COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Lately, it's been hard to predict where the economy is going, and it's even harder for one local restaurant owner who has made drastic changes in an attempt to just stay afloat.
For restaurant owner Ronaldo Gonzalez of the Taco Bar in College Station, tougher economic condition have lead to tougher decisions on menu pricing, which is made even more extreme with food prices fluctuating so frequently.
"Cause one day you get chicken in and it's at a good price the next day the chicken goes up," said Gonzalez. "$20 a case, 30, 40, 50 bucks. Especially eggs. Eggs are just skyrocketing again, so it's really hard to have a set price."
Despite being in business for eleven years, the current state of the economy has made it hard for not only him, but other restaurant owners. With prices changing every week, Gonzalez shared how it's difficult to keep a steady price and find a balance while keeping the price that consumers pay in mind as well.
"We understand the whole community's hurting when it comes to the inflation it self. So we're trying to balance everything and trying to survive as much as we can," said Gonzalez.
Additionally, they've came up with savvy ways to combat the trickle effects of inflation, such as offering a catering service and adding a happy hour to their menu.
"We do a lot of catering in town, with the university that's where, I mean you can have a slow day in the store but that one catering event can make up for your whole day," Gonzalez stated. "We are focusing more on those big volumes just to compensate any loss sales, and then you know to keep up with labor and all of our payroll."
After recently moving to a new location, they are just trying to stay afloat as the economy looks to be uncertain, just like many other business owners in the Bryan-College Station area.
"We opened this five weeks ago, so we're excited to be back in town and have start seeing our customers again, we are still in business and trying to stay profitable at this point," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez shared that the community is what will keep businesses like his afloat, despite the tolls that inflation has delivered to everyone's budgets.