In an interview with Fox News, “Bar Rescue” host Jon Taffer did not hold back his frustration with Democrat policies, which he said are wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry. The TV star, known for his tough-love approach to rescuing failing bars, directed his critique specifically at the economic policies he believes are detrimental to small businesses.
As the host of “Bar Rescue,” Taffer has witnessed firsthand the struggles of bar and restaurant owners across the country. “Look at California,” Taffer said, referencing the state’s increase in minimum wage to $20 an hour. “They increased the pay rate to twenty dollars during the highest inflationary period possibly in the history of our industry. They could have plateaued it in two dollars increments over a few years and had a little sensitivity to the business, but they didn’t.”
Taffer went on to highlight the real-world consequences of these policies. “As a result, not only did that Arby’s close in Hollywood, but Rubio’s Coastal Grill is closing 48 locations because of that. So every side of the business is being impacted,” he said. The closure of these establishments is not an isolated incident, as Taffer pointed out the ripple effect it has on communities and other businesses.
The host also addressed the broader economic implications of these closures. “CBS is closing about 320 stores. That’s 8 million square feet of retail space. What about the landlords? What about the bankers and the property holders?” Taffer asked. “This has a consequence that goes far more than just the closing of stores, the eliminating of jobs. Communities are losing their services. You know, drugstores are not going to be there anymore. Restaurants are not going to be there anymore. This is consequential, not only financially and from a real estate standpoint, but it’s consequential in quality of life, availability of services. This is not a small matter. This is going to change communities.”
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During the interview, Taffer said that his criticism is not about political personalities but about policies and their impacts. “Politics is not about people. You can hate an individual but love their policies. You can love the individual and hate their policies. What we are living through now is a consequence of policies that have caused these inflationary impacts, these payroll impacts,” he explained. “When we vote, we need to think about policies and how they impact our individual communities as well as our nation. These policies are going to devastate many, many communities.”
Taffer also commented on Joe Biden’s stance on taxing tips and gratuities, a significant issue for the restaurant industry. Biden’s proposal to stop taxing tips is seen by Taffer as a positive move.
“In the restaurant industry, we’re struggling to find employees, to keep employees. Could you imagine if you worked in a steakhouse and you make $100 a night in tips? Now you get to keep that money. At the end of the week, you make $500 in cash. Better for the employee, better for the industry,” he stated. “If I was the customer tipping and I left $10 on the table, I love the idea that that employee gets the whole $10. So I think there’s a consumer appreciation of this policy as well.”
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