After battling three years of declining sales as recession-wary consumers cut back on dining out, the trend line stabilized and began rising slightly this year. But now, rising gasoline and, to some extent, commodity prices have forced restaurateurs to grapple with higher operating costs.
Rising gas prices “are already eating away at the bottom line,” said chef Bill Glover, owner of Sage American Bistro, 2653 N. High St. in the University District.
With gas prices hovering around $3.85 a gallon in central Ohio, restaurant suppliers are levying fuel surcharges on deliveries. And residents, facing the same pain at the pump, feel like they “can’t afford to go out to eat,” Glover said.