The Ohio Restaurant Association recently conducted a poll to gauge the effects of the current economy on Ohio’s restaurants.
The results showed that most operators experienced an increase in sales during December 2022, attributed to holiday events, parties, and large groups.
Despite this increase, the cost of labor and supplies continues to rise for most operators. Of the respondents, 51% reported better sales in January 2023 than last year, with 23% indicating that sales had flattened.
Food costs have risen dramatically, with 73% of respondents reporting more than 6% increases to over 15% since October 2022. To offset these costs, 74% of operators plan to raise menu prices in the current quarter.
Hiring shortages continue to pose challenges, with only 21% of operators being fully staffed, while most operators are concerned about labor shortages and inflation.
The results are mixed regarding the ability of operators to succeed in the first quarter of 2023.