Charlotte restaurant owner worries tariffs could mean higher prices for customers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte restaurants are paying close attention to moves made by President Donald Trump. Imposed tariffs could raise costs for local eateries. A 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico that is set to begin April 2nd has the potential to increase the costs of fruits, vegetables, and alcohol according to UNC Charlotte economics professor Matthew Metzger. Metzger believes these tariffs will ultimately hurt restaurants.

“One of our big imports from Mexico is fresh fruit and fresh vegetables,” Metzger said. “That’s not inventory that you can just put on the shelf for a few months.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that in 2023 the United States imported more than $45 billion worth of fruits, vegetables, and alcohol. Jeff Tonidandel, who owns and operates five restaurants across Charlotte, including Haberdish in Plaza Midwood, relies on imports to feed his customers. Tonidandel is close to opening his sixth restaurant, called Leluia Hall in the Dilworth neighborhood. He buys some of his ingredients locally, but other items he has to get from outside of the U.S, like limes and maple syrup. Tonidandel said even without high tariffs, maintaining a successful restaurant is no easy task.

“It’s hard to operate a restaurant profitably,” Tonidandel said, “Our margins are so thin.” Even still he has found success for 15 years in the Charlotte area. He’s paid close attention to the impacts tariffs could have on his businesses and believes that it product costs rise, he’ll have no choice but to raise menu prices.

“If our food costs do end up creeping higher, we don’t have many options except to raise prices,” Tonidandel said. Tonidandel does have a strategy to save on restaurant spending that he said could help lower prices on his menus. Each of his restaurants do their best to lower waste by getting the most out of each ingredient. He explained for example that his employees will use left over peels and juice from limes to create a stock that can be remade into cocktails. By stretching out ingredients Tonidandel said he’s able to buy less which in turn keeps costs down for his customers. “We try to not have any waste,” Tonidandel said, “if we can lower those things then, yeah, we can lower our food costs and pass those things on as well to the customer.”

Tonidandel has not seen a decline in customers eating at his restaurants. He’s not sure if consumer spending will slow and is more concerned with keeping an eye on his own spending so that he can better adjust to any changes in pricing that might impact his restaurants.