Zoomers Stop Drinking: Restaurants Suffer Millions in Losses

Chef and founder of Momofuku, David Chang, expressed outrage at the youth's refusal to consume alcohol. He warned of the potential catastrophic consequences for the restaurant business due to decreasing beverage sales, which are critical for the industry. A Gallup report confirms this trend, indicating a 9% decrease in alcohol consumption among young people over the last two years.

The decline in beverage consumption further complicates the situation for the restaurant business, which is already under significant pressure from rising ingredient and labor costs. Chang emphasized the need for food prices to rise to compensate for losses but acknowledged that this could pose a serious problem as prices are already quite high. IFMA CEO Phil Kafarakis predicts an increase in restaurant closures in the upcoming year due to financial difficulties in the sector.