Aloha State News

Restaurant owners in Honolulu, already struggling from the COVID-19 shutdown, are bracing for another hit in January.

That’s when a city and county ban on plastic utensils kicks in with fines of up to $1,000 fines for violations. The ban hits at the same time that many restaurants have seen a larger proportion of their business go to takeout since inside seating has been limited by COVID-19 social distancing safeguards.

“When [the plastic utensil ban] was passed in 2019, life was normal,” Victor Lim, owner of five McDonald’s franchises in Honolulu, told Aloha State News. “Life today is totally upside down for everybody.”

The restaurant industry has been particularly hard hit, with many shutting their doors for good and others operating at limited capacity and relying heavily on takeout, Lim said.

“With 80-90% of restaurant business converted to takeout, use of utensils is a much greater percentage than it was in the past,” he said. “The cost of business for restaurants has definitely increased.”

Alternatives to plastic utensils, such as wood or bamboo, are much more expensive, Lim said.

“The suppliers are looking at double or triple the cost of the plastics they are replacing,” he said. 

The big restaurant chains can handle the costs and maintain a steady supply of alternative utensils, he said, noting “Many of the smaller restaurants will have no control over the costs or supply.” 

Lim and other members of the Hawaii Restaurant Association are pushing the city and Honolulu County to delay enforcement of the ban for at least six months to give restaurants owners time to get back on their feet.

“The big businesses will survive – they will find a way to do it,” he said. “But the small businesses will definitely be in pain.”

Hawaii’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19, Lim said.

“If you talk to any economist, they will tell you that the recovery to Hawaii’s tourism is going to take three to four years,” he said.

If restaurants are forced to pay more for utensils, those costs will be passed on to consumers, Lim said, adding that Hawaii already is a very expensive place to live.

“Our taxes are high, our real estate is very high, almost everything we used has to be shipped in from the mainland,” he said.

COVID-19 has driven up restaurant costs for cleaning supplies and employee personal protective equipment.

“It’s tough for everybody,” Lim said.