A restaurant lobbying group said Wednesday that Americans could soon face higher prices when dining out after President Donald Trump announced a broad 10% tariff on imports and higher tariffs on countries that put up significant duties on U.S. imports.
National Restaurant Association President & CEO Michelle Korsmo said restaurant owners of all sizes are already being squeezed and the new tariffs will hurt.
“The biggest concerns for restaurant operators – from community restaurants to national brands – are that tariffs will hike food and packaging costs and add uncertainty to managing availability, while pushing prices up for consumers,” she said. “Restaurant operators know consumers are very sensitive to costs and have kept menu price increases to 30%, while their food costs have gone up 40% in the last five years.”
Korsmo said the association plans to keep the White House in the loop as restaurant owners prepare for fresh challenges.
“Restaurant operators rely on a stable supply of fresh ingredients year-round to provide the menu items their customers want and expect. Many restaurant operators source as many domestic ingredients as they can, but it’s simply not possible for U.S. farmers and ranchers to produce the volumes needed to support consumer demand,” Korsmo said. “The National Restaurant Association will also continue to share with the White House the real-life challenges these changes present for restaurant operators and ask to have food and beverages exempted from these tariffs.”
