How's business since smoke has cleared? (Dallas smoking ban - restaurant sales est. down 25%)

The Dallas Morning News ^ | March 1, 2004 | By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News

[MeekOneGOP]

Dallas restaurant sales down 25% while suburban Dallas restaurants see steady as she goes.

[MeekOneGOP]

How's business since smoke has cleared?
(Dallas smoking ban - restaurant sales est. down 25%)

Excerpt:

Tracey Evers, executive director of the 1,000-member Greater Dallas Restaurant Association, said by talking to members of the association she'd estimate that revenue is down 25 percent. Members believe this is a result of smokers shortening their stay in restaurants. She said restaurant bars – the profit-makers – have been the hardest hit.

"This has created a very un-level playing field for them," said Ms. Evers, noting that Dallas diners may be heading to cities where smoking is permitted. "Some say it has absolutely been devastating."

Ms. Evers said now that the ordinance is a year old, the association will survey local restaurants to accurately assess how much damage has been done. So far, the evidence has been anecdotal but shows that restaurants in the association have reportedlosses ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to figures from the Texas Comptroller's Office, in the second quarter of 2003 – the first three months of the smoking ban and the last quarter available for review – Dallas restaurants selling alcohol reported their lowest revenue in recent years.

[onyx]

Whew. You're up early. Scared me til I looked at the clock.

[Flyer]

she'd estimate that revenue is down 25 percent

Which is curiously close to the percentage of people that smoke.

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! Mornin' ! ;^)

[onyx]

Morning to you too Meek. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Yeah, that's about right. So, uh, does this mean that Dallas will be hiking
taxes in other areas now ? Won't they see a shortfall in tax revenues ?

Who's gonna pay for this ?? ...

[Flyer]

Who's gonna pay for this ?? ...

Smokers are a beat upon class of people, but they do have one thing in their favor - they can control a large amount tax revenue, not only in the tobacco products they buy, but where they spend their other money.

[KantianBurke]

But Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said no smoking is here to stay. "I do not want to reopen the smoking ordinance," she said. "I think it works, and people like it a lot."

Typical nanny state attitude.

[ReformedBeckite]

A man's got to eat somewhere
restaurants down 25%
grocery stores up 25%

[SheLion]

Maine, Utah and Vermont allow smoking in bars only.

Wrong! Maine went smoke-free this January in Tavern's, Bars and Sports Inns.

Weak economy cited

Yes, blame it on the economy!

"People typically spend less at restaurants when their income has gone down," Dr. Hayes said. "It's not a required expenditure. When they aren't sure what their recovery is going to be like, it's one of the first things they cut."

MY income hasn't gone down!  I have PLENTY to spend.  But I sure won't spend my money in a restaurant/Tavern that won't accommodate me!!!!

Bans Bad For Business

The Facts About Smoking Ban Hurting Business's

"Anti-smoking organizations insist that bans are somehow good for people in hospitality businesses. This chart shows otherwise. These businesses have lost a significant portion of their business as a direct result of smoking bans. Many are closed. Many that are still open have told us they doubt they'll survive much longer.

Most of this information comes directly from businesses that have contacted me or my colleagues. Some comes from newspaper articles. Blank spaces in the chart represent data that is unavailable, or that doesn't apply. (For instance, a distributor doesn't receive tips, and many owner-operators of small taverns don't have any employees other than themselves and family members.)"

[SheLion]

But Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said no smoking is here to stay. "I do not want to reopen the smoking ordinance," she said. "I think it works, and people like it a lot."

But Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said no smoking is here to stay. "I do not want to reopen the smoking ordinance," she said. "I think it works, and people like it a lot."

Think??????? People like it a LOT?  In her DREAMS, maybe!

[DumpsterDiver]

Did you see this gem?

Beth Cunningham... said the ban is a relief and should be extended to bars. "If people 'need' to smoke, they can go outside."

Hey Beth, if people 'need' to drink, they should be attending AA meetings, not hanging out in bars.

[metesky]

But business owners say fresher air has come at a high cost. And while the numbers to conclusively prove it are not yet in, some have reported losses, while others have closed their doors for good.

One would think that Emily Ramshaw would realize that the above bolded sentence is oxymoronic.

[whereasandsoforth]

I stopped going to Dallas restaurants. I live in one of the suburbs that is still free, so I'm lucky. My wife and I spent our fifteenth and twenty-fifth anniversaries at the Fairmont Hotel. It won't happen again.

I heard a rumor about my suburb. It is a place known for it's mavericks. Some group told city hall that if they try the anti-smoking crap here, city hall will be smokin'. So far so good.

[SheLion]

Beth Cunningham... said the ban is a relief and should be extended to bars. "If people 'need' to smoke, they can go outside."

Then you have Mayor Fred in Florida b*tching about having to "walk through a cloud of smokers" when he gots into the State House.  My Gawd!  What DO THEY WANT????????????!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Beth, if people 'need' to drink, they should be attending AA meetings, not hanging out in bars.

HEY BETH!  IF DRINKING AND DRIVING IS ILLEGAL, WHY DO YOUR BARS STILL HAVE PARKING LOTS?!!

[SheLion]

gots=goes!

It's early. LOL

[MeekOneGOP]

haha ! That's funny ! ;^)

[CSM]

"A man's got to eat somewhere
restaurants down 25%
grocery stores up 25%"

Sure, but the 25% at the restaurant is $25, while the 25% at the grocery store is $2.50. The total sales increase in the grocery store's isn't close to the tax revenue confiscated from the restaurants.

[Gabz]

One would think that Emily Ramshaw would realize that the above bolded sentence is oxymoronic.

Actually - it's just plain MORONIC.........