Are Louisiana restaurants keeping up with nationwide growth? [Video]

Nationwide restaurants are having the best year on record, but does that growth hold up if you zoom in on Louisiana? Louisiana Restaurant Association’s (LRA) Wendy Waren says that summer starts a wind down.

“School is out and vacations start, so the volume slows down.”

While owners have some creative ways of cutting and saving costs, local and state agencies geared towards economic development and sustainability are helping as well.

The LRA and New Orleans and Company are launching New Orleans Restaurant Week.

“We can drive business to the restaurants with special menus and pricing.”

There are unique challenges restaurants face in our region.Along with rising food costs, and staffing issues, things like insurance and storm damage take their toll as well.

Waren says though it may seem that there are always drive-thru lines out to the street or long waits for tables, hold tight before you assume being a …