Cheaper gas is having a positive impact on some local restaurants and businesses.
As of press time, the lowest gas price in Gainesville is $2.06 at Murphy Express, located at 6360 NW 13th St. near Northwest 23rd Street. The steadily decreasing prices have cheapened costs ranging from food suppliers to delivery expenses.
Even though menu prices aren’t dropping, customers are benefitting.
“We can be a bit more generous with our portions,” said Coleen Tobin, a manager of Harvest Thyme Cafe downtown. “We can offer different specialty items because we can spend the extra money.”
She said seasonal produce prices have dropped, and the extra charge that comes with delivering products has decreased as well.
Delivery drivers are also benefitting even though food delivery prices have not seen a drop.
“It has definitely improved driver morale,” said Jackson Bodiford, a manager and dispatcher for Gainesville2Go.com. “Our drivers love the low gas prices.”
Gainesville2Go pays its drivers a set wage, but drivers are responsible for their own gas expenses, so they’ve been saving money.
Bodiford said Gainesville2Go could invest in other business models if gas prices remain low. However, he predicts prices will rise again by summer.
“Lower gas prices really just means our drivers are making more money and are happier,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 1/16/2015 under the headline “Lower gas prices give unexpected benefits to students, delivery drivers"]
