San Antonio – City’s Restaurant Scene Under Threat

The restaurant landscape in San Antonio is in trouble as popular heavyweights such as Acadiana Cafe in the West Side, The Rustic on the North Side, and Botika Downtown either shut their doors entirely or announce their impending final days.

The Challenges

The predicaments these restaurants face are attributed to a range of issues. According to Kim Beechner, CEO of Embark Marketing, the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt. “We are four years out from COVID. Many people feel like it’s over, but it’s not. It has a lingering economic effect, and I don’t think people are considering that,” Beechner explains.

In addition to mortgage repayments, inflation and even extreme weather conditions are identified as impetus behind restaurant closures in the city. Beechner highlights, “A lot of our restaurants in San Antonio are 50% inside, 50% outside. With the current hot weather, everyone wants to sit inside with AC, which means restaurants can only serve half their usual capacity, impacting sales significantly.”

The Inflation Factor

The Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) resonates with these sentiments. Emily Williams Knight, TRA’s president, suggests the financial pressures on establishments aren’t going away any time soon. “Inflation does not come down to the average consumer,” she iterates.

Community Support Needed

Beechner and Knight invoke the necessity of community support to alleviate the crushing burden on local restaurants. “We need to help our restaurant community because it’s not just beneficial economically but also vital to San Antonio’s tourism,” Beechner emphasizes.

Knight echoes this sentiment, “When inflation starts to slow down, ensure those restaurants are still around for you to enjoy,” she appeals to local residents on behalf of the ailing businesses.