According to a news report from 2.journalnow.com, “When people tighten their wallets during economic hardships, eating out every week tends to put a glaring dent in their budgets. For some, this means eating out less or going only to their favorite restaurants on special occasions. And local restaurant owners said that their books can tell the difference.”
“Restaurants struggled to keep their clientele and maintain their prices while food costs climbed in 2008. People aren’t forced to go out to eat, which means that restaurants will get hit hard when the economy goes bad, said Jarbas Dealmeida, the owner of Wise Guys Pizzeria and Restaurant,” said the story. “We’ve been here 20 years,” he said. “The business we do today isn’t a quarter of what it used to be.” Statesville resident Kelly Hogan said that these days, she and her husband eat only at Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant on Broad Street near U.S. 64. “My husband and I used to eat out almost every day,” said Hogan, 29. “Now, it’s like once a week.” Dealmeida said that people are adjusting their eating habits to fit into their budget size. Instead of ordering pasta or a dinner entree, many are choosing pizza and water, he said.”
