Restaurant owner sends message to Biden ahead of visit

SEND IT TO YOU. STEVE: THAT WILL BE COOL. ALL RIGHT, JILLIAN, THANK YOU. TODAY JOE BIDEN IS HITTING THE ROAD HEADING TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO SELL HIS BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA THAT HIS OWN PARTY ISN'T EVEN BUYING. SO, WHAT DO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS STRUGGLING FROM A CRIPPLING LABOR SHORTAGE ACTUALLY NEED? LET'S TALK TO THE OWNER OF AUGUSTE'S BAR AND GLIL MADISON HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN. STEVE. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU DOING? STEVE: I'M DOING OKAY. LET'S SAY JOE BIDEN'S MOTORCADE PULLS OVER IN FRONT OF AUGUSTE'S TODAY. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM IS HE GETTING WRONG? >> I THINK THE BIG ACCESS RF. >> RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND? >> THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT HAND SELECTED BUSINESS TO GET FUNDING 80 BILLION A LOT OF US GOT LEFT OUT IN THE COLD. STEVE: GOVERNMENT PICKED WINNERS AND LOSERS AND APPARENTLY YOU WEREN'T ON THE GOOD LIST. >> NOT AT ALL. FILLED OUT ALL OF THE PAPERWORK. GOT EVERYTHING DONE. ON TOP OF THE LINE. GOT A NUMBER TO WHAT WE WERE GOING TO GET AND THE WOOL GOT PULLED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH OF US AND NOW STUCK WITH ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SOME COMPETITORS GOT MLS MILLION DOLLARS OF DOLLARS. IF I DON'T HAVE THAT FUNDING I'M NOT REQUESTING TO DO RENOVATIONS AND PAY BETTER WAGES AND THEN MY COMPETITOR DOWN THE STREET MIGHT BE ABLE TO PAY TWO, THREE TIMES THAN I AM BECAUSE OF THAT FUNDING. STEVE: I WAS TALKING TO MY FRIEND DOWN IN PALM BEACH COUNTY HE RUN AS COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS THERE HE SAID HE HAS GOT TO PAY PEOPLE DOUBLED WHAT HE PAID A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR. OFTEN PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR A JOB. THEY MIGHT WORK ONE DAY BUT MOST OF THEM QUIT AFTER A WEEK. >> A WEEK, I THINK, IS LONG. WE HAVE HAD. STEVE: UNBELIEVABLE. >> PEOPLE WORK ONE SHIFT. AND THEN NOT SHOW. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S -- IT'S NOT THE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S JUST THEY ARE FINDING OTHER THINGS. THEY ARE POTENTIALLY JOB JUMPING FOR, YOU KNOW, 25, 50 CENTS AN HOUR. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO OUR WAGES WERE PROBABLY HALF. AND NOW IT'S -- IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP UP, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES THAT GOT THAT RRF MONEY THEY CAN PAY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNTS REALLY. AND IT'S GOING TO BURY US. STEVE: ABSOLUTELY. AND AT THE SAME TIME, STEVE, YOU HAVE GOT THIS PROBLEM WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE IS -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO START DOING THEIR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE IS A SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS LOGISTICALLY THE UNITED STATES CAN'T GET STUFF, IN IT'S STUCK ON BOATS. ARE NOT UNLOADING THE BOATS. IT'S A VICIOUS CYCLE. WHAT ABOUT IN YOUR BUSINESS, CAN YOU GET ENOUGH FOOD TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? >> YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET ENOUGH, BUT IT'S A DAILY TASK TO TRACK TO FOOD DOWN. MY NUMBER ONE PROVIDER IS CONSTANTLY OUT OF STOCK AND CONSTANTLY NOT SHIPPING THE ORDERS I HAVE TO GET ON MY PHONE CALLING THIS PROVIDER AND THAT STORE DRIVING. THERE IS TIMES WHERE I HAVE BEEN DRIVEN 20, 30 MILES TO GET A CASE OF CHICKEN BECAUSE NOBODY IN A 20-MILE RADIUS HAS IT AND I HAVE TO HAVE IT. WE ARE KIND OF KNOWN FOR OUR CHICKEN TENDERS AND THERE IS INSTANCES WHERE I'M DOWN TO MAYBE 10 POUNDS OF CHICKEN TENDERS AND I HAVE TO DRIVE 25 MILES TO GET ANOTHER CASE. STEVE: YOU KNOW, IF JOE BIDEN PULLS OVER IN HIS MOTORCADE TODAY YOU HAVE GOT TALK TO HIM ABOUT THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A SUPPLY CHAIN SUMMIT JUST TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE STUFF FROM WHERE IT'S BEING MANUFACTURED TO THE PEOPLE WHO WANT IT. >> YEAH. IT'S -- THE MANUFACTURING ASPECT AND THE SUPPLY ASPECT IS THE WORSE IT'S EVER BEEN. I HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER ONCE HAD TO WORRY IF I WAS GOING TO GET CHEDDAR CHEESE THE NEXT KAY OR CHICKEN. STEVE: UNBELIEVABLE. >> IT'S REALLY BAD RIGHT NOW. STEVE: IF YOU ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE AT AUGIE? >> IT'S AUGUSTE'S BAR.COM. STEVE: ALL RIGHT. GOOD ENOUGH. I HEAR THE CHICKEN FINGERS ARE FANTASTIC. >> YEAH. THE BEST IN MICHIGAN. STEVE: ALL RIGHT. STEVE HOWCROFT, THE OWNER OF AUGIE'S BAR AND GRILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING

Channel: Fox News

Views: 492,562

Rating: 4.9009261 out of 5

Keywords: us, fox and friends, fox & friends, steve doocy, steve doocy fox news, restaurant owner, restaurant owner sends biden message, michigan restaurant owner, biden visit to michigan, michigan, restaurant revitalization fund, american rescue plan, biden spending, biden spending agenda, president biden, steve howcroft, augies bar and grill, labor shortage, us labor shortage, jobs, unemployment, stimulus, biden stimulus, loans for small businesses, loans for restaurants

Id: YqyJzamgmeY

Length: 4min 30sec (270 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 05 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/Due-Concentrate-4869]

Hopefully this brings more R’s to the table …

[u/Aromatic_Tour6819]

I think he failed to mention " REPLENISHMENT " and the fact that over 100k restaurants could be closed/sold in coming months if replenishing RRF is NOT DONE.

[u/Capable-Mode-333]

Oh, this is so great! He's articulated the labor, supply and other crazy binds we're all in so well! Well done, Steve / Augies, and thank you!!!

[u/Potential_Classic979]

Well said

[u/tampadog3436]

Awesome thanks Steve Ducey! He clearly directed this. Maybe his friend in Palm Beach tipped him off to it as he mentioned in the video.

[u/cjs230]

All in all, great interview. Thx for sharing.

[u/angryrestaurantowner]

he pointed out exactly what we want to say

[u/Mrlifebar]

Wow thank you Augies. Www.Augiesbar.com going to support them online

[u/chitownmouse]

think he did just fine and its much appreciated.