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SIGN OF THE TIMES FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS STRUGGLING TO STAY OPEN.

Restaurants in many areas are closing. This is sad because so many lose so much. The losers are the owners, investors, waiters and waitresses, chefs and cooks, servers, bus staff, cashiers, cleaning services or crew, local taxing entities, advertisers, hostesses or hosts, food suppliers, kitchen equipment suppliers, and so many more entities are harmed when a single restaurant closes.

Businesses have found interesting ways to survive.

Last year the sign below read, "5 Course Meal Deal $12.00".

Red Hot & Blue

Posted by Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Maryland & Virginia on 06/20/2009 05:41 PM

Comments (36)

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36 Comments on SIGN OF THE TIMES FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS STRUGGLING TO STAY OPEN.

JUN

Hi Lenn,

This is very true. We have seen many local businesses in the area close due to tough times. It's very sad...

Michael

Michael. It is indeed.

Then, I had dinner at a restaurant in Charles County Thursday evening and the wait was about 45 minutes for a table.

Depends on the area and restaurant.

Hello Lenn, There are so many Restaurant Businesses closing in Las Vegas and there are some new ones opening also. Out with the old and in with the new, I think it's quite sad!

Hi Lenn, as I gaze out of my new office window I see the for rent signs on the opposite side of the street that weren't there 6 months ago. Boardwalk Fries closed, there are 3 store front spaces for rent that were once viable, employing businesses. The sign of the times now seems to be "For Rent".

Lenn,

We hear of closings all around the country. Here in Austin there may be a few closing but many great ones are opening and thriving. When you go out and look around at the full restaurants it's hard to believe what is going on in the rest of the country!

It is sad to see a local mom & pop place go under. They are the ones you enjoy going to because you know the quality of the food and many times they treat you like family. Which in my case might mean a plate of food in your lap but it is still family :-)

Lenn...

The food business is a struggle these days ... we at out last week, the first time in MONTHS!

Robert. Indeed. The ones that are staying open here are the chains.

June. I see the "For Rent" signs all over too. Mostly less expensive places, pizza, etc. but not the chains.

Dorie. In some areas here they are busy too. I was surprised at Waldorf this week busy as they could be on Thursday evening.

Cindy. The mom and pops are the ones closing around here.

Richard. I suspect that many are eating more at home. Many.

Lenn - We don't go out and eat too much anymore either but we do order take out once in awhile. It doesn't appears like too many places around here are hurting too much. When I go to pick up our order, the restaurants are full and sometimes with a waiting line. There may be other areas in CT feeling the pinch but not where I am.

Donna. I believe the locations where most restaurants are areas of high unemployment. That certainly isn't my area. I suspect we'd see a lot of them in Michigan, etc.

Hey Lenn, that still looks like a pretty good deal. Our pubs and diners are still packed too, love it.

If there's good food to be had there's still business. What kind of food at that 3 course meal deal restaurant?

Lenn, what we see here is that the downtown area just can't get rented. Our beautiful village green has some very conspicuous openings. But there are new places slowly opening, I try to shop local to help, but I have to cut back myself.

I am with Sally, is that soup/salad, dinner and dessert? Inquiring minds want to know!

Lenn when a business closes its door it affects a whole host of people and other business. The trickle down affect is amazing.

Lenn - Pizza Hut is no longer giving coupons in circulars, either!!

I have talked to a couple of my restaurant clients who have high end restaurants and both told me there business took off around the first week of May and have been swamped this month. In April they were making plans on shutting down. Who knows what is to come. Caution is the big word.....

David. It's a good deal indeed and a very popular location, local chain.

Sally. They are a barbeque place, Red, Hot and Blue. They are in the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-West. Unique flavor bar-b-que, fried okra and other specialities.

Andrea. Everyone better cut back if real estate is their business.

lenn - It truly is a sign of the times! many of the local establishments here have gone the same way ... new low prices everywhere we look!

We haven't eaten out for ages but did so this evening. We went to a place that has been advertising their new menu and atmosphere. Well the atmosphere was the same and the only different on the menu were the prices. Yikes! ~Rita

Lenn,

We happened to have a small franchised restaurants in the Regional Mall. 6 years of struggle, and we go out of that business a year ago.

I see restaurants closing, even popular ones, and even those who were very creative in their marketing.

Usually in resort town like ours, you just need to watch the occupancy rate in local hotels and watch the restaurants.

They are the first indication of the times

JUN

Lenn, those are sure signs of the times. The same is true around here...

Your building consultant for life in Nashville, TN

It seems even in this economy some businesses thrive. Now is the time to establish that niche market that will carry you for the long term.

Lisa. Of course, the mega chains can do that. Many of the small restaurants won't be able to. Of course, I believe that they could all cut the portions in half and reduce the bill significantly.

Rita. HA! That's the same as reducing from 5 courses to 3, isn't it?

Jon. Of course, in resort time, when times are bad, everything goes down.

Michael. Same almost everywhere.

Terry. Did that.

So hard to keep heads above water but some are finding ways to adjust to the current needs and pocketbooks of the customers who will still come in if value is there. I love that this place is still offering a deal but for those with a memory they just lost out on 2 courses. Not good!

Paddy. Good thought, although they might pick up some new customers who like restaurants with "couses".

Many restaurants are so ala carte that everything but bread is extra.

Lenn, tough times for all. Those that survive will come out much stronger than before.

I think it would be tough to find anyone not touched by this depression. I'm constantly looking for ways to make my business leaner. It's the only way to survive.

Gabe. I'm surely hoping so.

Mark. Aren't we all?

Lenn, the only two restaurants in my little town have both closed. In the surrounding area we have several strip shopping centers that are more than half empty, and one has no tenants at all. It's sad to see this, because these are all local people, many of whom have lost their life's savings.

John M. From what I'm reading, Georgia is a basket case.

Yes, we are getting our fair share of closings of small business including restaurants. It is so painful to see so many people struggling right now.

Diane. Indeed it is. It breaks my heart. Hard working middle America seeing their dreams and their livelihood go down the drain while the government uses their tax money to save a few campaign contributors.

JUN

Lenn, Times are tough for all. I have seen a few long standing local business in Southern Maryland close and it truly is heartbreaking. You wonder if governement body has common sense.

Monique. Goodness. I had dinner with some buyers last Friday and the place was packed. I can't recall the name of the place,an Italian restaurant. On 301 just south of the entrance to St. Charles.

There are so many restaurants in Waldorf, I'm amazed that any of them a full, but they were.

JUN

Lenn,

Las Vegas is on sale nowadays, too. Everything from rooms to shows to restaurants, you name it and they'll give you a deal. As far as I know they don't give free hands at blackjack tables yet.

Esco. Funny. The rooms are paid for by the blackjack tables where, as we all know, THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS.

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