January 17, 2025 • 6 mins
Owner of Jasmine’s Caribbean and S’aimer in midtown Manhattan talks about how
congestion pricing is affecting businesses in the area
congestion pricing is affecting businesses in the area
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So what is the effect of congestion pricing on businesses
and their employees in the midtown. Let's talk to Jasmine Gerald,
who is the owner of two restaurants in the Heart
of Times Squares, so he is obviously going to be
affected if there's any effect at all. Thank you for
joining us. I really appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Yeah, no, absolutely, and congratulations on the two restaurants so far.
Has has congestion pricing hurt you at all?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Oh? Yes, definitely, definitely see not as many patrons in
the restaurant. I mean, I know January is this little time,
but for the amount of people that are coming into
the restaurant, I've definitely seen a change. I mean, you know,
jazz and Scriuping Cuisine and Samira is in a Heart
of Times Square and normally you're seeing lots of people
out it's hard to get parking. Now is just like
(01:01):
easy to get parking. People not really out. I mean
you have tourists out there, but as far as people
drive it in, I've definitely seen a change, and especially
in the restaurants.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's probably too early to get real numbers, but what's
your estimate how much would your business be down.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Right now, It's hard to get real numbers. I know
that some of the restaurant tours in on restaurant role
have been definitely dealing with low probably like five to
ten percent as far as people who used to come
into the restaurant. But you know, we all are trying
to do things to bring customers in and we understand
(01:41):
the reason why they're doing what they're doing. But for
small businesses, you know, we need to come up with
a former solution because it will affect us. I mean
with our deliveries coming in. People delivering they're going to
charge us more in so many different ways customers and
be like, well I'm going to stay in Queens Brooklyn
(02:01):
and they're not going to come in. So is this
finding you know something a balance between the congestion pricing
and you know the restaurants how or not even restaurants.
Just a small business coming up with a solution that
will help everyone.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah, and look at you got to pay your bills
no matter what, and they're going to be there. You
got to pay your hit the payroll, you got to
keep the lights on, you got to pay for the heat.
And if they're going to charge you more because of congestion,
pricing for your deliveries, and you're making less at the door.
You're going to have to raise your prices, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, and then that's another thing. People are going to
be like, you know, I don't want to pay that much.
So we're going to be affected in so many ways.
You know, it's a trickle down effect. You know, you're
having people delivering goods to you. People are coming into
the city because they want to have a good time. Now,
if you have to raise your prices and food, they're
going to be like, I'm not going to do that.
I'm going to pay pay a toll to come into
(02:58):
the city, and then the cost of food is going
to be more. So it's it's definitely it's not going
to be a good situation for us.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Back ball, What about your employees. Are they affected by this?
I would imagine that some of them drive in right,
and and do they now have to take public transportation?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, they're taking public transportation because and then what is
happening you know now the tardiness you know now is
the excuse of what I had to take two trains
and the train was delayed, you know, the ones who
used to come in, who used to be on time.
So it's affecting us in so many ways. I mean
in which you have to be on time for your job.
But majority now the ones who used to drive in
(03:42):
are now taking public transportation. And I have people that
are coming from New Jersey, so you're paying the toll.
Then now you're paying the price to come into the city.
It's a lot. How many do you have, Oh my god,
I have at least twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Five, twenty five And how many of them now are
taking public transportation that used to drive in.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I had five that used to take drive in. Now
I have two that's still driving in, but the rest
of them are taking buses in from New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And when do they get off at night? I'm worried about.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, at nighttime, Yeah, at nighttime. It's crazy because now
if they don't leave at a certain time, they're going
to get missed their bus to go to go home.
So it's just all around. It's just you have to
just change everything around right now, and it's just not good.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
And is it all of the small business owners you
talked to down there, have you talked to other restaurant tours.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, I see, I haven't spoken to I'm only speak
talking about the restaurant tours on my block. I mean,
you're definitely seeing a change. We have definitely seen a change.
I don't know per safe for them as far as employees,
but I know for my restaurants that it definitely affected
them wanting to leave earlier because they don't want to
miss their buses and then coming in they're being late now.
(05:06):
And then also to some of the customers that's coming in.
I mean, of course we have our customers that come in,
they love their restaurant, it doesn't matter. But you definitely
see a change in the streets. I mean terms where
restaurant roads. You're going straight into the Broadway, you know
the gateway into Broadway, and there's no traffic on the block.
(05:28):
There's no traffic, there's parking space. The amount of people
that used to come in is it definitely has changed.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Well, I'm sorry you're going through this. You're getting the
brunt of it. Talk about your two restaurants. So where
can people where are they? Where can people go and
help you out and eat there and get some great food?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, well, Jazz and Scribean cuisine. We are three thirty
eight West forty sixth Street, and we're between eighth and
ninth Avenue. You know, it's all food if you if
you love Cribbean food. Samar is three thirty eight West
forty sixth Street and it's closer to eighth Avenue, and
(06:09):
it's like a lounge speakeasy vibe and it's Cribbean food
with a French fusion.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
I think we're gonna have a class trip soon. Tells great.
I'm Tom now hungry. Yeah, I'm gonna go. You sold
me Jasmine Gerald, owner of two restaurants in the heart
that you just talked about him in the heart of
Times Square. Thanks so much for your time. Hope things
get better for you.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Have a great weekend, and thank you so much.
So what is the effect of congestion pricing on businesses
and their employees in the midtown. Let's talk to Jasmine Gerald,
who is the owner of two restaurants in the Heart
of Times Squares, so he is obviously going to be
affected if there's any effect at all. Thank you for
joining us. I really appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Yeah, no, absolutely, and congratulations on the two restaurants so far.
Has has congestion pricing hurt you at all?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Oh? Yes, definitely, definitely see not as many patrons in
the restaurant. I mean, I know January is this little time,
but for the amount of people that are coming into
the restaurant, I've definitely seen a change. I mean, you know,
jazz and Scriuping Cuisine and Samira is in a Heart
of Times Square and normally you're seeing lots of people
out it's hard to get parking. Now is just like
(01:01):
easy to get parking. People not really out. I mean
you have tourists out there, but as far as people
drive it in, I've definitely seen a change, and especially
in the restaurants.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's probably too early to get real numbers, but what's
your estimate how much would your business be down.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Right now, It's hard to get real numbers. I know
that some of the restaurant tours in on restaurant role
have been definitely dealing with low probably like five to
ten percent as far as people who used to come
into the restaurant. But you know, we all are trying
to do things to bring customers in and we understand
(01:41):
the reason why they're doing what they're doing. But for
small businesses, you know, we need to come up with
a former solution because it will affect us. I mean
with our deliveries coming in. People delivering they're going to
charge us more in so many different ways customers and
be like, well I'm going to stay in Queens Brooklyn
(02:01):
and they're not going to come in. So is this
finding you know something a balance between the congestion pricing
and you know the restaurants how or not even restaurants.
Just a small business coming up with a solution that
will help everyone.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah, and look at you got to pay your bills
no matter what, and they're going to be there. You
got to pay your hit the payroll, you got to
keep the lights on, you got to pay for the heat.
And if they're going to charge you more because of congestion,
pricing for your deliveries, and you're making less at the door.
You're going to have to raise your prices, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, and then that's another thing. People are going to
be like, you know, I don't want to pay that much.
So we're going to be affected in so many ways.
You know, it's a trickle down effect. You know, you're
having people delivering goods to you. People are coming into
the city because they want to have a good time. Now,
if you have to raise your prices and food, they're
going to be like, I'm not going to do that.
I'm going to pay pay a toll to come into
(02:58):
the city, and then the cost of food is going
to be more. So it's it's definitely it's not going
to be a good situation for us.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Back ball, What about your employees. Are they affected by this?
I would imagine that some of them drive in right,
and and do they now have to take public transportation?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, they're taking public transportation because and then what is
happening you know now the tardiness you know now is
the excuse of what I had to take two trains
and the train was delayed, you know, the ones who
used to come in, who used to be on time.
So it's affecting us in so many ways. I mean
in which you have to be on time for your job.
But majority now the ones who used to drive in
(03:42):
are now taking public transportation. And I have people that
are coming from New Jersey, so you're paying the toll.
Then now you're paying the price to come into the city.
It's a lot. How many do you have, Oh my god,
I have at least twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Five, twenty five And how many of them now are
taking public transportation that used to drive in.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I had five that used to take drive in. Now
I have two that's still driving in, but the rest
of them are taking buses in from New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And when do they get off at night? I'm worried about.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yes, at nighttime, Yeah, at nighttime. It's crazy because now
if they don't leave at a certain time, they're going
to get missed their bus to go to go home.
So it's just all around. It's just you have to
just change everything around right now, and it's just not good.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
And is it all of the small business owners you
talked to down there, have you talked to other restaurant tours.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, I see, I haven't spoken to I'm only speak
talking about the restaurant tours on my block. I mean,
you're definitely seeing a change. We have definitely seen a change.
I don't know per safe for them as far as employees,
but I know for my restaurants that it definitely affected
them wanting to leave earlier because they don't want to
miss their buses and then coming in they're being late now.
(05:06):
And then also to some of the customers that's coming in.
I mean, of course we have our customers that come in,
they love their restaurant, it doesn't matter. But you definitely
see a change in the streets. I mean terms where
restaurant roads. You're going straight into the Broadway, you know
the gateway into Broadway, and there's no traffic on the block.
(05:28):
There's no traffic, there's parking space. The amount of people
that used to come in is it definitely has changed.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Well, I'm sorry you're going through this. You're getting the
brunt of it. Talk about your two restaurants. So where
can people where are they? Where can people go and
help you out and eat there and get some great food?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, well, Jazz and Scribean cuisine. We are three thirty
eight West forty sixth Street, and we're between eighth and
ninth Avenue. You know, it's all food if you if
you love Cribbean food. Samar is three thirty eight West
forty sixth Street and it's closer to eighth Avenue, and
(06:09):
it's like a lounge speakeasy vibe and it's Cribbean food
with a French fusion.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
I think we're gonna have a class trip soon. Tells great.
I'm Tom now hungry. Yeah, I'm gonna go. You sold
me Jasmine Gerald, owner of two restaurants in the heart
that you just talked about him in the heart of
Times Square. Thanks so much for your time. Hope things
get better for you.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Have a great weekend, and thank you so much.
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