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An employee sweeps the sidewalk in front of a Taco Bell fast food restaurant in New York, December 7, 2006.
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New York's vaunted restaurant scene is in for some lean times, according to the newest Zagat survey released on Tuesday, with price hikes coming at a time when diners say they are eating out less often and spending less in the face of dire economic conditions.
"Restaurants are clearly feeling the pinch from the economic crisis," said Tim Zagat, founder of the survey now in its 30th year which bases its food, decor and service ratings for some 2,000 restaurants on feedback from restaurant patrons.
But he added that the industry would weather the hard times, just as it did following the 1987 stock market crash and the September 11 attacks.
The pullback was not limited to diners, either, the survey found. Restaurant openings declined for the first time since 2003, down to 119 from last year's 163, and 187 just three years ago.
Nearly 40 percent of the survey's 38,000-plus respondents said they were coping with the shaky economy by eating out less often, and by patronizing less expensive restaurants.
All this in a year in which Zagat found prices up 3.3 percent, or far more than the one percent annual hike that prevailed over the past six years. High-end diners were hit even harder, with a nearly 10 percent tab increase.
The average tab in New York was $40.78, still less than the steepest US total of $44.44 in Las Vegas, and far behind other world capitals such as Paris, Tokyo, and even Toronto.
The bracing findings were one explanation for a spate of new burger, pizza and barbecue places that popped up this year, the survey noted. Even celebrity chefs such as Alain Ducasse and Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened bistros or noodle shops.
Any good news mostly centered around establishments that topped the ratings. Per Se nabbed the top spot for the first time for both food and service, with diners citing an "unforgettable, transcendental gastronomic marathon" -- with an average $303 tab to match.
The ratings cellar was once again reserved for theme restaurants like American Girl Place or Hard Rock Cafe, but celebrity hangout Elaine's scraped bottom with even lower marks for service and décor.
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(Agencies)
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據Zagat調查公司本周二發布的一項最新調查顯示，紐約的高檔餐廳如今可是生意慘淡。受經濟危機和物價上漲的影響，紐約人不再像過去那樣經常“下館子”，餐飲支出也有所減少。
該調查的發起人蒂姆?扎格特說：“餐飲業已明顯感到經濟危機的影響。”這項已有30年歷史的年度調查主要根據食客的反饋評估紐約約2000家餐廳的菜品、裝修和服務。
但扎格特認為，這次餐飲業最終會度過難關，就像挺過1987年的股市崩盤和“9/11”恐怖襲擊一樣。
此外，調查發現，少的還不僅僅是食客，今年紐約新開張的餐館數量自2003年來首次下跌，從去年的163家減少至119家，而三年前則為187家。
在3.8萬多受訪者中，近40%的人稱他們為了應對眼下的經濟危機，已經不經常出去吃飯，或者選擇去較便宜的餐館就餐。
Zagat調查發現，今年紐約的餐飲物價整體上漲了3.3%，大大超過過去六年所保持的1%。其中高端消費者倍受打擊，價格漲幅達到了近10%。
在紐約出去吃一頓飯平均花費為40.78美元，低于全美最高的、拉斯維加斯的44.44美元，比起巴黎、東京甚至多倫多等其它國家的首都則要低得多。
調查指出，這些“鼓舞人心”的發現可以解釋為什么今年紐約冒出了很多漢堡店、皮薩店和烤肉店。就連阿蘭?杜卡斯和希恩-喬治四?沃格里騰這樣的名廚也開起了小酒館或拉面館。
好消息大都關于那些在評級中名列前茅的餐館。Per Se首次摘得菜品和服務“雙科冠軍”，食客們對它的評價是“令人難忘、無與倫比的美食享受”，這家餐廳的平均消費為303美元。
主題餐廳“美國女孩”和“滾石咖啡”再次墊底，但名人會所Elanie’s 的服務和裝修這兩項指標得分更低，排在最后一名。
（英語點津姍姍 編輯）
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