WAIKIKI, Hawaii (KHON2) — Many families are planning to gather at local restaurants for a special meal as Easter Sunday approaches.
New tariffs on imported goods could have some worried and some local eateries are starting to feel the pressure.
Restaurants across Hawaii are bracing for the effects of new tariffs on imported goods from meats to specialty products. Just because local residents have not seen a hike in their bill does not mean someone is not eating the cost.
“I’m same price as two years ago as a price fix, which I’m supposed to actually charge more. But now I don’t want people to charged more because it costs me more, but I want people to come to enjoy and a reason to come and enjoy the family with the less money,” said Jack Sinanaj, Empire Steak House owner.
Empire Steak House’s Easter brunch goes for $100 a head — which some may call steep but the price has not changed since 2023.
Jack is not the only one holding the line.
“We have not seen any radical increases. I know we haven’t changed our prices, but knock on wood, there’s a lot of koa around here that hopefully that will stay the same,” said Geoff King, Duke’s Waikiki manager.
One way restaurants can save is sourcing local when possible, especially with greens and seafood.
“We get as much produce and as we can locally, and all our fish is always fresh, fresh fish from the islands. I like to tell our guests it’s all caught within 400 miles of our state,” King said.
Duke’s in Waikiki has a $54 Easter brunch. Some ingredients travel thousands of miles at a rising cost.
“All of our greens, our vegetables. That’s easy to to convert. A lot easier than it is. Some of the specialty meats and some of those specialty proteins, that’s a little bit more challenging, especially the exotic things that are coming from other countries,” said Hawaii Restaurant Association Executive Director Sheryl Matsuoka.
There is still a push to support local neighborhood eateries while some of the more established restaurants are able to withstand an uncertain economy.
“To the smaller restaurants that really need our community, support those small mom and pop restaurants. Please support them. Support your favorite neighborhood restaurant because you don’t want to see them close their doors,” Matsuoka said.
Easter meals will hopefully stay festive and familiar for now, but local restaurants said change could just be one shipment away with no clear end to tariffs in sight and Mother’s Day on May 11.