PAY RAISES The Austin labor market is seeing more demand and higher wages for restaurant employees. AUSTIN GEORGETOWN ROUND ROCK LABOR MARKET DEMAND
The food index—a standard measure that looks at the cost of food—increased by 11.1% in the southern half of the U.S. over the last year as of July. Percentages indicate year over year increases from August 2021 to August 2022.
4,000
3,113
$27,286
+39.8%
3,000
During the pandemic many restaurants in Austin temporarily or permanently closed.
$20,963
Eggs
2,000
+9.4%
566
1,000
Fruits and Vegetables
+16.2%
0
Dairy
SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
SOURCE: WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CAPITAL AREA COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
have to buy three drinks at a time.” Jake Pavlicek said he does not mind the shift. “When I go out to eat, I like the food,” he said. “I see no di erence except less e ort on the restaurant’s end.” When it comes to prices, Austinine Monica Pizanie said she does not mind paying for food that is di cult to make at home, such as sushi, but has noticed a trend of paying nearly $18 for grilled vegetables. The state of prices and service in Austin restaurants leads some to fear
what the landscape will look like in the future. “People used to think of Austin as a city that was friendly to the mom- and-pop shops and local businesses. And it just hasn’t been that way for years. And I don’t know what the solution is. Because I think that train has left the station, and it’s not com- ing back,” Collins said.
the irst time in his life eight years ago, the irst thing he did was go to Uchiko. Fried sat next to two strangers and ate with them for three hours. When he left, he felt he overcame his worries and made two new friends, whom he still is friends with to this day. Fried said that experience made him realize the importance of restau- rants bringing people together. “The hospitality is the touchy feely part. That’s how you make the cus- tomer feel, and when you don’t have
that touching point, I think it’s more di cult, almost impossible to create
that hospitality,” Fried said. The Austinite perspective
Austin resident Charles Runnels said he feels how the changing dining atmosphere is leading to a disconnect, pointing to bars and restaurants with a pickup counter. “You’re with your friends and you’re hanging out and then you have to get up [to get your drinks] and stop the conversation,” he said. “It’s like you
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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