Costs are rising so much that Chinese restaurants in Changdao turn off lights and say goodbye_1

Jason Lee, the owner of Long Island Pekin, a Chinese restaurant in Babylon, Long Island, recently made the difficult decision to close his establishment after five years of service. In a heartfelt farewell message posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page, he expressed deep gratitude to customers for their years of support, reminiscing about the restaurant being a place where many celebrated significant life events, such as first dates, engagements, baby showers, graduations, and anniversaries.

When discussing the reasons for the closure, Lee cited the skyrocketing costs of ingredients and labor as major factors. He had been committed to keeping prices low to attract customers, but the increasing expenses made it increasingly challenging to maintain this strategy. For instance, the price of green beans surged from $20 per case in 2019 to $50 today, while meat prices have risen by 20% to 30%. This mounting pressure left him feeling overwhelmed, especially with growing customer complaints about prices.

Lee also highlighted the difficulty of recruiting qualified chefs in the Chinese culinary field. Most skilled chefs reside in Queens, making the commute to Long Island both challenging and expensive, further complicating restaurant operations. This added strain came at a time when Lee had just welcomed his second child, intensifying both his professional and personal responsibilities. Consequently, when another restaurant group approached him to take over the lease, he decided to accept the opportunity.

Looking ahead, Lee plans to partner with others to open two new fast-casual dining spots, focusing on a quick-service model to help reduce costs for customers by eliminating certain service elements.