“We know things are tight for everybody right now, but the idea of being able to go and dine out and have it be tax free, I think that saving that seven-and-a-half percent can really add up and we’re excited about it,” said Emily Mendenhall, co-owner and general manager of Lily’s Dayton.
“A total check may be over $500, but if each menu item ordered is less than $500, then the entire check would be tax free,” according to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Mendenhall said the average diner at her establishment spends about $20 to $24 a meal. That means a table of eight spending roughly $200 or so, can expect to save about $15. Excluded from the equation is any sale of alcoholic products or any other non-qualified item.
Expanding the sales tax holiday is a win not only for those looking to save money when they dine out, but also for restaurant owners looking to draw a bigger crowd on less busy days, Mendenhall said.
“Pretty much every restaurant owner and small business owner I know, if they’re not struggling, they’re still definitely still struggling on those weekdays and weeknights,” she said. “We’re almost always at capacity on weekends, (but) really struggle on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so it being the 10 days to bring people out on those different days, I think that that’s a really nice addition.”
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