CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A wave of new tariffs on imported goods is making its way to dinner plates here in the Coastal Bend. Local seafood restaurants are starting to feel the sting, including Dokyo Dauntaun, located in Downtown Corpus Christi.
Tong Shen, the owner of the restaurant, said the recent rise on imported seafood and other goods are driving prices up at an unsustainable rate. But no matter what, Shen said she doesn't want her customers to feel the burden.
"Right now, we’re trying to make adjustments, trying to find it cheaper,” Shen said. “But you know, it’s tariffs. Anything that comes into this country is higher now.”
She added manufacturers are boosting their sticker price, causing her to pay for certain products nearly 50% more.
Many of the restaurant's essential ingredients, including fish imported from China, Europe, and Mexico, have doubled or even tripled in price. It's not only affecting sushi-grade seafood, but also staples like avocados, liquor, and even the furniture needed for restaurant operations.
“So each fish [that we buy] will cost us a couple hundred dollars," Shen added. We’re not trying to raise our prices on those yet, but if it starts impacting our fish, then we gotta do what we gotta do, ya know.”
Instead of passing the price increase onto their customers, Shen and her business partner, Miller Xu, are working to source products from alternative vendors and exploring new partnerships to reduce the financial strain.
The impact of tariffs isn't isolated to Corpus Christi. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. seafood imports totaled more than $20 billion last year, and nearly two thirds of the seafood Americans consume is imported. Tariffs on international products could not only raise prices, but also disrupt availability from manufacturers.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep the experience the same for our customers,” Shen said. “But it’s getting harder every day.”
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