WORCESTER COUNTY, Mass. - Businesses in Central Massachusetts say there’s a shortage of certain paper and plastics products needed to help run restaurants.  


What You Need To Know

  • Restaurants are seeing shortages of paper, plastic, food products
  • Suppliers are being told that there’s a shortage of workers and materials
  • Cups are one item that many businesses said are hard to find 
  • Restaurants aren't getting full shipments of products 

Nate Rossi says he’s struggling to find iced coffee cups for his bakery, Crust Artisan Bakeshop, in downtown Worcester.

“It's been pretty tough. We had to source things from a couple different places," Rossi said. "And even then the wait time is who knows. It’s a question mark sometimes."

Rossi says other plastic products are hard to come by, too, and some suppliers are out of stock.

"Another added frustration, especially in these times when everything is changing all the time," Rossi said. 

At the Woo Trucks Kitchen, food truck owners are on the hunt for items like paper boats to serve their dishes in. 

“Big excitement. We got a whole case of them today," Mark Gallant, owner of Woo Trucks Kitchen, said. "Last week you couldn’t find them anywhere and if you do find them, we tell each other and then we run down to get it and their gone."

Business say they’re paying double to get some supply items. Meaning soon, customers might be paying more.

“After a while you can’t keep taking the hit and it ends up getting passed on," Gallant said. 

Another business taking a hit is the Draught House Bar & Grill in West Boylston. They’re placing orders with food suppliers, but they’re are only getting half filled. Some alcohol is out of stock, too.

“Last week we didn’t have enough for rolls for dinner," Matt Trongone of the Draught House Bar & Grill said. "This week, we don’t have enough frozen spinach."

Restaurants aren’t they only ones in a pinch when it comes to getting what they need. Restaurant suppliers like Golsh Plastics say their orders are showing up half filled too. Some items aren’t coming in at all.

“It's very frustrating. I’ve never had it like this," Golsh Plastics owner, Pouya Golshirazian, said.

Golshirazian says he’s being told by makers of plastic and paper products there’s a shortage of workers and materials. He says he’s ordering from multiple places, but he’s bothered by the empty spaces in his warehouse.

“It’s a problem and we are just trying to do the best we can for everybody that’s using the products," Golshirazian said. 

Golshirazian says the shortages will eventually get solved, but will take patience. Meanwhile, restaurant owners say they’ll keeping searching for supplies.