MILLCREEK, Utah — Over a year after most COVID restrictions were removed, a Millcreek restaurant is closing its doors citing post-pandemic troubles among other issues that have hurt business.
The Citris Grill has been serving southwest chicken wraps, burgers, and love for over 20 years, all beginning when Mike Crosland and his late wife, Erica, decided it was their turn to take a chance in the restaurant industry.
"In 20 years, there's thousands and thousands of memories," said Mike.
Those memories have turned the restaurant into what they like to say has become the neighborhood squeeze.
"I think it's been a gathering place," Mike shared. "I've had baby showers here, wedding showers here, tons of family events."
Customers love the creative boards showcasing Citris Grill's specials, but the community will have to say goodbye on March 30, the restaurant's final day of business. Crosland admits a combination of personal and economic factors contributed to the difficult decision
"The inflation that hit the restaurant industry was horrible, with labor and all the food, was just crazy," Mike explained. "Things that I would pay, like mayonnaise for instance, I would buy mayonnaise for $18 dollars for 30 pounds, high quality, good mayonnaise. It's got up as high as 75, 85 dollars."
"The word in the restaurant industry used to be consistent, now it's flexible, you've got to be flexible with your menu, flexibile with your staff, flexible with your prices because there are going to be changing a lot, because inflation's wreaking havoc in our industry," said Melva Sine, President and CEO of the Utah Restaurant Association.
Sine claims Utah has one of the fastest growing restaurant industries in the country, but many local dining spots are still struggling post-pandemic.
"Those people that experienced hardships during the pandemic are still paying back loans, still paying back what it took for them to keep their business operational," she said.
Crosland said he and Citrus Grill never got back anywhere near their original volumes and customer counts were difficult.
"If you didn't have a drive thru you suffered, we clearly don't," he added.
Crosland wonders what the future of the restaurant would look like if his Erica was still alive. He says she would have fought hard for solutions to the restaurant's post-pandemic woes, maybe even build that drive thru.
But as he remembers his wife, he's taking in every last moment inside the restaurant they built together.
"There's been a lot love," he shared.
