williams. “Normally, right now, it’s Friday, we would be packed by now.”

Boi Na Braza has already cancelled their lunch options. (That was an awful lot of food for lunch anyway.) McCormick & Schmick’s is counting on the summer convention season, as I’m sure are many of the downtown locations, especially since the Broadway Series wraps up it’s season soon. Without the theatre crowd, there isn’t a lot of draw to fire up your fuel-eating SUV and head downtown from the north suburbs.

Oceanaire, a high-end seafood chain opening across from Nada and the Aronoff, is opening soon to this uncertain environment.

Restaurants are also suffering from fuel surcharges levied by vendors. When a restaurant, such as McCormick & Schmick’s or Oceanaire, has to ship in fresh a large portion of their food, they are going to be affected by the growing transportation costs.

Me? I’m going to try to stick to eating local – whether shopping at Findlay Market or eating at Chalk or NuVo (locavore-centric restaurants).