Consumer Trends

Remembering the mother of all supply-chain disruptions

Think inflation at the gasoline pumps is a four-alarm issue for the economy? Consider this fuel crisis of the not-so-distant past.

Gasoline prices have never been as high as they are currently, but the damage to restaurants and the economy in general is likely far lower than a fuel crisis many Americans still vividly remember. Those who are too young to have caught that truly historic wallop may be surprised to learn just how much of a disruption it was to day-to-day life.

Indeed, as this week’s edition of Restaurant Rewind recounts, the impact extended to everything from wartime-like rationing to forgoing year-end holiday lighting and keeping homes colder than normal.

Those were threatening days for a restaurant industry still in its adolescence, as host and Restaurant Business Editor At Large Peter Romeo informs listeners in his highly personalized account of those literally chilling times. He uses that experience to assess the impact of today's oil inflation.

Listen this week and every Tuesday by downloading Restaurant Rewind from wherever you get your podcasts.

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