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Trio’s Restaurant & Lounge in Ridgeland specializes in steaks and seafood, but the pressures of a difficult economy caused the owners to renovate the restaurant in a Casual.

Owners Steve and Pete Trio Efstratiou closed for two weeks before the reopening last week that Crab Shack seafood with a new look and menu.

“We have the same owners, but that’s about all,” manager Laura Blackmon said. “Crab Shack’s Seafood is an entirely different restaurant that Trio”.

Restaurants across the country are struggling to keep their doors open as food, energy and increased labor costs.

“This is by far the most difficult times for the restaurant industry,” said Mike Cashion, executive director of the Mississippi home and restaurant. He said nationally more than 36,000 jobs in the restaurant industry have been lost in the last four months.

Howard McMillan, dean of the School of Business at Millsap College, said restaurants should prepare for continued unrest that people choose to stay home rather than dinner.

“We are truly unique time, everyone is looking for ways to keep their doors open,” says Cashion.

Restaurants in the first place are collapsing under pressure. Buffalo’s Southwest Cafe Flowood recently closed after a few months and Oby closed two weeks ago after three years at its location on Lakeland Drive.

Dennery in downtown Jackson closed earlier this year when the owners decided to retire.

“(Restaurants) do not have the luxury of having bailed out as the house, car or stock industries,” said Cashion.

Crab Shack seafood will face increased competition from the opening of numerous restaurants in Ridgeland. Pan Asia has recently opened in a new location, and Applebee’s Dairy Queen and are under construction.

Banks are Efstratious on increasing volume to cope with the thin profit margin on meals. The brothers have said so far, the approach has worked.

For example, a redfish flat on the Trio was the $18.95 menu, but on the Crab Shack Seafood’s menu is $14.

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