ORLANDO, Fla. — Along with higher grocery prices, consumers have likely noticed higher prices at their local restaurants.

Economic volatility is creating even more challenges for restaurant owners.

What You Need To Know

  • The owner of Pig Floyd’s in Orlando says the prices for ingredients have gone up

  • Owner Thomas Ward says even though customers know practically everything has gotten more expensive at the grocery store, it’s still hard for them to accept higher prices on the menu

  • With the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs, he’s worried prices on some of their most important products could go even higher

  • Ward says higher food prices mean their employees are also demanding higher pay to cover their own costs of living, so he must now factor in more money to pay his employees

The owner of Pig Floyd’s in Orlando says the prices for ingredients have gone up.

“We use a lot of pork and brisket and chicken, and all of those products are up year over year,” said Thomas Ward, Pig Floyd’s owner.

Ward says he can only absorb so much of those price hikes.

“We’ve been adjusting pricing every quarter of the year just because everything has been changing so fast and so aggressively,” he said.

Ward says even though customers know practically everything has gotten more expensive at the grocery store, it’s still hard for them to accept higher prices on the menu.

“Right now we have a half-chicken with two sides for 15 dollars and people still think it’s expensive,” said Ward. “But when you talk with people and you go 'Hey, what is your average lunch ticket price,' they say $15 — so we’re right in the thick of things, but people still, they feel a little tight. They don’t want to spend that much money.”

With the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs, he’s worried prices on some of their most important products could go even higher.

“My biggest worry is that China owns the largest pork producer in the United States, so I don’t know if there’s any form of retaliation in that sense,” said Ward. “That’s what I’m really worried about. Obviously, we get a lot of produce from Mexico, so that’s something that’s going to go up in price.”

Ward also says higher food prices mean their employees are also demanding higher pay to cover their own costs of living, so he must now factor in more money to pay his employees.

“Recently, even with dishwashers, we’ve lost several of them who have gone to work at Universal, just because of the fact they’re offering better per hour,” he said.

Ward says this is likely the new normal.

“Unfortunately, I just don’t know that there is any movement that is going to lead to pricing coming down,” he said.

Ward hopes changes at the federal level will ease up enough to allow for more stability so his prices won’t have to go up anymore.