2 minute read
Food and Fun
By John Bwarie CEO, Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
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The Alhambra Restaurant Guide sponsored by Wells Fargo is this month’s special feature in Around Alhambra. You’ll find a map that you can pull out, put up on your bulletin board or refrigerator, and use to explore all the delicious places that we are lucky to have in our community. Make a plan to visit old favorites and explore new eateries that make dining with friends and family filling and fun. The locations are color-coded by type of cuisine, so you can choose the craving you want to satisfy. Or, use the map to choose a restaurant conveniently close to home, work, or another destination you’ll be visiting. Food and fun in our local community are just some ways that you can keep our local economy thriving. Visit AlhambraEats.com
The Alhambra Chamber is committed to supporting all our restaurants, cafes, and eateries. To that end, we have worked to secure grants to 25% of our local restaurants to help them survive post-pandemic. The Alhambra Chamber and its partners secured funds to support 40 local, Alhambra-based “mom and pop” restaurants. With funds from Wells Fargo, $80,000 in direct grants were distributed to historically overlooked business owners.
Two years after the pandemic forced restaurants to close or limit operations, those restaurants that survived need to invest in equipment, hire or retain employees, and market their offerings. According to the National Restaurant Association's August 2022 survey, approximately 95%
of a restaurant’s sales dollars go to food, labor, and operating costs — all of which are increasing each month. While wholesale food prices have increased 16.3% in the last 12 months, menu prices have only risen 7.6% in the same period, and only 16% of operators report adding fees or surcharges to customer checks. The result: profits are suffering, with 85% of operators reporting their restaurant is less profitable than it was in 2019.
As this harsh reality affects restaurants across the nation, we are proud to have the support from Wells Fargo to distribute grants this month that will help subsidize operations, marketing, staffing, and other costs for 25% of our “only-in-Alhambra” restaurants!
