Are Austinites Still Dining Out?

From everything I can see, the answer is a pretty stout YES. We go out to eat most nights and rare is the occasion that we find an empty restaurant. Some newer restaurants could certainly use more customers, to be sure, but I’ve talked to more than a few operators who are experiencing 25% increases over last year. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that the local owner-operated restaurants are having a better time of things than a lot of the national fast casual and medium-end chains.

So while the news media tend to endlessly and, in my opinion, needlessly prattle on about how bad things are, I can honestly say that I’m optimistic not only about the Austin dining scene but about the Austin economy in general. Remember, I also run a market research firm which has given me access to data that suggests that our city is far better positioned to ride out the current economic malaise than most others across the US. Thus, I am really not surprised when I walk into one of our local restaurants on a Wednesday night and see a good crowd. So let’s not fall victim to the self-fulfilling prophecy nonsense that could occur from watching too many cable TV news channels. If you’re hungry and you’ve got a few bucks in your pocket, then go out to dinner. And don’t feel guilty about it. The starving children in China don’t care if you finish your peas or not. So, as my grandmother Lydia was so fond of saying, “Let’s eat!