Harris Poll says diners cutting back; evidence visible in Louisville restaurants

A new Harris Poll released on December 13 says despite the slowly recovering economy, Americans plan to spend less in restaurants through mid-2012.

According to a report in Nation’s Restaurant News, the survey polled 2,499 adults in November and found 61 percent of respondents expecting to decrease restaurant spending next year.

Another 58 percent expect to reduce entertainment spending overall, and 51 percent are planning to save or invest more over the next six months.

Evidence of such cutbacks is visible here locally. Depending on whom you talk to, restaurant sales are down — even compared with 2010.

I was surprised to learn recently that at one local hotspot, sales are down 25 percent vs. 2010. In other words, if this place is suffering, many lesser spots surely are, too.

The Officially Unofficial Insider Louisville Survey finds that weekend sales are pretty solid at most places, but weekday numbers are distressing, we’re told.

Even drive-bys reveal lots of empty parking spots and seats (viewed through storefronts) Sunday through Thursday.

Some operators are reporting strong holiday sales, particularly private parties paid for by companies. On one hand, that’s very good news since corporate sales crashed from 2008-2010.

On the other hand, it’s a little distressing because it shows that while some companies have become increasingly profitable during the sluggish recovery, most of their employees — especially the rank and file — aren’t making more.

As the Nation’s Restaurant News story concluded, “The Harris Poll has been tracking Americans’ spending and savings plans for over three years, and on the whole has not seen a tremendous amount of change. As the economy fluctuates and Americans continue to feel pessimistic about employment prospects, it only follows that nonessential spending would continue to be scrutinized.”