Up to 25% of restaurants in Puerto Rico could close their doors, according to studies carried out with the Restaurant Owners Association, its president, Sonia Navarro, warned. Navarro said the sector faces major challenges from rising operating costs, particularly energy costs. She said the studies indicate that up to a quarter of the island’s restaurants could shut down.
Navarro also said gastronomy is one of Puerto Rico’s main tourist attractions. According to the study results, 79% of those surveyed are choosing to visit restaurants as part of their experiences to create memories and share with family. Given the economic outlook, Navarro urged business owners to evaluate which dishes sell best and adjust their inventories to reduce expenses and avoid losses.
She said that strategy would allow operators to optimize available resources and ease part of the economic burden of running a restaurant. Despite the crisis and the rising cost of services, customers continue visiting the establishments. Although they have reduced how often they go out, sharing at restaurants remains among the activities many consumers seek to keep up.