The economy has been fairly bad and alcohol taxes are high and this has put a lot of pressure on business owner Cary Rigatti, owner of the Creighton Hotel in East Deer, which used to be quite a popular restaurant with good revenue.
A lot of changes have taken place, with many of the dining habits of guests changing. Diners are taking more time to eat their food as they are taking more trips outside to smoke, which means that she has less tables free at one time. Those who drink at the bar are not spending as much time there as they can't smoke.
All Rigatti has to say is, "Some die-hard smokers aren't coming out at all. The economy sucks as it is. Everyone knows that Allegheny County got hit with 10 percent drink tax. We've been hit with a lot of things this year."
[Via: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
