Dining Room Comeback Proves Elusive For Kansas City Restaurant Scene

A quick post and a truism we wanted to share before lunchtime . . .

AS COVID VARIANTS CONTINUE TO SPARK HEADLINES ACROSS THE NATION . . . LOCAL RESTAURANTS AREN'T ENJOYING THE COMEBACK THEY EXPECTED!!!

We've got more than a few examples via news stories but first we wanted to share this observation . . .

This holiday season we noticed that Kansas City restaurant patrons acting like married dudes and there was just very little excitement about eating out.

The drive-thru biz is still booming and we often see long lines for fancy slop delivered via Styrofoam container . . . But local dining rooms remain closed as mainstream headlines keep cautious customers away and the labor/staffing crisis still lingers. And higher prices thanks to inflation aren't helping.

Ask around and restaurant owners speaking honestly will confirm the trend.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

NourishKC closes dining room due to COVID-19 cases weeks after reopening

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After just a few weeks back open to the public, the Kansas City Community Kitchen is once again closing its dining room due to rising COVID-19 cases. NourishKC made the announcement on Monday. Carry-our meals will still be available to those in need Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.

Plowboys BBQ closes its Overland Park location for good "due to pandemic challenges"

OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- Plowboys BBQ is closing its Overland Park location on West 75th Street, effective immediately, "due to pandemic challenges," the company announced Tuesday morning. Plowboys will keep operating its two other locations, on Main Street in Kansas City, MO, and on 7 Highway in Blue Springs, along with its catering division and concession stands at Arrowhead Stadium.

Restaurants anxious as omicron, high food costs take toll

While restaurants in the U.S. and United Kingdom are open without restrictions and often bustling, they are entering their second winter of the coronavirus pandemic anxious about what's ahead: They're squeezed by labor shortages and skyrocketing food costs and the omicron variant is looming. "I'm extremely worried.

Food is more expensive than it has been in decades

Video above: Food banks struggle to feed hungry as prices surgeBad news for American consumers: It's getting more expensive to dine out, and it's getting more expensive to eat at home.Restaurant prices spiked 5.8% over the 12 months ending in November without seasonal adjustments, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.

Brookside Poultry To Close End of January - In Kansas City

Come January, Kansas City will bid adieu to Brookside Poultry Company. The fried chicken restaurant announced on December 28 it will close due to pandemic-caused challenges. "We may emerge in a different space down the road with our fried chicken and Southern-inspired menu but for now, we're taking a break," says chef and co-owner, Charles...

A more optimisitc outlook . . .

Kansas City's best new restaurants: 16 eateries make Feast, KC Magazine lists

The last two years have been difficult for restaurants in the Kansas City area, but that doesn't mean that chefs and restaurateurs have been sitting idle. Despite the pandemic, numerous new restaurants have opened, bringing new flavors to the area. According to and Kansas City magazine, there are 16 regional eateries deserving of the designation "best new restaurants."

Developing . . .