SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — More than half of dining place operators surveyed by the Ohio Restaurant Association saw sales drop in the last two months, according to the latest ORA Business Impact Poll.
Food and labor costs applied the most pressure, according to the poll. Less than a third (29%) of those surveyed felt confident in their ability to succeed in the second half of 2022.
The same pressures, though, hit differently for the owner of Kenwood's eight-week-old restaurant, 6 'N The Mornin'. Consistent crowds made maintaining staff their greatest struggle.
"We get so much demand you do have employees that do get flustered (and) they're like I'm only making this much and I'm having to work this hard," owner Trey Graham said.
Even with his general manager Josh Long and head chef Tajiana Poellnitz, whose personal clients include Bengals Tee Higgins, staffing remains a challenge. ORA's latest poll 13% of restaurants are fully staffed.
While Graham has the number of employees he needs, his restaurant struggles to keep those lucrative options. To compete, he creates management spots when possible.
"This is what I can do now," Graham said. "I know it's not much but this is what I can do now and this is, as you see by the demand we're going places."
He estimates 75% of customers are new. Joyce Ware, who lost her own gelato place 12 years ago, is among the restaurant's repeat customers who seem hungry for more even when there's a wait.
"I've been getting their menus and taking them around to different areas, just promoting because like I said I'm very proud of them being an African-American owned business," Ware said.
Challenges aside, the owners said they're hoping to open a chain of restaurants.
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