TNT Burger in Tampa shuttered its South Tampa spot after inflation and hurricane destruction made keeping the doors open impossible. The company now fights to save its first restaurant. These closures mirror a wider crisis: total restaurant expenses have climbed 36% since 2019, and 42% of operators lost money last year, per the National Restaurant Association.
“We really started feeling the inflation last year, especially in the food prices,” co-owner Carolina Martinez said according to Fox 13 News.
Beef costs more. French fries drain wallets. Tomatoes are pricier than before. Rent bills and commercial insurance payments have ballooned, too…