The closure of fast-food chains including KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, and uncertainty around IHOP, is a hard blow for thousands of families and local economies in several Puerto Rico towns. In Barceloneta, two KFC restaurants and a Taco Bell closed indefinitely, while the IHOP at the Outlets area cut its operating hours to 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Resident Irada Vázquez Centeno called it a big loss, noting many people who must pay for their home and car are left without jobs, especially sad during the Christmas season.
The Barceloneta IHOP has a staff of 25 employees, and staff confirmed off camera that sales fell after the closures were announced. Mayor Wanda Soler Rosario voiced concern about the layoffs and said the town is working to identify recruitment opportunities for affected families. She estimated that between patents and the IVU sales tax, the business closures would mean losses of about $70,000 for the municipality.
She also said local merchants keep reinventing themselves in the face of high costs of electricity, water and other basic services.