According to the Florida Dept. of Revenue, in the last year restaurant sales have gone down 300 million dollars. Diners spent more than 30 billion dollars eating out last year. But it is also the impact of the economic crisis nationally that is making it difficult for small and large businesses to stay afloat.

According to Director of University of Florida's Survey Research Center, Christopher McCarty, "Restaurant consumption is down and thats led to some closings, of so there are some closings. the big ones everyone talks about are bennigan's and steak and ale."'

And what keeps local favorite's like "jeff's NY Deli" afloat says the owner, "We can control our overheads quickly, chains can't"

The National Restaurant Association says inflation in wholesale food prices is the highest it's been in 27 years. Now that restaurants are paying more... so are you.