Food prices, restaurant closures, labor costs, staffing issues, automation, AI, and what’s really happening inside the restaurant industry.
In this episode of Beyond the Plate, Jake Albion of Albion Digital Web Studio and Ali Gonzalez of Sustainable Culinary Solutions break down something many people are noticing but not fully understanding: why restaurants are closing and why eating out feels more expensive than ever.
What’s actually driving it?
Is it labor costs? Management? The economy? Or is it something bigger happening behind the scenes?
Jake brings a systems and business perspective, examining how trends, consumer behavior, and economics are shaping the industry, while Ali brings real hands-on restaurant experience that breaks down what operators deal with day-to-day.
We talk about what it really costs to run a restaurant today, not just wages, but turnover, training, taxes, and the hidden pressures most people don’t see.
We also get into why service feels different now, why consistency is harder to maintain, and why many restaurants fail not because of the food, but because of cost control and operational breakdowns.
We expand the conversation into the bigger picture, including the decline of skilled labor, the shift away from trade work, and how expectations around jobs have changed across industries.
After, we dive into automation and AI, what’s already happening in restaurants today, and what it could mean for jobs, pricing, and the future of the economy.
This isn’t just about food. It’s about the systems behind it, and where things are heading next.
If you’re a restaurant owner, this is for you.
If you’re trying to understand why eating out feels different, this is for you.
If you care about where the industry is heading, this is definitely for you.
At the end of the day, it’s simple.
Restaurants aren’t just struggling because of prices. They’re struggling because everything behind the scenes is changing.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:09 Why Restaurants Are Closing and Prices Are Rising
04:05 Why Eating Out Feels More Expensive Than Ever
05:55 Labor Costs, Staffing, and the Real Expense of Running a Restaurant
10:27 Why Workers, Tipping, and Turnover Are Changing the Industry
13:51 Are People Eating Out Less or Changing Habits?
17:46 Why Customers Feel Overcharged and Are Cooking More at Home
21:13 Why Restaurants Struggle with Costs, Menus, and Profitability
26:48 Why Simpler Menus and Operations Work Better
29:35 Labor Shortages and the Decline of Skilled Workers
34:52 Why Untrained Labor Is Costing Businesses More
38:51 Why Small Businesses Are Struggling to Survive
42:26 Lawsuits, Regulations, and Hidden Costs
44:18 Why Training and HR Matter More Than Ever
48:12 Trade Jobs vs College and the Workforce Shift
50:27 AI and Automation in the Restaurant Industry
54:12 Will AI Replace Human Jobs or Just Change Them?
59:25 What Happens to the Economy If Jobs Disappear?
01:03:38 What Skills Will Matter in the Future?
01:04:25 Are Monopolies Taking Over the Market?
01:07:04 Is Capitalism Changing or Breaking?
01:11:12 Why Experience Still Matters in Restaurants
01:14:07 Why Small Businesses Can’t Compete Anymore
01:17:07 Why Cheap Food Is Disappearing
01:20:00 Health, Food Quality, and Changing Consumer Behavior
01:22:24 Why Food Prices Won’t Come Down
01:25:03 Outro
1 Comment
yes! this was so true 😮