“It’s the most pressure I’ve ever been under”: Local businesses share inflation concerns

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -Cash registers are ringing up sales at businesses but those dollars coming in are not going as far as restaurants and retailers face the impact of inflation.

Local businesses in the area told WCTV that it doesn’t matter how rough times get, they will not sacrifice the quality of their food.

“It’s the most pressure I’ve ever been under,” said Michael Holmes, owner of Uncle Maddio in Tallahassee.

Like other businesses, he’s feeling the pinch of inflation on a daily basis.

“Every expense is going up and margins are going down as a local small business owner the margin is already small, you know, you’re already just trying to get by and so now it’s just pressure, pressure, pressure,” Holmes said.

That pressure was also felt at Chicken Salad Chick stores in Tallahassee.

Operator Bob Gosselin said he’s had to raise his prices three times just this year.

He said he’s paying more than double the price for chicken than he was 18 months ago.

“I mean we are Chicken Salad Chick, we can’t become hot dog salad chick or beef salad chick, I have to buy chicken,” said Chicken Salad Chick owner Bob Gosselin. “If we’re going to be Chicken Salad Chick we have to have to have the chicken, we have to raise our prices to keep up with the prices of chicken.”

But stresses in the restaurant don’t stop there, Gosselin is also dealing with supply chain shortages.

“We’ve had a lot of times where we’ve had to put signs up and it’s so weird. barbeque chips, I haven’t had those in two months. I have no idea where the barbeque chips are and I haven’t been able to get them,” Gosselin said.

Eddie Agramonte Owner of Gordo’s and Bumpa’s has tried to combat surging inflation by instituting a charge for credit card use.

“It’s like 4 cents on the dollar that the credit card companies get that instead of them taking it out on our end, the customer pays that directly,” said Owner of Gordo’s and Bumpa’s Eddie Agramonte.

Agramonte has called on customers to show their support for local businesses.

“You never see the chains out at the local events sponsoring baseball teams, you don’t see chains at the small little events that support hospitals, it’s only us local guys and you can give back to us by coming back in and patronizing us,” Agramonte said.

Many restaurants are trying to keep customers coming by limiting price increases.

Federal data shows that grocery prices are up 12% in the past year and menu prices are up about 8%.

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