Arizona Restaurant Week reveals economy’s effects

This year, Arizona Restaurant Week is May 16 to May 25, 2025, and dozens of local restaurants will offer price-fixed menus so people can come in and dine locally. It comes at a critical time for local Arizona restaurants.

According to Steve Chucri, President of the Arizona Restaurant Association, restaurants are feeling the effects of a tight economy. Restaurants have been slow for about five months as many people don’t have the disposable income to dine out. Also, the high cost of food is driving up the menu costs and consumers are unable to afford to eat out as often.

Chucri joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss more on the effects that the economy has had on Arizona restaurants.

“It has been an impact. I’ve been at this job for 24 years, this is an eyebrow-raising moment for the industry. For the first time, we’ve seen slowdown in the fast, casual segment which we’ve never seen,” said Chucri, regarding the most recent economy’s effect on the restaurant business compared to past years.

“If you are not growing at 3%, you are losing. Inflation is pegged at 3%. For the restaurant industry in Arizona, for the past couple quarters, only seen growth above 2%,” said Chucri, about the statistics in takes for local restaurant businesses to succeed in the current economy.