(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Downtown Chicago is a busy place these days, and the restaurant industry is working to adapt.
Foot traffic in downtown Chicago has surpassed the last pre-pandemic year of 2019. While the number of people going to the office is down, the number of visitors and permanent residents is up.
The relative lack of office workers means that restaurants have to adjust to life without business lunches paid for with corporate credit cards.
Rosebud near Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street is rebranding from an Italian restaurant to a casual Mexican place called Esta Loca
Izzy Kharasch, president of Hospitality Works in Chicago tells the Noon Business hour that tacos are faster and easier to make.
“You can serve more people, you can serve them faster. You can do easy to-go or dine-in and again have a lower labor costs.”
Tacos are also cheaper than pasta.
“Downtown and that environment has changed substantially and you know, customers no longer want to spend, you know, that pasta-type money and take that kind of time at lunch. So this is a smart move.”
Diners can get three tacos and a margarita for $25.
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